The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
I saw your father in the hall
His ghost is living in the walls
I heard him crying while you slept
I heard him breaking things after you left
I watched you crawl into my bed
With curses spilling from your head
You said "We're just the walking dead"
So I pulled the trigger and we floated off
Into the air
Into the air
Into the air
Into the air
Up in the air
We're in the air
Up in the air
Up in the air
I used to worry about the time
But I lost my teeth along the line
So I carved the apple from my eye
And gave it to you before I went away
Blood ran into the kitchen sink
Your hand and lives are running pink
I sat and watched you as your ring
Slipped off and rolled across the kitchen floor
They cut your eyes wide open
And pour into your precious head
My reach don't go that far dear
But please oh please don't let them in
I sank into the sea
Wrapped in piano strings
Few words could open me
But you knew them all
Now I just sleep beneath your floor
My ghost just tries to keep you warm
I've seen the end, I've lost the war
One day you'll join me here just like the rest
I hear the engines
They're roaring in our mouths
The smell of creatures
Are falling tooth and nail to get out
I see the airplanes
They're pouring from the chest
They fill the air
And burn and bury just like the rest
His ghost is living in the walls
I heard him crying while you slept
I heard him breaking things after you left
I watched you crawl into my bed
With curses spilling from your head
You said "We're just the walking dead"
So I pulled the trigger and we floated off
Into the air
Into the air
Into the air
Into the air
Up in the air
We're in the air
Up in the air
Up in the air
I used to worry about the time
But I lost my teeth along the line
So I carved the apple from my eye
And gave it to you before I went away
Blood ran into the kitchen sink
Your hand and lives are running pink
I sat and watched you as your ring
Slipped off and rolled across the kitchen floor
They cut your eyes wide open
And pour into your precious head
My reach don't go that far dear
But please oh please don't let them in
I sank into the sea
Wrapped in piano strings
Few words could open me
But you knew them all
Now I just sleep beneath your floor
My ghost just tries to keep you warm
I've seen the end, I've lost the war
One day you'll join me here just like the rest
I hear the engines
They're roaring in our mouths
The smell of creatures
Are falling tooth and nail to get out
I see the airplanes
They're pouring from the chest
They fill the air
And burn and bury just like the rest
Lyrics submitted by eddiesmile, edited by ettov
Wrapped in Piano Strings Lyrics as written by Benjamin Cooper
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i know songs mean what you want them to... here's my take.
her father isn't happy, the romeo and juliet aspect... a murder, suicide "we floated off".
You said "We're just the walking dead" So I pulled the trigger and we floated off
the matter of this being together, he's dead, they are working on her. "cut your eyes wide open, and bore into your head".... doctors doing what they can to save her...... he's watching that from an outside position, he wants her to come with him into death.... "My reach don't go that far dear But please oh please don't let them in".... when/if they fix her she's still alive and he's stuck alone....
"I sank into the sea Wrapped in piano strings Few words could open me But you knew them all"
Now I just sleep beneath your floor My ghost just tries to keep you warm I've seen the end, I've lost the war One day you'll join me here just like the rest