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.
Hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
I was trying far too hard
To be what I felt I should be
I was playing wild cards
Seeing things that weren't in front of me
Like a little tiger play fighting
I was hurting myself
Again, and again
Because I'm hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away,
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
That there's no more time
Well,
I'm just discovering
I'm living in a different body
Got a little insight into
Everything that's happening to me
Like a little spider, I'm climbing the insurmountable
But I never hold myself accountable
No oooh
Because I'm hopeless
Everybody says I'm hopeless
But I got a bit of hopeless
In this
Oh and you could never bring me down
Even though I got solid ground
Oh because I love it so
And I think you should know
That I'm hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away,
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless , hopeless, hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
I was trying far too hard
To be what I felt I should be
I was playing wild cards
Seeing things that weren't in front of me
Like a little tiger play fighting
I was hurting myself
Again, and again
Because I'm hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away,
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
That there's no more time
Well,
I'm just discovering
I'm living in a different body
Got a little insight into
Everything that's happening to me
Like a little spider, I'm climbing the insurmountable
But I never hold myself accountable
No oooh
Because I'm hopeless
Everybody says I'm hopeless
But I got a bit of hopeless
In this
Oh and you could never bring me down
Even though I got solid ground
Oh because I love it so
And I think you should know
That I'm hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away,
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless , hopeless, hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I think this song is a paean to hopelessness. The fact that once she got down to the nadir there is nowhere for her to go but up. If she exhausts everyone's expectations for her then she can finally be what she really wants to be.