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.
If you knew
What I know
Would you try?
Before your time
Has run on you
And worn you down
Would you know
What you desire
In your heart?
If you knew
What I know
Would you try?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow just one desire?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow your heart?
Dress your wounds
Test your strength
Face the night
Crave the touch
Feel the pain
Know the signs
Is there truth
In your pain?
You decide
If you knew
What I know
Would you try?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow just one desire?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow your heart?
As we lie
In the shade
Of poison trees
Are we as safe
As we let
Ourselves believe?
What I know
Would you try?
Before your time
Has run on you
And worn you down
Would you know
What you desire
In your heart?
If you knew
What I know
Would you try?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow just one desire?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow your heart?
Dress your wounds
Test your strength
Face the night
Crave the touch
Feel the pain
Know the signs
Is there truth
In your pain?
You decide
If you knew
What I know
Would you try?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow just one desire?
Is there time
Is there time
To follow your heart?
As we lie
In the shade
Of poison trees
Are we as safe
As we let
Ourselves believe?
Lyrics submitted by esoteric-heart
The Shade of Poison Trees Lyrics as written by Christopher Andrew Carrabba
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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 completely agree with movements; that's EXACTLY it.
for me, it makes me think of finding who you're meant to be with, or just who you're meant to be. it's like he's saying, if you knew how little time you really had to find someone or just to do the things YOU want to do, would you even try? It takes a lot to actually step up just ONE time to change your life. And it's like coming from a perspective where he's already been through it and he knows all you have to do is follow your heart, but would you, in the shade of poison trees, in the shade of lies and guilt and worry, would we actually overcome it all and ourselves, just to step up and 'follow just one desire'? or do some of us just not have enough time at all...
The poison trees kind of make me think of just that shell or that wall that people put up...like a tree, they give us shade and protection from harder decisions in life, but at the same time, they're POISON trees; they're not as good for you as you think...they're really hurting you in a way because you're not doing what you know you should be doing to change your life and choose your path.
I think this is one of the BEST songs ever written by Dashboard Confessional...it's so beautiful and asks such philosophical, frequently-asked-and-considered-but-never-answered questions that i just LOVE thinking about.