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.
Alone with my thoughts as I lay on the bed
The bottle that I drank when straight to my head
Skins and roaches litter the floor
Deja vu, I've been here before
A wasted youth, or some might say
Because I choose to live a different way
It's getting harder to make ends meet
My biggest job is to stay on my feet...
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a side of me that you'll never know
I can't seem to let it go
Alone with my ghosts as I lay with the dead
Digging graves for every word you said
Saints and sinners burst through my door
Last thing I see as I hit the floor
A wasted youth, or some might say
Because we choose to live a different way
It's getting harder to stand the heat
Come resurrect me from dirty sheets...
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a part of me that I'll never show
A part of me that you'll never know...
Tightrope walking on a razor wire
Tucked in a bed of crimson fire
Try to stay awake but my eyes won't close
I look into the mirror and I see my foes
You left me in a state of limbo
But Jack be quick and Jack be nimble
Enough is enough and a scar is born
You'll curse the womb whence I was torn
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a side of me that you'll never know
I can't seem to let it go
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a part of me that I'll never show
A part of me that you'll never know...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
The bottle that I drank when straight to my head
Skins and roaches litter the floor
Deja vu, I've been here before
A wasted youth, or some might say
Because I choose to live a different way
It's getting harder to make ends meet
My biggest job is to stay on my feet...
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a side of me that you'll never know
I can't seem to let it go
Alone with my ghosts as I lay with the dead
Digging graves for every word you said
Saints and sinners burst through my door
Last thing I see as I hit the floor
A wasted youth, or some might say
Because we choose to live a different way
It's getting harder to stand the heat
Come resurrect me from dirty sheets...
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a part of me that I'll never show
A part of me that you'll never know...
Tightrope walking on a razor wire
Tucked in a bed of crimson fire
Try to stay awake but my eyes won't close
I look into the mirror and I see my foes
You left me in a state of limbo
But Jack be quick and Jack be nimble
Enough is enough and a scar is born
You'll curse the womb whence I was torn
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a side of me that you'll never know
I can't seem to let it go
Pain burns inside of me
Deep down, where you can't see
There's a part of me that I'll never show
A part of me that you'll never know...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
This pain...
Lyrics submitted by The_Passenger
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