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.
He can't make senses of this
He just too normal
And this place is too scary
He's so scared that he'll miss
He keeps on in hiding and restless and wanting
What if for one minute he was given a chance
And he does something brilliant
But he'll rather not know
His walls protect him
His bedroom's a prison
Now is your chance boy just ignore the dreadful things they say
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
If he took his time to prepare the data the shell
Alone's an addiction
Such a comforting place a common mistake
A dry wishing well
Now is your chance boy just ignore the dreadful things they say
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
So go on give up you'll never win
Oh what a mistake
He is charcoal within he can never drive by them
Just stands on the stage with a grin
But he drops at his knees
And he's waiting for anything he can believe in
He's lost he just wants to be ordinary
Now is your chance boy just ignore the dreadful things they say
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
Go on give up you'll never win
He just too normal
And this place is too scary
He's so scared that he'll miss
He keeps on in hiding and restless and wanting
What if for one minute he was given a chance
And he does something brilliant
But he'll rather not know
His walls protect him
His bedroom's a prison
Now is your chance boy just ignore the dreadful things they say
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
If he took his time to prepare the data the shell
Alone's an addiction
Such a comforting place a common mistake
A dry wishing well
Now is your chance boy just ignore the dreadful things they say
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
So go on give up you'll never win
Oh what a mistake
He is charcoal within he can never drive by them
Just stands on the stage with a grin
But he drops at his knees
And he's waiting for anything he can believe in
He's lost he just wants to be ordinary
Now is your chance boy just ignore the dreadful things they say
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
His blood will boil and the kids will sing
Learn to drown before learn to swim
Go on give up you'll never win no crying now there watching him
Go on give up you'll never win
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
I think the songs about accepting failure if you want to succeed... that's what it means by "learn to drown before you learn to swim"