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 i ever lose your voice
if it gets drowned in all the noise
i'll run for it
chase my memory for a while
if i ever forget your face
if it gets erased
i'll collect the broken bits
reassemble it, i'll try
to bury my feet where the ocean and the sand meet
and hope the waves don't wash me away
it's the best i can do, hope something in me takes root
and wait out the water for a while
if i drown in my own bed
if i lose to my heart, my head again
you'll be my last defense
but i'll bury my feet
where my mind and my body meet
and hope i stay standing for a while
what else can you do when there's an ocean trying to drown you
but watch the water rise and smile
bloodshot eyes, breaklights
another mile and i'll
i'll get off this road, don't know where i'm going though
but i'll move my feet
so the pedal and the floor meet
and watch waves of trees go by
it's all i can do,
hope where i'm going leads to you
and watch the horizon take its time
if it gets drowned in all the noise
i'll run for it
chase my memory for a while
if i ever forget your face
if it gets erased
i'll collect the broken bits
reassemble it, i'll try
to bury my feet where the ocean and the sand meet
and hope the waves don't wash me away
it's the best i can do, hope something in me takes root
and wait out the water for a while
if i drown in my own bed
if i lose to my heart, my head again
you'll be my last defense
but i'll bury my feet
where my mind and my body meet
and hope i stay standing for a while
what else can you do when there's an ocean trying to drown you
but watch the water rise and smile
bloodshot eyes, breaklights
another mile and i'll
i'll get off this road, don't know where i'm going though
but i'll move my feet
so the pedal and the floor meet
and watch waves of trees go by
it's all i can do,
hope where i'm going leads to you
and watch the horizon take its time
Lyrics submitted by ready set megan
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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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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.
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Great version of a great song,
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