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.
Time
It's never worth my time
Blue shine
Bleeds into my eyes
I still
Sleep on the right side
Of the white noise
Can't leave the scene behind
Could I be anything you want me to be
It's always meant to be seen
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
And will you step in line or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
And I'll try
To hold on tight tonight
Pink slip
Inviting me inside
Wanna burn skin
And brand what once was mine
But the red views
Keep ripping the divide
If I go everywhere you want me to go
How will I know you'll still follow?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading, waiting and fading
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
It's never worth my time
Blue shine
Bleeds into my eyes
I still
Sleep on the right side
Of the white noise
Can't leave the scene behind
Could I be anything you want me to be
It's always meant to be seen
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
And will you step in line or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
And I'll try
To hold on tight tonight
Pink slip
Inviting me inside
Wanna burn skin
And brand what once was mine
But the red views
Keep ripping the divide
If I go everywhere you want me to go
How will I know you'll still follow?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading, waiting and fading
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
Lyrics submitted by chardsofglass
Panic Switch Lyrics as written by Joseph Charles Lester Christopher Ander Guanlao
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The chorus is wrong
When you see yourself in a crowded room, do your finger itch? are you pistol whipped? And will you step in line or release the glitch? And can you sleep with a panic switch?
Actually most of the song is wrong...
Time It's never worth my time Blue shine Bleeds into my eyes
I still Sleep on the right side Of the white noise Can't leave the scene behind
Could I be anything you want me to be It's always meant to be seen
[Chorus] When you see yourself in a crowded room Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped? And will you step in line or release the glitch? And can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
And when you see yourself in a crowded room Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped? Will you step in line or release the glitch? Do you think she'll sleep with the panic...
Mm, I'll try To hold on tight tonight Pink slip Inviting me inside Wanna burn skin And brand what once was mine But the red views Keep ripping the divide
If I go everywhere you want me to go How will I know you'll still follow?
[Chorus]
I'm waiting and fading and floating away I'm waiting and fading and floating away I'm waiting and fading and floating away Waiting and fading and floating
I'm waiting and fading and floating away Waiting and fading and floating away Waiting and fading and floating away Waiting and fading, waiting and fading
[Chorus]
Yes, Jaopygofar has the right lyrics. I think its about a geek seeing a hot girl in a club. nicely done song! can't wait to see them live.
FUNNY ENOUGH... i think your both right, i think it's saying:<br /> <br /> When you see yourself in a crowded room<br /> Do your finger's itch, are you pistol-whipped<br /> Will you step in line or release the glicth?<br /> Can you fall asleep with a panic switch<br /> <br /> When you see yourself in a crowded room<br /> Do you think i'll snitch, are you pistol-whipped<br /> Will you step in line or release the glitch?<br /> Do you fall asleep with a panic ...
I can't believe nobody's gotten it yet. And, hello guys, a song can have multiple meanins at once. So yes, it's about the music industry, I see that. It's ALSO definitely about an anxiety attack. But put the pieces together, and you get a song that's about a guy's anxiety towards being an individual. This song is about how everyone's becoming the same, not just the music industry, but society in general. The "speaker" in this song is panicking because he feels like he needs to conform, but really doesn't want to. He values his individuality and is freaking out about how to keep it.
AND THE CHORUS IS WRONG.AH. "Do you see yourself in a crowded room?
Do your fingers itch? Are you pistol-whipped?
Do you step in line, or release the glitch?
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?"
The meaning:
among all of the clones, do you stand out? are you like me, dying to be allowed to be yourself? so are you going to be a clone, or release the glitch and be yourself? can you fall asleep knowing this? (referring to his extreme anxiety)
I forgot to add: the panic switch is a panic attack. It can go off anywhere, anytime.<br /> So in one sentence, the song is about whether to fall in line with everyone else and be normal, or be yourself and succumb to the panic attacks.
Winner, catchanrelease
Although at that point it seems more like a crisis of identity
@catchandrelease First off I know that you wrote this over 10 years ago, but I’m just now hearing this song and I think you are on to something. <br /> <br /> The subject (person) that this song is speaking to in the chorus is tougher than you think. He is at a turning point, but he’s not just faced with the choice between conforming or being himself; he is faced with the choice between conforming or fighting back. He’s not just going to go his own way; he’s going to confront society on some level. It’s summed up pretty succinctly in one line that everyone here seems to be glossing over.<br /> <br /> “Do your fingers itch? Are you pistol whipped?”<br /> <br /> The itchy finger is a reference to an idiom explained here:<br /> <br /> an itchy trigger finger<br /> <br />
@catchandrelease I believe the panic switch he’s referring to is an escape from all the madness going on in our society. and now his own head! And at the end ending up just like prety much everyone else.
Here is my explanation i think i may have hit bulls eye with this one - let me know what you guys think
song is about someone that got cheated on
Time. It's never worth my time. Moonshine Bleeds into my eyes.
-thinking about her is never worth my time, moonshine - maybe the name of the gf bleeds into my eyes - wants to cry
I still Sleep on the right side Of the white noise; Can't leave the scene behind.
-i still sleep on the right side of the bed we used to sleep on together -white noise = white bed -cant forget what happened
Do you see yourself in a crowded room? Do you think I'll snitch? Are you pistol-whipped? Do you step in line, or release the glitch? Can you fall asleep when I panic, switch?
-do u see youself (ex-gf) surrounded by your guilt (crowd) -do you think i'll tell anyone what u did to me -are you pistal (dick) whipped -can you fall asleep when i panic - panic as in the emotion in you waking up in a nightmare that your gf is cheating on you
When you see yourself in a crowded room, Do you think I'll snitch? Are you pistol whipped? Will you step in line or release this glitch? Do you think she'll sleep with the panic?
-when your about to fuck -do you think i'll tell anyone what u did to me -are you pistal (dick) whipped =will you stop yourself, will say fuck it and open your legs -ow you think she'll sleep with that feeling of guild
And I'll try to hold on tight tonight. Pink slip, inviting me inside. I want to burn skin and brand what once was mine, But the red news came ripping in to fight.
-i'll try to wait another day for you -that pussy (pink slip) is what im lusting for -i want to brand ur ass, because you were once mine -but i know what you did, and im angry and wont lose to your lust
If I go anywhere that you want me to go, How do I know you'll still follow?
-if i forgive you, how do i know you wont cheat again
I'm waiting and fading and floating away I'm waiting and fading and floating away I'm waiting and fading and floating away I'm waiting and fading and floating.
-im waiting for something, but as i waiting my feelings for you are floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away Waiting and fading and floating away Waiting and fading and floating away
-im waiting for something, but as i waiting my feelings for you are floating away Waiting and fading and flailing and fading
to narballs<br /> <br /> <br /> honestly, how you interpretated this song...., is all wrong ....she likes the song cause of how good it sounds.... there is no meaning behind it....<br /> <br /> oh my god.... i hate this drug....i told you negative entities were involved... you never read things so deep before...now everything is misconstrued.....<br /> <br /> i can't believe this.....
This song is 100% about anxiety. As someone with anxiety myself, I can sooo relate. Very very powerful song. "Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?" Brilliant and sad.
I think this song is about being led on sexually by an ex with whom you're still in love. It's like the ex just came back for sex, but you're hoping that they actually want you again. With the anxiety of that situation, you're unable to connect to other people and you wonder if everybody around you can tell that you're losing it.
"Time is never worth my time Blue shine bleeds into my eyes" I feel like this part means that it has happened before, and that it's acknowledged that it hasn't worked out well before.
"I still sleep on the right side But white noise can't leave the scene behind" You still sleep in the bed where you both used to sleep, and there's a "white noise" presence of emptiness left in the ex's place.
"Could I be anything you want me to be If so is it meant to be seen?" Questioning whether or not you're willing to do anything the ex wants in order to get them to come back emotionally.
"I'll try to hold on tight tonight Pink slip inviting me inside" Trying to savor the emotionless moments with the ex because you're realizing it's purely sexual.
"Want to burn skin and brand what once was mine But the red views keep ripping the divide" Wanting to make 100% certain that the ex will stick around.
"If I go everywhere you want me to go How will I know you'll still follow" Questioning yourself about whether or not it's worth your time to play along with the ex.
I think its about someone fighting with themself. his alter ego is taking over and he is holding on but its overwhelming. he is dying..
time is never worth my time blue shine bleeds into my eyes i still sleep on the right side but white noise can't leave the scene behind
could i be anything you want me to be if so is it meant to be seen
-shows how reliant he has become on the voice inside him/cant trust his instinct, doesnt know if its worth it anymore
when you see yourself in a crowded room do your fingers itch are you pistol whipped will you step in line or release the glitch can you fall asleep with a panic switch
-he is talking to the voice/alter ego inside himself, because he is essentially just a body because he is so controlled by his alter ego, when he's surrounded by people, his fingers itch/hes so anxious, its painful because he's beginning to get that he is dying (pistol whipped), he is so weak he can fall asleep even with all that he is dealing with, hes becoming numb, he is asking his alter ego, but in a way as if to say you dont have to go through all this.
i'll try to hold on tight tonight pink slip inviting me inside
-he could die anytime, he feels the termination coming on
want to burn skin and brand what once was mine but the red views keep ripping the divide
-i want to go back to myself, i want my body back, i want to live without this obsession with listening to the voices inside your head (relates back to white noise theory), but the red views (voices/alter ego overpowers you)
if i go everywhere you want me to go how will i know you'll still follow
-he doesnt know if he can trust or listen to himself anymore, he doesnt know if his good intuition will follow him much longer
will you step in line or release the glitch do you think she'll sleep with a panic...
-speaking to himself again, will you let go of me when you finally see that ive had enough???
i'm waiting and fading and floating... i'm waiting and fading and floating away i'm waiting and fading and floating away i'm waiting and fading and floating away
-he thinks and does the same thing everday, just like time is not a factor, he is waiting for something, but really its just nothing, he cannot think for himself anymore.. he is dying...
(just a thought, of course every song means something different to each person)
and if u must know why it is so hard for me to let go.... despite everything and what everyone is doing.... is because i refuse to believe that you did any of those things.....i never meant any of those words.....i was just so upset, 'cause i did not know what was going on..... but i know that you were trying to escape me......and that's ok, 'cause i know that i am terrible and treated like crap....but i know it was not a constant thing...., ok?but keeping those things outside was fucked up of me....saying wasting , was fucked up.... i know this.....and i am so sorry.....<br /> i just hope one day you can forgive me..you did not deserve any of this...<br /> <br /> you deserve someone better.....and i wish all the love and happiness....<br /> \<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> i am sorry ...4 everything....<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> and i hope you understand me, which i thought you did, on how i say things i don't mean when i'm angry....
@darkbright yeah, this is my favorite interpretation so far. Thanks.
I think this song is more about having trusted somebody for a long time, and suddenly they hurt you, and you don't know what to do.
"Panic Switch" seems to symbolize quickly "flipping a switch" in your everyday life, and not being used to it.
"If I go anywhere you want me to go, how will I know you'll still follow?" "I'm waiting and fading and floating away." "Could I be anything you want me to be?"
The song provides a glimpse into the fragile emotional state of someone soon after their world has been flipped upside down by a major betrayal or other traumatic events. It about dealing with the unknowns, uncertainty, and doubt that follow when things you thought you knew reveal themselves to not be true.
The individual knows that to heal they need to put aside time to work through what has happened, but doing so may require them to revisit painful events and discover other things they don't want to know. So instead, the individual tries to go on living their life and stay busy with work and other activities. But the fear & hurt from the unresolved issues are always right below the surface, leaving them in a perpetual state of anxiety and panic.
The individual may have been in a very intense, but probably unhealthy, relationship with someone whome they cared for alot. Over time the relationship likely experienced increasing amounts of betrayal of trust such as infidelity and perhaps abuse. While the individual was the recipient of these betrayals early on, he was submissive and may have made excuses which justified the the actions of his partner. But as the relationship escalated his emotions eventually got the best of him and he himself ended fighting back and contributing to the toxicty of the relationship in ways he never thought were possible.
Now that the relationship is over, he can't ignore the fact that the relationship has changed him. His ideas of what is "normal" and what is "right or wrong" have shifted, but not in the way he'd like. He wonders if he can still be the person he always wanted to be? Or is he now as damaged as his previous partner? Will he be able to control this newly discovered side of himself which seems to be triggered so easily now, or is he destined to repeat the cycle of toxity in his future relationships. Is he putting anyone close to him at risk?
Brian himself said it was about a mental/nervous break down (say maybe a panic attack?) and the lyrics all seem to point to different events and situations where they could be happening. The opening verses seem almost to be a stab at the music biz, but the choruses and prechoruses seem more like a couple trying to keep each other calm through the chaos that's around them. IDK, I love Brian's lyrics, but can't always decipher them.
I can see that. Like,<br /> "Will you step in line or release this glitch? "<br /> could mean, will you stop being crazy and freaking out and be like everyone else?<br /> and a lot of people have agoraphobia, a fear of crowds, so being in a crowded room can bring on a panic attack. <br />
I also seen an interview, where he said more or less the whole album is about a mental breakdown
yeah, this is and There's No Secrets This Year are definetaly my favorite from Swoon. I just submitted the lyrics for There's No Secrets This Year :D