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.
"I see fornication and asphyxiation and choking and fighting for survival and growing and just rotting away. Of course there is alot of misery. But it's the same misery that is all around us. The trees are in misery. The birds are in misery. I dont think they sing. They just screech in pain"
Lies are fed through structures quelling our mistrust
Ignorance is fodder for machines of want
Followers saturate the earth
Automate consumption and remove our minor worth
What are we a collection of failures
Fueling now what must be done?
Do we work for what we’ve created?
Just byproducts of manmade gods
I’m the end for you
Your impending doom
You must obey the limits
You’re programmed to consume
Separate from feeling and hurt them when you must
Will is slowly slipping as gears turn to rust
Followers saturate the earth
Automate consumption and remove our minor worth
What are we now but untimely fissures
In a system soon to be undone?
Do we work for what we’ve created?
Just byproducts of manmade gods
(Chorus)
I am alive within your structure built against thought
Foundations bled now topple under sensation to fall
Man creates his prison
Blind and void of vision
(Lead: Elliott)
Conditioned by the system you’re never free
A symptom of the sickness that is us
Endless waking nightmare dilutes the dream
Rapid growing contagion of the soul
(Chorus)
I’m the end for you
There’s nothing you can do
You’ve created your limits
You’re programmed to consume
Lies are fed through structures quelling our mistrust
Ignorance is fodder for machines of want
Followers saturate the earth
Automate consumption and remove our minor worth
What are we a collection of failures
Fueling now what must be done?
Do we work for what we’ve created?
Just byproducts of manmade gods
I’m the end for you
Your impending doom
You must obey the limits
You’re programmed to consume
Separate from feeling and hurt them when you must
Will is slowly slipping as gears turn to rust
Followers saturate the earth
Automate consumption and remove our minor worth
What are we now but untimely fissures
In a system soon to be undone?
Do we work for what we’ve created?
Just byproducts of manmade gods
(Chorus)
I am alive within your structure built against thought
Foundations bled now topple under sensation to fall
Man creates his prison
Blind and void of vision
(Lead: Elliott)
Conditioned by the system you’re never free
A symptom of the sickness that is us
Endless waking nightmare dilutes the dream
Rapid growing contagion of the soul
(Chorus)
I’m the end for you
There’s nothing you can do
You’ve created your limits
You’re programmed to consume
Lyrics submitted by DichotomicDeity
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