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.
(Fight!)
(Fight!)
Get back up, what are you waiting for this time?
I'm over playing with this plight
But I'm still handcuffed, ball-gagged, face down to the floor
And I'm waiting while I'm hating what I'm waiting for
It's time to take a hold of what belongs to me
It's time to walk away with no apologies
These voices in the mirror start quietly
And now they're screaming back at me
(Don't back down)
Holding on until my hands and mind are bleeding
(Don't back down)
This is my birthright
(Don't back down)
I'm so sick of feeling like I'm helpless
(Don't back down)
This is over tonight
Don't back up, your ass is to the wall again and
Aren't you sick of wasting so much time?
And yes it's true you're a fool if you think you were born
To be waiting while you're hating what you're waiting for
It's time to take a hold of what belongs to me
It's time to walk away with no apologies
These voices in the mirror start quietly
And now they're screaming back at me
(Don't back down)
Holding on until my hands and mind are bleeding
(Don't back down)
This is my birthright
(Don't back down)
I'm so sick of feeling like I'm helpless
(Don't back down)
This is over tonight
How could have I been so earthbound
With my heart in the depths and my face in the ground?
It's time to uproot myself and move on
How could have I been making sound
When my mouth and my lungs had both fused to the ground?
It's time to uproot myself and move on
The voices in my head have all begun to sing
(The voices in your head have all begun to sing)
And they sure as hell hope I am listening
(I sure as hell hope you are listening)
It's time to take a hold of what belongs to me
It's time to walk away with no apologies
These voices in the mirror start quietly
And now they're screaming back at me
(Don't back down)
Holding on until my hands and mind are bleeding
(Don't back down)
This is my birthright
(Don't back down)
I'm so sick of feeling like I'm helpless
(Don't back down)
This is over tonight
Over tonight, this is over tonight
Tonight
(Fight!)
Get back up, what are you waiting for this time?
I'm over playing with this plight
But I'm still handcuffed, ball-gagged, face down to the floor
And I'm waiting while I'm hating what I'm waiting for
It's time to take a hold of what belongs to me
It's time to walk away with no apologies
These voices in the mirror start quietly
And now they're screaming back at me
(Don't back down)
Holding on until my hands and mind are bleeding
(Don't back down)
This is my birthright
(Don't back down)
I'm so sick of feeling like I'm helpless
(Don't back down)
This is over tonight
Don't back up, your ass is to the wall again and
Aren't you sick of wasting so much time?
And yes it's true you're a fool if you think you were born
To be waiting while you're hating what you're waiting for
It's time to take a hold of what belongs to me
It's time to walk away with no apologies
These voices in the mirror start quietly
And now they're screaming back at me
(Don't back down)
Holding on until my hands and mind are bleeding
(Don't back down)
This is my birthright
(Don't back down)
I'm so sick of feeling like I'm helpless
(Don't back down)
This is over tonight
How could have I been so earthbound
With my heart in the depths and my face in the ground?
It's time to uproot myself and move on
How could have I been making sound
When my mouth and my lungs had both fused to the ground?
It's time to uproot myself and move on
The voices in my head have all begun to sing
(The voices in your head have all begun to sing)
And they sure as hell hope I am listening
(I sure as hell hope you are listening)
It's time to take a hold of what belongs to me
It's time to walk away with no apologies
These voices in the mirror start quietly
And now they're screaming back at me
(Don't back down)
Holding on until my hands and mind are bleeding
(Don't back down)
This is my birthright
(Don't back down)
I'm so sick of feeling like I'm helpless
(Don't back down)
This is over tonight
Over tonight, this is over tonight
Tonight
Lyrics submitted by Brujeria6SixSeis
Birthright (Beta 1.0) Lyrics as written by Klayton Albert
Lyrics © Sentric Music
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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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.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
awesome song!!