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.
There's a map of the world
On the wall in your room
Green pins where ya wanna to go
White pins where ya been
There isn't even ten,
You're already feeling old
Pretty face stair back
From a magazine stack
That you read when
You're feeling bored
Look through a telescope lens
It doesn't make sense
You think you've been there before
Some far off feelings
Some up close kind of ache
White screen reason to
Look the other way
There's a place by the lake
That you go when it's late
It was summer and the crowds were gone
And you sit all alone with
With your thoughts, gettin' stoned
Just waitin' for some peace to come
Like the thing that'cha
Tried that you thought you liked
For a minute then it all felt wrong
So your changin' again
All your clothes, all your friends
Just the same as it ever was
That far off feeling
That up close kind of ache
Some white screen reason to
Look the other way
Iahh
Ouu
Iahh
La dum
La dum
La dum
La dum
It's a road that you've paved
Over Indian graves and
You wonder why your dreams are crazed
So you cling to your wife,
Your kids, and you life
There's nothin' that you're gonna save
Put the razor to your face,
Hot water for a shave
Kill the shadow of yesterday
Clean shirt, clean pants,
Clean sleet second chance
You're goin' by another name
Some far off feeling
Some up close kind of ache
That instant karma
That always comes too late
Iahh
Ouu
Iahh
La dum
La dum
La dum
La dum
La dum
On the wall in your room
Green pins where ya wanna to go
White pins where ya been
There isn't even ten,
You're already feeling old
Pretty face stair back
From a magazine stack
That you read when
You're feeling bored
Look through a telescope lens
It doesn't make sense
You think you've been there before
Some far off feelings
Some up close kind of ache
White screen reason to
Look the other way
There's a place by the lake
That you go when it's late
It was summer and the crowds were gone
And you sit all alone with
With your thoughts, gettin' stoned
Just waitin' for some peace to come
Like the thing that'cha
Tried that you thought you liked
For a minute then it all felt wrong
So your changin' again
All your clothes, all your friends
Just the same as it ever was
That far off feeling
That up close kind of ache
Some white screen reason to
Look the other way
Iahh
Ouu
Iahh
La dum
La dum
La dum
La dum
It's a road that you've paved
Over Indian graves and
You wonder why your dreams are crazed
So you cling to your wife,
Your kids, and you life
There's nothin' that you're gonna save
Put the razor to your face,
Hot water for a shave
Kill the shadow of yesterday
Clean shirt, clean pants,
Clean sleet second chance
You're goin' by another name
Some far off feeling
Some up close kind of ache
That instant karma
That always comes too late
Iahh
Ouu
Iahh
La dum
La dum
La dum
La dum
La dum
Lyrics submitted by styrofoamxplate, edited by rvmg, alexandsam
Map of the World Lyrics as written by Conor M Oberst
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Kinda verbose, but I think you hit the nail on the head.