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 showed my hand shaking like a leaf
You might not understand, but I bet you'll believe
The spiders inside, crawling around
The cobwebs in my mind, that I tried to drown out
You said I look like a ghost, man I almost was
You said need to let go, quit chasing that buzz
That picture in time, frozen like ice
Cycles keep repeating
Beating me down to size
Well maybe I'm blind, just throwing darts in the dark
I didn't get what I want, I got what I need
Man it hurts like hell, down here on my knees
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
The night is my friend I blend in with the best
The vampires the crooks the villains and the rest
Now we can pretend that we really care less
And act like we love, what we really detest
Maybe I'm blind, just throwing darts in the dark
I didn't get what I want, I got what I need
Man it hurts like hell, down here on my knees
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
Make this go away, I'm begging please
This little life left, if only to bleed
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
I'm looking up, but I'm feeling down
Since cutting these corners is cutting me down to size
Am I losing control, losing my mind
I know for a fact I'm losing my last place to hide
Well maybe I'm blind, just throwing darts in the dark
I didn't get what I want, I got what I need
Man it hurts like hell, down here on my knees
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
My pulse is racing
I can't catch my breath this near life experience scared me to death
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
Oh is this where we begin?
You might not understand, but I bet you'll believe
The spiders inside, crawling around
The cobwebs in my mind, that I tried to drown out
You said I look like a ghost, man I almost was
You said need to let go, quit chasing that buzz
That picture in time, frozen like ice
Cycles keep repeating
Beating me down to size
Well maybe I'm blind, just throwing darts in the dark
I didn't get what I want, I got what I need
Man it hurts like hell, down here on my knees
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
The night is my friend I blend in with the best
The vampires the crooks the villains and the rest
Now we can pretend that we really care less
And act like we love, what we really detest
Maybe I'm blind, just throwing darts in the dark
I didn't get what I want, I got what I need
Man it hurts like hell, down here on my knees
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
Make this go away, I'm begging please
This little life left, if only to bleed
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
I'm looking up, but I'm feeling down
Since cutting these corners is cutting me down to size
Am I losing control, losing my mind
I know for a fact I'm losing my last place to hide
Well maybe I'm blind, just throwing darts in the dark
I didn't get what I want, I got what I need
Man it hurts like hell, down here on my knees
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
My pulse is racing
I can't catch my breath this near life experience scared me to death
Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?
Oh is this where we begin?
Lyrics submitted by crounsa810
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I have to disagree with the first comment. To me, this song is not about religion.
When I listen to this song it is very introspective. It is all about self-evaluation of the state of being. Being in the philosophical sense. The lyrics fit this idea as well, the thoughts of someone who is depressed, dejected, probably suicidal, references to cutting, and using some other harsh things to cope with those emotions.
"<i>Make this go away, I'm begging please This little life left, if only to bleed Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?</i>"
This song is about going from that state of mind and having the breakthrough to being past that state of mind. Sitting in the improved state of mind and looking back on the things that happened and trying to decipher them all.
"<i>I can't catch my breath this near life experience scared me to death</i>"
It ends with an almost haunting state of mind... "<i>Is this where I end, or is this where we begin?</i>"
Defining what "we" means can be extremely subjective.
The title is ironic, it is a play on words "Near death experience" becomes "Near Life Experience" because the person in the song did not die, the decided to stay.
SIDENOTE:
I was listening to an old CD by Lifehouse and it seemed like almost a precurser to this song. If you play the song 'All in All' from their first cd or even better is "Cling and Clatter" from no name face. Both mirror the idea pretty well and speaks to the old self vs. new self idea. I may have the wrong track, but dig through the old catalog and I'm sure you will find it. (I recall both of them referenced falling, making the line about being on your knees stick out)
I was listening to an old CD by Lifehouse and it seemed like almost a precurser to this song. If you play the song 'All in All' from their first cd or even better is "Cling and Clatter" from no name face. Both mirror the idea pretty well and speaks to the old self vs. new self idea. I may have the wrong track, but dig through the old catalog and I'm sure you will find it. (I recall both of them referenced falling, making the line about being on your knees stick out)