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 no saving anything
Now we're swallowing the shine of the sun
There's no saving anything
How we swallow the sun
But I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We've got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, lose our shirts in the fire tonight
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We got another thing coming undone
But I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We've got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, lose our shirts in the fire tonight
But what makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We got another thing coming undone
We got another thing coming undone
And it's taking forever
I'll go braving everything
With you swallowing the shine of the sun
I'll go braving everything
Through the shine of the sun
But I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We've got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, lose our shirts in the fire tonight
But what makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We got another thing coming undone
We got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
And it's taking forever
Now we're swallowing the shine of the sun
There's no saving anything
How we swallow the sun
But I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We've got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, lose our shirts in the fire tonight
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We got another thing coming undone
But I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We've got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, lose our shirts in the fire tonight
But what makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We got another thing coming undone
We got another thing coming undone
And it's taking forever
I'll go braving everything
With you swallowing the shine of the sun
I'll go braving everything
Through the shine of the sun
But I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
'Cause I won't run
No, I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We've got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight
We don't bleed when we don't fight
Go ahead, go ahead, lose our shirts in the fire tonight
But what makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?
We got another thing coming undone
We got another thing coming undone
And it's taking us over
And it's taking forever
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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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.
This might be because I'm relating it a little too much to a recent personal situation, but here's how I interpret it:
It's about a relationship with someone you love deeply but which is just not working. Even though you know it's doomed ("There's no saving anything"), you can't bring yourself to leave ("I won't be no runaway, 'cause I won't run").
How I see it, is that the reason that they don't want to leave is that things are not always bad, they love the person and things are great unless they start arguing ("We don't bleed when we don't fight"). The "throw your arms in the arm/lose our shirts in the fire" bit would be when they don't fight and instead have a wild and fun time.
I think the references to the sun are just abstract allusions to the fire you can feel in an intense relationship, as if you've swallowed this huge flaming thing and it's burning away inside of you; it hurts, but it's magical.
"What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?" is pretty self explanatory. It's just expressing that don't want to be travelling towards the end of the relationship.
I might be completely wrong, but that's how I see it.
In my opinion, Berninger is lamenting the future of society.
Many people I've talked to feel that we're headed towards a destructive outcome. I really don't think Berninger concedes that there is any hope left at all for mankind. However, I feel that it is a very powerful song emotionally (even if it is about Global Warming), because despite his incredibly ominous foresight, he is determined to see it through.
Also, although I think "No, I won't be no runaway" can implicate a variety of actions. Sometimes I think he's talking about suicide, and some days I think he means going to some dark corner of the world where he won't be reminded of our collective monstrosity.
This is definitely what it's about from his perspective. I'm more of the "it means what it means to you type", but I think Berninger Intended it to be about this.
I think this song is about a relationship that in the midst of a big argument. The relationship looks very bleak and they are at the point that he doesn't see it being resolved ("There's no saving anything. Now we're swallowing the shine of the sun.")
However bad things are, he still has feelings and does not want to quit ("But I won't ne no runway cause I won't run.")
He does not like when she brings the argument to the forfront and he feels like things are piling on top of the main argument.("What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood. We've got another thing coming undone. And its taking us over.")
He would much rather set aside their differences and move on with the relationship.("we don't bleed when we don't fight. Go ahead put your arms I'm the air tonight".) And would rather kiss and make up.("Go ahead lose our shirts in the fire tonight.")
She keeps bringing up the argument while he tries to move past it.("I'll go braving everything with you swallowing the shine of the sun.")
Chills every time he sings "What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood?"
exactlyyy
This song is about standing up for one's beliefs in society. It's tough to speak up against those in power and would be safer if we didn't ("We don't bleed when we don't fight") but if we don't fight we're going to lose what we have; if you throw your arms in the air (give up) we'll lose our shirts in the fire. He doesn't enjoy getting beat down by his fight but it's important and he wants you to join him and stop letting things get worse around you, because you're afraid.
Holy hell this song is good. The lift in the music that goes along with "what makes you think I enjoy being led to the flood" is something else.
My fav song right now. I heard it in the Zombie movie and shazammed it right in the theater. I love this song because to me it means facing life. It always calms me. It means that no matter what we will keep going towards life and what we believe and that is what life is about. Almost like a "meet joe black" movie or the song by Stevie Nicks, "Landslide". LOVE THIS SONG...
Here is a song where the lyrics are crushing, and if read like a poem it could only be interpreted as a tragedy. Yet songs are more than words alone and I can't help but feel uplifted by the end. The way the music rises quietly throughout.... It is as if the facts of the situation have not changed and everything is still awful, but you find some reason to hope for a better future despite everything. I think this song is similar to Blood by The Middle East and Arcade Fire's Wake Up in that it is able to speak honestly about terror and darkness and within that, discover hope.
there's no savin' anything (and) i was swallowing the shine of the sun there's no savin' anything from the shine of the sun
but i won't no runaway 'cause i won't run no, i won't be no runaway what makes you think i'm enjoyin' being led to the flood? we got another thing comin' undone and it's takin' us over
we don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead throw your arms in the air tonight we don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead throw your shirts in the fire tonight
(but) what makes you think i'm enjoyin' being led to the flood? we got another thing comin' undone
but i won't be no runaway 'cause i won't run no, i won't be no runaway 'cause i won't run no, i won't be no runaway what makes you think i'm enjoyin' being led to the flood? we got another thing comin' undone and it's taking forever
we don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead throw your arms in the air tonight we don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead lose our shirts in the fire tonight
what makes you think i'm enjoyin' being led to the flood? we got another thing comin' undone we got another thing comin' undone and it's takin' us over
i'll go bravin' anything with you swallowing the shine of the sun i'll go bravin' everything with you swallowing the shine
but i won't be no runaway 'cause i won't run no, i won't be no runaway 'cause i won't run no, i won't be no runaway (but) what makes you think i'm enjoyin' being led to the flood? we got another thing comin' undone and it's taking us over
we don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead throw your arms in the air tonight we don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead lose our shirts in the fire tonight
(but) what makes you think i'm enjoyin' being led to the flood? we got another thing coming undone we got another thing coming undone and it's takin' us over and it's taking forever
i changed your lyrics a little bit after listening to the song. maybe we heard different version, cause the songs for the new album are unfinished and the national are known for being perfectionists and changing parts of their songs until they fit perfectly. i love the song. can't wait for the new album to come out...
i would think part of it's connected with matt berninger's new fatherhood