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 am the reaper
i will be the demise of your reign
i am the dark shadow where you hide
self-righteous fascist, you chase the sun
glory belongs to no man
crooked church, you sell the Son
thieves deserve to have no hands
our prisons were built with the stones of law
whore houses are built with the bricks of religion
oh man of God from which was your stone
I've stayed quiet for far too long
cause I've typecast myself to censor what i can say
I'm so sick of this, sick of whats going on
now I'm putting an end to my silence
your god's not real
this is the end of my silence
the wolf provides for his own but God provides for the lion
i am the lion, you are the wolf
you can run but i will find you
i am the reaper
i will be the demise of your reign
i am the dark shadow where you hide
self-righteous fascist, you chase the sun
glory belongs to no man
crooked church, you sell the Son
thieves deserve to have no hands
our prisons were built with the stones of law
whore houses are built with the bricks of religion
oh man of God from which was your stone
I've stayed quiet for far too long
cause I've typecast myself to censor what i can say
I'm so sick of this, sick of whats going on
now I'm putting an end to my silence
your god's not real
this is the end of my silence
the wolf provides for his own but God provides for the lion
i am the lion, you are the wolf
you can run but i will find you
i am the reaper
Lyrics submitted by davidEAcost
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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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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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
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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.
The meaning of the song is Churchs not providing their members with the doctorine of Christ as well as it includes something about them having whore houses as well. The wolf represents the ungodly church and the lion represents God's church. " The wolf provides for its own, but God provides for the lion, I'am the lion, you are the wolf." Very influencial song!!!
nice interpretation! I'm digging the album art as well. a wolfs head on a stick lol. i can't wait for the cd
Good interpretation but I disagree.<br /> <br /> Check out bandsonfire.com/hearts-on-fire/lyrics-database/article/a-plea-for-purging-the-marriage-of-3953<br /> <br /> Their vocalist explains all the lyrics on there.<br /> <br /> "This is a call out to the wolves hiding among us all, trying to profit off of our naivety. I’ve opened my eyes to the world around me, and I’ve found that all men have a motive, whether they claim it to be pure or not. This song is the end of our silence and the beginning of our fight."<br /> <br /> The majority of this new album is about false prophets destroying the name of God with their lies, and about becoming one with God personally and not just following the B.S. thrown out to the world that everyone just eats up.
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is actually a book written by William Blake in the late 1700s. All of the song titles from this album are taken from the first 10 lines of the poem "A Song of Liberty." A lot of the lyrics and ideas from this song come from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell as well. Here are some lines taken from the book:
"The Eternal Female groand! it was heard all over the Earth." "Empire is no more! and now the lion & the wolf shall cease." "The fox provides for himself, but God provides for the lion." "Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion."