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.
Nothing will grow here
Icy fields - blackened sorrow
Legacy of a lost mind
Feed my void
What you're waiting for
I'm too late
It is more than a game
The river reveals
Now I'm in between these lines
I cannot escape it seems
Sail on, my friend
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
While I sit there in silence
Come and talk to me
I can't free my mind
It is all I'm begging for
While I sit there in silence
Will it ever end?
Will I find what I'm longing for?
Will I ever walk out of shadows so grey?
I'm condemned, I am hallowed
Icy fields they won't hurt anyone
Will you walk with me?
Any further
There at world's end
It's me
I sing
I cannot escape it seems
Sadly I sing
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
Away
Watch the river it flows
Noe and ever
I cannot believe in more
And now my time will come
Carry on
Will I ever learn from the past?
Will I fade away?
Will I ever stay where the shadows will grow?
There is luck at the gallows
I will free my mind
Soon it will show
Let it rain
There'll be no spring
My dream is a mirror
It reveals a matter of lies
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
Leave a fee for the tillerman
And the river behind
Icy fields - blackened sorrow
Legacy of a lost mind
Feed my void
What you're waiting for
I'm too late
It is more than a game
The river reveals
Now I'm in between these lines
I cannot escape it seems
Sail on, my friend
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
While I sit there in silence
Come and talk to me
I can't free my mind
It is all I'm begging for
While I sit there in silence
Will it ever end?
Will I find what I'm longing for?
Will I ever walk out of shadows so grey?
I'm condemned, I am hallowed
Icy fields they won't hurt anyone
Will you walk with me?
Any further
There at world's end
It's me
I sing
I cannot escape it seems
Sadly I sing
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
Away
Watch the river it flows
Noe and ever
I cannot believe in more
And now my time will come
Carry on
Will I ever learn from the past?
Will I fade away?
Will I ever stay where the shadows will grow?
There is luck at the gallows
I will free my mind
Soon it will show
Let it rain
There'll be no spring
My dream is a mirror
It reveals a matter of lies
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
Leave a fee for the tillerman
And the river behind
Lyrics submitted by revanchist
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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I've seen the comments and all say its probably the night watch or Jon Snow, but there are things that don't add up.
Actualy I belive this song is about Coldhands.
I'm condemned, I am hallowed Icy fields they won't hurt anyone
Since he's a wight he doesn't suffer the privations of winter. The talk of the "river" seems a metaphor for death and the "There is luck at the gallows" looks like he's wishing for a death that never came.
It's about George R. R. Martin's book series 'A Song of Fire and Ice'.
The "Others" are the bad guys of the series, I believe, and the "walls" mentioned are just that, big walls, which seperate people from dark, evil-ridden areas of the world (perhaps where the Others normally dwell). I suppose it could have been metaphorical in the song, but yeah, these "Walls" are prominent in the story AFAIK.
you were close, for not having read the books. there are actually multiple "bad guy" factions and many "gray" factions and a couple mostly good ones. The series isn't finished but it definitely seems that the others are the main focus in the later books. They're demons made of "cold and the dark" who come from the north in the winter (which lasts for years) leading armies of the undead. There's only one 700 foot wall that reaches across the whole continent and keeps the kingdoms of westeros safe when the others come.<br /> <br /> sorry for the long post, but the war of the thrones part he's talking about is a war between several kings for control of the throne that are happening just before the onset of what will be one of the longest winters in recorded history. It was also believed that the others had been killed off hundreds of years ago
I am always amazed at how much passion Hansi can put in on lyrics that really aren't too serious, I mean this song is based off a fantasy book series, but the "Will you walk with me any further" is some of the most passionate singing I have ever heard!
@ToSirius
The "walls" are most likely referring to The Wall, which is the big ass wall at the top of Westeros. It's a giant was of ice and... other wall like stuff (I have no imagination, sue me), which shields the Seven Kingdoms from the wastelands of the north, where the Others reside.
Furthermore, the Wall's purpose is to keep the aforementioned Others from invading, so the placement of "Walls they fall" right before "When the march of the others begins" strenghten the connection.
this isn't just a song about Game of thrones, it is more specifically a song about the Nights Watch en Jon Snow
I don't think it's necessarily about Jon Snow, it could be interpreted in different ways. The first verse reminds me of Ned Stark, the second verse describes Bran Stark, and the third is a bit tricky. It kind of reminds me of Theon Greyjoy.
Most of the lyrics seem to be a reference to the point of view of Jon Snow as a member of the watch after his Lord Commander and mentor Jeor Mormont is gone, but since the lyrics are ambiguous, some passages make me think it may reflect the thoughts of Daenerys, specially here:
"While I sit there in silence Come and talk to me I can't free my mind It is all I'm begging for
While I sit there in silence
Will it ever end? Will I find what I'm longing for? Will I ever walk out of shadows so grey? I'm condemned, I am hallowed Icy fields they won't hurt anyone"
And here
"Will I ever learn from the past? Will I fade away? Will I ever stay where the shadows will grow? There is luck at the gallows I will free my mind Soon it will show"