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.
Yesterday I had a killer date, uh huh
Today I woke up just a little late, she's gonna
Hold my hand and take me to the gate now
On the way to hell
I'm not a man, I'm just a skinny kid, I don't
Know what I want, maybe if I did I'd have a
Better chance not ending up like Sid now
On the way to hell
On my way to hell
On my way to hell
I'm on my way
I'm only asking for a little more, I wanna
See a girl I never seen before, she's gonna
Show me something that I can't ignore now
On the way to hell
I'm gonna wrap her up in cellophane, and take her
Across the water in my aeroplane, I'm gonna
Play this guitar until we insane now
On the way to hell
It's just a city like L.A.
They got a new Hard Rock Cafe
We'll buy a t-shirt on a holiday
Because your friends will wanna see it
Then I'm taking you across the stream
Not gonna stop until I hear you scream
Remember life is really but a dream
So you might as well dream it
I'm only asking for a little more, I wanna
See a girl I never seen before, she's gonna
Show me something that I can't ignore now
On the way to hell
I'm not a man I'm just a skinny kid, I don't
Know what I want and maybe if I did I'd have a
better chance not ending up like Sid now
On the way to hell
On my way to hell
On my way to hell
I'm on my way
Today I woke up just a little late, she's gonna
Hold my hand and take me to the gate now
On the way to hell
I'm not a man, I'm just a skinny kid, I don't
Know what I want, maybe if I did I'd have a
Better chance not ending up like Sid now
On the way to hell
On my way to hell
On my way to hell
I'm on my way
I'm only asking for a little more, I wanna
See a girl I never seen before, she's gonna
Show me something that I can't ignore now
On the way to hell
I'm gonna wrap her up in cellophane, and take her
Across the water in my aeroplane, I'm gonna
Play this guitar until we insane now
On the way to hell
It's just a city like L.A.
They got a new Hard Rock Cafe
We'll buy a t-shirt on a holiday
Because your friends will wanna see it
Then I'm taking you across the stream
Not gonna stop until I hear you scream
Remember life is really but a dream
So you might as well dream it
I'm only asking for a little more, I wanna
See a girl I never seen before, she's gonna
Show me something that I can't ignore now
On the way to hell
I'm not a man I'm just a skinny kid, I don't
Know what I want and maybe if I did I'd have a
better chance not ending up like Sid now
On the way to hell
On my way to hell
On my way to hell
I'm on my way
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Light Up The Sky
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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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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.