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.
Daddy I'm not gonna tell you that I'm sorry
Cause there ain't nothing you can do to change my mind
I'm not here to know the things I cannot do
We've seen the outcome of the boys who didn't fly
That road outside that you've been taking home forever
That'll be the same road that I take when I depart
Those charcoal veins that hold this chosen land together
May twist and turn but somewhere deep there is a heart
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
Perhaps this calling is the channel of invention
I will not blush if others see it as a crime
However dangerous the road, however distant
These things won't compromise the will of the design
Ten thousand demons hammer down with every footstep
Ten thousand angels rush the wind against my back
This church of mine may not be recognized by steeple
But that doesn't mean that I will walk without a God
Rolling river of truth, can you spare me a sip?
The holy fountain of youth has been reduced to a drip
I've got this burning belief in salvation and love
This notion may be naive, but when push comes to shove
I will till this ground
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
(oh, oh, oh)
Out on the wire
And I might not get there
But this little town, this little house,
They seem to be leaning in the wrong direction
I'm not afraid of you no more (oh-oh, oh-oh,)
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
(Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Cause there ain't nothing you can do to change my mind
I'm not here to know the things I cannot do
We've seen the outcome of the boys who didn't fly
That road outside that you've been taking home forever
That'll be the same road that I take when I depart
Those charcoal veins that hold this chosen land together
May twist and turn but somewhere deep there is a heart
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
Perhaps this calling is the channel of invention
I will not blush if others see it as a crime
However dangerous the road, however distant
These things won't compromise the will of the design
Ten thousand demons hammer down with every footstep
Ten thousand angels rush the wind against my back
This church of mine may not be recognized by steeple
But that doesn't mean that I will walk without a God
Rolling river of truth, can you spare me a sip?
The holy fountain of youth has been reduced to a drip
I've got this burning belief in salvation and love
This notion may be naive, but when push comes to shove
I will till this ground
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
(oh, oh, oh)
Out on the wire
And I might not get there
But this little town, this little house,
They seem to be leaning in the wrong direction
I'm not afraid of you no more (oh-oh, oh-oh,)
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
(Oh-oh, oh-oh)
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
"Rolling river of Truth, can you spare me a sip? The holy fountain of youth has been reduced to a drip."
Genius.