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.
Will my kingdom disappear and fade away
Will sleep overcome the hurt and then decay
I can't be poisoned and you will not make me cry
I've cleansed my ugliness and I've cleansed my paranoia
The winner takes it all
My baby teeth are gone
Into a better place
That I have yet to go
Will I burn or will I pray
Will sleep consume my waking days
Descent is getting steeper day by day
This is my last descent
I hope I'm making sense
I've lost my last defense
This is my last descent
Have my expectations gone too far again
Do I have the courage of the books I've read
Do you understand the pain we're going through
There is no need to leave us* beaten black and blue
The winner takes it all
My baby teeth are gone
Into a better place
That I have yet to go
Will I burn or will I pray
Will sleep consume my waking days
Descent is getting steeper day by day
This is my last descent
I hope I'm making sense
I've lost my last defense
This is my last descent
This is my last descent
I hope I'm making sense
I've lost my last defense
The pages that you left
Will sleep overcome the hurt and then decay
I can't be poisoned and you will not make me cry
I've cleansed my ugliness and I've cleansed my paranoia
The winner takes it all
My baby teeth are gone
Into a better place
That I have yet to go
Will I burn or will I pray
Will sleep consume my waking days
Descent is getting steeper day by day
This is my last descent
I hope I'm making sense
I've lost my last defense
This is my last descent
Have my expectations gone too far again
Do I have the courage of the books I've read
Do you understand the pain we're going through
There is no need to leave us* beaten black and blue
The winner takes it all
My baby teeth are gone
Into a better place
That I have yet to go
Will I burn or will I pray
Will sleep consume my waking days
Descent is getting steeper day by day
This is my last descent
I hope I'm making sense
I've lost my last defense
This is my last descent
This is my last descent
I hope I'm making sense
I've lost my last defense
The pages that you left
Lyrics submitted by deltasunlight
The Descent Lyrics as written by Nicholas Jones James Bradfield
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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So he gest left the first 2 pages right?
I'm freestyling on this one, not entirely sure, but as usual I make my own meaning and never care otherwise.
You've lived your youth, (I'm guessing the end of youth is the them of this album) and now you're just trying to keep on the straight and narrow. You didn't perhaps achieve what you wanted, some other bugger won, thats the nature of capitalism, and now for you it's a battle for survival.
I find myself in this predicament, not knowing what the future holds, I went for my freams etc. I met no friendly faces and now I'm just keeping my head above water, my life just doesn't seem to change and the descent as it were is the only thing I work with, the only thing I fight, so long as I dont drown I'll be fine.
I'm ok admitting I thought I had it all mapped out, but when you've tried for what you want, and tried to enter new worlds and people - what is there but the descent for failures like me?
I love this song, it's a cry for help, someone who has fallen out of love with life, is behind with forming the future. Thats is me - heading for hell. Or so it feels.
The song has a 'panning out' feel to it. Like Jacko saying 'This is It'.
The end.
'Track 4, The Descent, it was written on the bus in Vancouver, I just did a two-page poem and James was playing a tune, and... tour bus songs can be very clichéd, but this one wasn't because we've learnt to enjoy the solitude and peace of touring, it's very much an escape for us. And it just felt sort of like Hunky Dory, Bowie, something just really natural, even like early Oasis in all honesty. It's just really beautiful... the title, The Descent, actually seems to be reflected in the descent of the chords. Really simple, done in ten minutes, and kinda joyful.'
That is ridiulous, sorry for the drunken typos.
Drunken descent!
I always thought this was about someone at the brink of self destruction having already been there and is trying their best to make it their "last descent". Struggling to cope with the cards been dealt to them in life and trying not to let vices or depression overcome them again while hanging onto a single thread ("I've lost my last defence").
It's massively hopeless in one sense given how far the narrator has descended but there's still that hope infused into it.
@admeans, good post. Nary a drunken typo in sight :).
Simon :)