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.
Today for the very first time
We started planning out the ultimate crime
Lock it together to destroy this gold status
Rory C, what's your thesis?
I don't fucking believe this!
Institutions are established and invested
Put to us getting tried and tested
Noticed
Fore-swept and digested
It's about we damn contested
You can't save us
You can't contain us
You can't destabilize (the fight)
Or label us
You can't save us
You can't contain us
You can't destabilize
(Destabilize)
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
(Cause we know)
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
(we're stuck in the middle)
Cause we don't belong here
(we don't belong here)
We don't belong here
Our minds are dormant and static
Don't ever accept conventional thought without reason
We need to fucking erupt!
Corrupted fucking tyrants
Instigating violence
This sporadic discordance
Will find maximum assurance
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
(cause we know)
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
(we're stuck in the middle)
Cause we don't belong here
(we don't belong here)
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
This is the calm before the storm
One last siege to break the wall
So I can lie here on the floor
Beside you
No one owns the ocean
No one owns the mountain
No one owns us
No one owns us
We've all inherited this world
We need to fucking erupt!
(cause this earth is ours!)
We need to fucking erupt!
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
(cause we know)
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
(we're stuck in the middle)
Cause we don't belong here
(we don't belong here)
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
Cause we don't belong here
This is the calm before the storm
One last siege to break the wall
So I can lie here on the floor
Beside you
We started planning out the ultimate crime
Lock it together to destroy this gold status
Rory C, what's your thesis?
I don't fucking believe this!
Institutions are established and invested
Put to us getting tried and tested
Noticed
Fore-swept and digested
It's about we damn contested
You can't save us
You can't contain us
You can't destabilize (the fight)
Or label us
You can't save us
You can't contain us
You can't destabilize
(Destabilize)
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
(Cause we know)
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
(we're stuck in the middle)
Cause we don't belong here
(we don't belong here)
We don't belong here
Our minds are dormant and static
Don't ever accept conventional thought without reason
We need to fucking erupt!
Corrupted fucking tyrants
Instigating violence
This sporadic discordance
Will find maximum assurance
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
(cause we know)
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
(we're stuck in the middle)
Cause we don't belong here
(we don't belong here)
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
This is the calm before the storm
One last siege to break the wall
So I can lie here on the floor
Beside you
No one owns the ocean
No one owns the mountain
No one owns us
No one owns us
We've all inherited this world
We need to fucking erupt!
(cause this earth is ours!)
We need to fucking erupt!
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
(cause we know)
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
(we're stuck in the middle)
Cause we don't belong here
(we don't belong here)
Now they're cracking under pressure from our force
Cause we don't belong here
So we're rising through this stubborn assault course
Cause we don't belong here
This is the calm before the storm
One last siege to break the wall
So I can lie here on the floor
Beside you
Lyrics submitted by Defsanj, edited by BlueDiamondx3
Destabilise Lyrics as written by Liam Rory Clewlow Chris Batten
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Sick, first comment. This song is epic, Shikari just get better and better.
This is the call to arms, no longer will they oppress us, no longer will we cower in fear. "The Lions are at the Door, We ain't taking order from Snakes no more!"