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.
Can you ride the rhythm of this human wave?
Caught up in the music and the space you save
Caught up in the magic of it
Caught up in the madness.
Sometimes you scare yourself
You're so strong
You're so tough.
Can you feel the fire pumping through your veins?
You try to get up and here it comes again
Right down to the basics of it
Right down to the wire.
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Hold on, come back
Oh yeah, it's just that easy.
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Hold on, come back
Oh yeah, it's just that easy.
Ring the bell, ring the bell, let the walls come down
Surrender your wings before they lift you off the ground
Surrender for every reason
Surrender yourself.
Sometimes you go so far
You're so hot
You can't stop.
Can you make it last
Make it rock to the bone?
If you do it faster will the hunger drive you home?
Right down to the basics of it
Right down to the wire.
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Can you ride the rhythm of this human wave?
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Caught up in the music and the space you save
Caught up in the magic of it
Caught up in the madness.
Sometimes you scare yourself
You're so strong
You're so tough.
Can you feel the fire pumping through your veins?
You try to get up and here it comes again
Right down to the basics of it
Right down to the wire.
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Hold on, come back
Oh yeah, it's just that easy.
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Hold on, come back
Oh yeah, it's just that easy.
Ring the bell, ring the bell, let the walls come down
Surrender your wings before they lift you off the ground
Surrender for every reason
Surrender yourself.
Sometimes you go so far
You're so hot
You can't stop.
Can you make it last
Make it rock to the bone?
If you do it faster will the hunger drive you home?
Right down to the basics of it
Right down to the wire.
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
Can you ride the rhythm of this human wave?
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
So if you feel you're hanging on a heart attack
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This has been one of my favourite songs for years, since I heard it back in the 80s on AT40. It was their only Top 40 hit, I think. I guess it is about pushing yourself to get what you want in life--"go for it". Or more simply, describing a moment when you feel that everything is going too fast, but if you take a minute to breathe, then you find you can keep going. The female singer in Device, Holly Knight, has written scores of hits for other artists, so it never seemed fair that her band didn't make it bigger. If you like this song, check out their one and only CD (Titled "22b3").