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.
What if I can't be all that you need me to be?
We've got a good thing going, we have some promises to keep
But my addiction, it can be such a detriment
Please believe in this my dear, I am more than penitent
What if everything's just the way that it will be?
Could it be that I am meant to cause you all this grief?
My warship's a-lying off the coast of your delicate heart
And my aim is steady and true as it's been right from the start
There's a degree of difficulty in dealing with me
From my haunted past comes a daunting task of living through memories
If we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall
Stare into the past, and forget it all
So when we leave it'll be a quick midnight escape
We'll disconnect ourselves from all of yesterday
I'll dig for water and fashion our very own wishing well
Then, we'll throw our coins down hoping to rid us of this little hell
There's a degree of difficulty in dealing with me
From my haunted past comes a daunting task of living through memories
If we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall
Stare into the past, and forget it all
Will we get out of this little hell?
Will we get out of this little hell?
Will we get out of this little hell?
Will we get out of this little hell?
We've got a good thing going, we have some promises to keep
But my addiction, it can be such a detriment
Please believe in this my dear, I am more than penitent
What if everything's just the way that it will be?
Could it be that I am meant to cause you all this grief?
My warship's a-lying off the coast of your delicate heart
And my aim is steady and true as it's been right from the start
There's a degree of difficulty in dealing with me
From my haunted past comes a daunting task of living through memories
If we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall
Stare into the past, and forget it all
So when we leave it'll be a quick midnight escape
We'll disconnect ourselves from all of yesterday
I'll dig for water and fashion our very own wishing well
Then, we'll throw our coins down hoping to rid us of this little hell
There's a degree of difficulty in dealing with me
From my haunted past comes a daunting task of living through memories
If we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall
Stare into the past, and forget it all
Will we get out of this little hell?
Will we get out of this little hell?
Will we get out of this little hell?
Will we get out of this little hell?
Lyrics submitted by canvaswings
Little Hell Lyrics as written by Dallas John Green
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
The song is about going through "all the little trials and tribulations that you have to go to, to get to, what you want." Dallas said this in a video on the album. He also stated that it personally is one of his favorite songs. I just love this.
This song is so very powerful....litteraly the power to change someones life. In my life and in my relationship with the woman of my dreams, (who I Love more than could ever be described by any words)I am the one who's "addiction is such a detriment" and there has deffinetly been "difficulty in dealing with me". I have been a member of 12 step programs for many years and have struggled to stay clean. Three weeks ago, my addiction once again became a demon that litteraly took everything that is important to me. One thing that has always eluded me is faith that there is a God and that he is the grand architect of all that happens and shapes who we are as human beings. Don't get me wrong I have always embraced the "idea" of god and always thought that it is a good way to live life. But being human I tend to want to control things and always thought that with best intentions and efforts, in my ignorance, I am the one who makes life what it is. I was feeling very low the other day about how shitty life has become and trying to make sense of how I could have done this once again. I played this song. I instantly started crying. The first set of verses were exactly what I was thinking and my soul was feeling so much pain about the choices I had made and feeling horrible that I of myself could have hurt this beautiful amazing woman that has loved me even through my shortcomings. I then really started to listen. The second set of verses made me realize something that I never believed. In it he speaks of how he is questioning if this is all meant to be. He asks two questions and I started trhinking about that. Who was he talking too? was he questioning himself. I believe he was having realization of something..... at least it made me realize something.... He kept speaking and said, "My Warship a-lying of the coast of your delicate heart and my aim is steady and true as it's been right fom the start". So why do we do these things? I believe he was also questioning the same as I was why in all his best efforts and intentions, even though he loved her from the bottom of his heart he was still destroying her and wondering why? Sometimes in life we get so far off track that we cause ourselves and the people we love pain. Is that because we are bad people? That is what I always wondered, but deep down I know that I am not. Again I ask why these things happen... The answer is that God is real. He is also more powerful and loving than I ever imagined... He loves us so much that he is willing to let us live our life and make our mistakes and have our journey without him if that is what we are doing... Even if it hurts him. But he is there in every moment and everything to watch over us and to care for us no matter how difficult we make it for ourselves.He allows us to hurt and feel pain so that one day he hopes we will be humbled enough to realize that being human we will never be perfect and never be able to live up to what our own expectations of self or life. Life is hard at the best of times... He wants the best for us and gives us signs everywhere that he loves us and his whole purpose is to carry us when we can't carry ourselves and to provide us with miracles and lives that are so much more than we could ever imagine or dream. Sometimes we are to self centered to realize everything that I have just mentioned, but God doesn't punish us for that or even care that we sometimes are outright defiant of what his desires are for us.... Imagine a parent and how much they love us unconditionally.... but even more loving and powerful and with the ability to create everything we see from the farthest and most wondrous star to the flowers that I gave my Love ;)... and all he wants is for us to be humble, know he is their and to treat others the best that we can... with love.
Hope this helps someone.... God bless and keep you safe in your life :) Love ANONYMOUS
@doublediamond80 – it is 4 and 1/2 years on from when you wrote this. Here and now, world's apart, I have stumbled across your words and they have struck me with such force and precision that it broke me down, trembling and in tears yet so uplifting and inspiring!<br /> God works in mysterious ways and I have no doubt that your honest account of the pain in your life, your courage to speak about this and most importantly your testimony, declaring that God is real and he is your God, your Heavenly Father! This message you have written back in 2011, was a vessel for God to speak to me direct, here and now in my office, in Australia, in March 2016. <br /> What a miracle it is! It shows that even when there is pain and darkness, God is indeed there, waiting to be invited in, waiting to be called upon to help. When you acknowledged God, and called out to him, it is obvious in your words that God transformed your life and perspective and carried you out of that darkness, removing your burden. God also used your experiences to speak to me, through your own words years before I would read them. <br /> Your last sentence states: “Hope this helps someone…” <br /> It has 100% helped me and I’m still in awe of the miracle of it.<br /> If anyone else is reading this, questioning whether God is real or not, please make this a moment in your life, right now, that you call out and seek God. There is no right way or wrong way to do this. In your own genuine way, just speak to God and continue to do so every day. It will be from that moment onwards that you will develop a true relationship with your Creator and it will literally be the best thing that will ever happen in your life. <br />
@doublediamond80 & @bmwatto 4.5 years later for someone else, 11.5 for me. Wouldn’t have expected to see comments like this here, but hey… He works in mysterious ways and through you both and straight to me. Thank you both. ???????? This song and everything I found here all moved me when I needed it tonight.
Honestly, this is probably one of the best songs I have ever heard. I have no words to describe Dallas's voice. It's beyond perfect.
This song is probably my favourite off Dallas' new album, the lyrics are just brilliant. It reminds me of "Sensible Heart," with how emotional, honest and simple sounding it is. To me it's about being in a relationship, but not being able to be there 100% for the other person and causing them problems...but they still stay with you. He doesn't mean to hurt the other person, but he does due to his "haunted past" and "addiction."
Also, the correct lyrics are "But my ADDICTION - it can be such a detriment." Does anyone know what his addiction could be? I don't think he's an alcoholic or anything, maybe it has to do with how he dwells on the past?
Last thing, I was wondering about this line, "If we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall, stare into the past, and forget it all." What exactly does hanging a mirror on the bedroom wall mean? How does it relate to the past?
his addiction is being sad, if you'll listen to all of "bring me your love", most of it is about sadness, pain, suffering. Green is an emotional masochist, much like myself, so i relate to this song really strongly. So you're somewhat right, it is from dwelling on the past, dwelling on pain, creating pain, etc. This song like many of the others on little hell is about his wife, and how he's scared of his past haunting him and hurting her and such with his addiction to sadness (which can inadvertently cause others to be sad). I may not have worded this the best way but it's definitely what he's talking about. i feel the same way about my girlfriend and i sometimes. i cause her so much pain sometime and when it rains, it pours. but I still love her, i just despise the feeling of being so utterly happy and perfect sometimes.
Great reply. I too am as you put it an emotional masochist and again that's why I relate so strongly not only to this song but all of his music (city & colour, not alexis). I have such a strong connection with his music and have become dependant upon it. Little Hell- without a doubt one of his best songs.
In response to what "if we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall stare into the past and forget it all" could mean, in a mirror the reflection shows what is behind you. I think that Dallas is just using that as a metaphor to say that he wishes he could put his past behind him and forget about it.
@mywordsareweapons I thought it was always Diction, his words, how he sings and well his writing.... I belive to my core that he correct words were Dicition.
Makes me want to cry every time.
I'm in a relationship with someone with haunted past. We have our ups and downs. Sometimes you have days when it doesn't feel like it will ever be okay again. That I will never be see them smile again. It is awful. You start to wonder what you are putting yourself through and why. The answer is always the same. They are worth it. So goddamn worth it.
pogopantheon345, i dunno why that just gave me butterflies in my stomach the way you described your relationship.
"If we could just hang a mirror on the bedroom wall, stare into the past, and forget it all." This could simply just mean he wants them to look at themselves, really look at themselves, look into their past.
This song is most definitely about Leah Miller, his wife. Little hell is a phrase sometimes used to describe married life.
Dallas is a genius.. This song is the perfect description of dealing with your demons and having someone their to help you get through them. Every time the song comes on my mind instantly goes to my girlfriend and how lucky I am that she is their for me. Great song cant wait to see him in Cleveland in November!