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.
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm
Hmm hmm
Hmm hmm
Depth over distance every time, my dear
And this tree of ours may grow tall in the woods
But it's the roots that will bind us here
To the ground hmm
Depth over distance was all I asked of you
And I may be foolish to fall as I do
Still there's strength in the blindness you fear
If you're coming too, hmm
If you're coming too, hmm
Hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord hmm
Hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on hmm
Depth over distance was all I asked of you
And everybody round here's acting like a stone
Still there's things I'd do, darling, I'd go blind for you
If you let grow sometimes, let it grow sometimes, let it grow
Just let it grow sometimes
'Cause so hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord, hmm
Oh hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on, hmm
Oh hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on (hmm hmm)
Oh depth over distance every time, my dear
And I may be foolish to fall as I do
Still there's strength in the blindness you fear
If you're coming too da-ah
Oh, if you're coming too hmm
So hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord, hmm ah
Hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on
To know this ride
To know this ride we're on (Hmm hmm hmm)
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm
Hmm hmm
Hmm hmm
Depth over distance every time, my dear
And this tree of ours may grow tall in the woods
But it's the roots that will bind us here
To the ground hmm
Depth over distance was all I asked of you
And I may be foolish to fall as I do
Still there's strength in the blindness you fear
If you're coming too, hmm
If you're coming too, hmm
Hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord hmm
Hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on hmm
Depth over distance was all I asked of you
And everybody round here's acting like a stone
Still there's things I'd do, darling, I'd go blind for you
If you let grow sometimes, let it grow sometimes, let it grow
Just let it grow sometimes
'Cause so hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord, hmm
Oh hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on, hmm
Oh hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on (hmm hmm)
Oh depth over distance every time, my dear
And I may be foolish to fall as I do
Still there's strength in the blindness you fear
If you're coming too da-ah
Oh, if you're coming too hmm
So hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord, hmm ah
Hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on
To know this ride
To know this ride we're on (Hmm hmm hmm)
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm
Lyrics submitted by clare579, edited by M4TTY, britebluedress, stella1000, sjac89
Depth Over Distance Lyrics as written by Benjamin John Howard
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is a beautiful song. Long distance relationships need strong roots to succeed.
@MSF .... this is not a song about long distance relationships. Even though that might be gaining popularity in today's fake social media communications. It's about having a long relationship over a deep meaningful one. Like one of the comments mentioned below a ship is safe in the harbor but thats not what its made for. That's a great analogy. Smooth waters make lousy sailors
I had this boyfriend who was so incredibly sweet. He was simply amazing. Whenever I was with him all things were great. We danced, laughed, I smiled, he smiled. But he had done things before we were together, well, he never told me about that in the beginning but I heard some stories and he also told me those stories were right. From that moment on and all because of all his lies I just couldn't trust him when he was away. And then gossip started to pile up about him cheating on me etc. Things were so hard, everytime he had to leave we cried. Because we knew how we would break each other. How he had to break me because of his stupid faults.
We aren't together anymore now. One day he just let me go. Because he saw how terribly unhappy I was. He took my hand and gave it to my best friend told him to take care of me, kissed me and then just walked away. My heart broke that day. Even though we still love each other so hard, even though when we're together it feels like nothing has ever happend. Each time when we feel the distance sneaking up from behind; we break.
I hope one day when he has changed and took the changes life tells him to take we can be finally together for ever. But I just can't do this right now. He has to be shiny all the time, and me too, I know. Because we're both still young and we need to live our life and find our ways.
Then we'll BE again, when everything falls in place.
@nyksilno
@nyksilno an Angel came to me from the curbside and I had to pull over I had an Angel for 13 years friend no words describe what she is words in this song show if two roots don't bind together it won't grow what strong roots u have and will only get stronger I need to plant my seed again to grow new roots as the smallest storm will up root me one with strong roots will go far in life one day this seed will grow to be a palm tree and the milk I produce will be the finest and I apologize that an Angel like u needs a prince
this song really gave me goosebumps, Ben Howard preformed the song with so much passion and love (the live versions of this song are truly beautiful)
For me depth over distance is about relationships, he asks his love for depth as in love and passion, in stead of a save plain relationship that maybe last long but never give you butterfly's.
"And depth over distance was all I asked of you And I may foolish to fall as I do There’s strength in the blindness you fear If you’re coming too If you’re coming too"
I've been in a few relationships and the ones that give the most beautiful memories are the ones where you really love someone with all the passion you have, where you never compromise... Ãts a wake up call to never lose yourself in a boring simple relationship.
A ship in a harbor is safe, but this is not what a ship is built for :)
I've never been in a long distance relationship, and maybe that's why i interpreted it in this way.
That's exactly what I thought when I heard it. It's like saying quality over quantity, only in this case, quality also brings quantity
It's the deep love that will provide the roots for "this tree of ours" to "grow tall in the woods"
@VIXIV go were ur roots take u life is a big root u have to direct them in the right soil
this song to me is saying that with long distance relationships, the "distance" of the relationship doesn't matter if the "depth" is enough that both sides of the relationship are that much in love....
then also when Ben says "so hold on wait until the lone sun breaks from the arms of the lord". he is saying that both people must hold on until the time that they are together... even the lord wont be able to hold the lovers from being with each other.
Ben also says "and this tree of ours may grow tall in the woods" with this line he is saying that with everything that we go through in this time of long distance our memories and our bonding's will be much greater then everyone else's (the other trees in the woods). he goes on to say "its the roots that will bind us here" to me this line adds to the trees in the woods and the memories made will keep the relationship frim "to the ground" saying that nothing that happens will move the relationship.
another thing is that he says "and everybody round here's acting like a storm" saying everyone that looks at this relationship and sees no way that it could work and everyone is trying to break it up but even with these comments "there is still thing that I go blind for you" add to the "depth" of the love in the relationship.
"theres strength in the blindness you fear" saying that even though this relationship may seen like its never going to happen and maybe doubtful... it will work out.
@JacquesJoubert
@JacquesJoubert love is blind sometimes u don't no an Angel till she fled away roots need to bind to make a strong tree some roots carnt compete with others
Beautiful song :)
I think 'distance' here implies how long a relationship lasts, as in 'going the distance '. Depth over Distance being he doesn't mind uncertainty and is willing to take a risk even if what they have doesn't last long, as long as it's true for the time it does last.
"Depth Over Distance was all I asked of you And I may be foolish to fall as I do But there's strength in blindness you fear
If you're coming too. "
This is my favourite part. I think of it as one person asking another to take a leap of faith with him, even though that may seem foolish. "there's strength in the blindness you fear".This blindness you're afraid of.This future that you can't see,the void of nothingness you see us falling into, it isn't something to be feared. You take a chance despite it and that is what makes you stronger. :)
This was my interpretation of the song as well! How the depth of the relationship is far more important than it's longevity.
Come on people.. this song deserves more comments! I saw Ben live last sunday and this was the first song he played. I hadn't heard it before but instantly fell in love with it.
I have dated this girl in an erasmus program and we shared the most amazing connection i ever had with a girl. At the end of the program she had to move back to her own country and we promised to keep in touch. Over time we went back to our own lives and we stopped reaching out to each other on a daily basis, until we lost most of the contact. Still I missed her everyday. This song reminds me of the days when she had just left and I felt so broken. For so long i wished for depth over distance and even till this day i still love her.
In two and a half weeks i'm going to see her again after 3 years.. can't wait!
i feel the same way about someone right now. and holding onto depth over distance is the only thing that'll keep me going.<br /> hope things worked out well for you?
Wauw this is an amazing story! Bittersweet, but beautiful.<br /> Especially because it describes almost in detail what just happened to me! With all the elements of a Erasmus student, a special connection in a deeper level. And a sad goodbye that just happened exactly one week ago :( Was just checking the meaning of this song thinking back of this special soul and then I saw this message. I believe that things not "just" happen. So thank you for sharing your story. Even years after people will understand and feel you! And I hope you found your love back or found some other new love in your life!
Yeah, such great lyrics honestly..
Distance isn't the concluding factor in the strength and durability in a relationship/or a tree. Its the depth. The intimacy. The commitment. The regard...the roots. How satisfying a reaching (distance) tree without regard for its depth? How stable? How long?
Interpreting song lyric is my absolute downfall, hence the reason I love this website. It helps me understand songs better and go into that extra depth I can't explore myself.
I don't really know about the lyric, but the music to me speaks like he was asking for his beloved to do something for the sake of their relationship. It started gentle, barely above whisper, because relationship usually starts sweet and slow. But then the storms came and he had to beg so that they can stay strong through whatever comes on their way.
I also happened to listen to this song for the first time when I read a heart-wrenching part of a book, where the two people who are in love were trying desperately to cling onto each other no matter how terrible the situation are. Maybe that contributed to what I feel about this song.
What I love about "Depth Over Distance" is that there's this calmness, strength on such a strong emotion. I don't know whether that makes sense at all, but that's how I feel about this amazing, amazing creation.
I personally think that with "depth over distance" He means that you need to take risks. You can have an relationship and keep distance for each other. Like friends with benefits, it doesn't hurt you so much yet it isn't as good as a relationship with depth. Depth over Distance was all I asked for you, and I may be foolish to fall as I do. Because when you give depth you have the change to get hurt, to fall.