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.
Forgive me, Forgive me,
If I seem alarmed.
I had emotion in this moment,
But no harm's done.
You see, I've read through a million
Words that I have wrote,
And built up mountains from shrapnel.
I've made my mind up, my mind up.
Because the line drawn in the sand's wrong.
And, when all the pioneers are gone,
All that's left are unresolved,
Out-of-step opinions.
Then you, say the word and I will come,
With overbearing clouds of war.
Out of breath but not alone.
Forgive me, forgive me,
If I'm straightforward.
I'm here to poison this process,
That is getting old.
I always wind up, with botched up,
Overcritical, the motive, motives.
I've made my mind up, my mind up.
And I could care less who's turned up.
And, when all the pioneers are gone,
All that's left are unresolved,
Out-of-step opinions.
Then you, say the word and I will come,
With overbearing clouds of war.
Out of breath but not alone.
Could care less who's turned up.
They always say how great,
It is to leave us for it.
You will never know when,
We have been stretched too thin.
And, when all the pioneers are gone,
And all that's left are unresolved,
Out-of-step opinions.
It's life or death once more for you.
Say the word and I will come,
With overbearing clouds of war.
Out of breath but not alone.
If I seem alarmed.
I had emotion in this moment,
But no harm's done.
You see, I've read through a million
Words that I have wrote,
And built up mountains from shrapnel.
I've made my mind up, my mind up.
Because the line drawn in the sand's wrong.
And, when all the pioneers are gone,
All that's left are unresolved,
Out-of-step opinions.
Then you, say the word and I will come,
With overbearing clouds of war.
Out of breath but not alone.
Forgive me, forgive me,
If I'm straightforward.
I'm here to poison this process,
That is getting old.
I always wind up, with botched up,
Overcritical, the motive, motives.
I've made my mind up, my mind up.
And I could care less who's turned up.
And, when all the pioneers are gone,
All that's left are unresolved,
Out-of-step opinions.
Then you, say the word and I will come,
With overbearing clouds of war.
Out of breath but not alone.
Could care less who's turned up.
They always say how great,
It is to leave us for it.
You will never know when,
We have been stretched too thin.
And, when all the pioneers are gone,
And all that's left are unresolved,
Out-of-step opinions.
It's life or death once more for you.
Say the word and I will come,
With overbearing clouds of war.
Out of breath but not alone.
Lyrics submitted by palefacebrett
Out of Breath Lyrics as written by Christopher Guanlao Brian Aubert
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
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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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I think the lyrics seem to reflect the collapse of the music industry and how most modern music is becoming weaker in meaning. Just my impression from how he says "I could care less who's turned off." Like he's saying that he doesn't care about people not liking what the band does and the whole line about "You see right through a million words that I harrowed" also seems like sarcasm towards critics who pretend to know what he means. There's several other lines that make me think this, "When all the pioneers are gone" makes me think about pioneers in the music industry becoming fewer and fewer. I'm not going to pretend that I know what this song is about for certain, but that's what I think.
I think it's sort of a statement of purpose. Going forward, the Pickups are going to be musical pioneers rather than followers. No more Smashing Pumpkins comparisons.
Neck of the Woods was their most sonically diverse album yet, and with this song as the last track I think they're saying that they're going to push boundaries even further with their next one.
"I’ve made my mind up, my mind up And I could care less who’s turned off"
He's gotten tired of doing the same thing over and over again. He wants to make his own music rather than what critics expect of him at this point.
The lyrics here are almost entirely wrong.
If anyone is interested, the correct lyrics:
Forgive me, forgive me If I seem alarmed I had a motionless moment No harm’s done
You see I'VE READ THROUGH a million Words that I HAVE WROTE And built of mountains of shrapnel I’ve made my mind up, my mind up Because the line drawn in the sand’s wrong
WHEN all the pioneers have gone And all that’s left are unresolved Out of step opinions
And you say the word and I will come With overbearing clouds of WARMTH Out of breath but not alone
Forgive me, forgive me If I’m straight FORWARD I'M IN A POISONOUS process That is getting old
I always wind up With BOTCHED UP OVER CRITICAL EMOTIVE motives I’ve made my mind up, my mind up And I could care less who’s turned off
WHEN all the pioneers have gone And all that’s left are unresolved Out of step opinions
And you say the word and I will come With overbearing clouds of WARMTH Out of breath but not alone
Who’s turned off Who’s turned off
They always say HOW GREAT It has to leave us WANTING BUT YOU AND I KNOW WHEN We have been stretched too THIN
WHEN all the pioneers have gone And all that’s left are unresolved Out of step opinions It’s LIFE OR DEATH once more
But you say the word and I will come With overbearing clouds of WARMTH OUT OF BREATH BUT NOT ALONE
@LucasCorso A couple of corrections to my corrections. "Built UP mountains of shrapnel" and "They always say how great is IS to leave us wanting."