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.
Look who's digging their own grave
That is what they all say
You'll drink yourself to death
Look who makes their own bed
Lies right down within it
And what will you have left?
Out on the front doorstep
Drinking from a paper cup
You won't remember this
Living beyond your years
Acting out all their fears
You feel it in your chest
Your hands protect the flames
From the wild winds around you
Icarus is flying too close to the sun
And Icarus's life, it has only just begun
It's just begun
Standing on the cliff face
Highest foe you'll ever grace
It scares me half to death
Look out to the future
But it tells you nothing
So take another breath
Your hands protect the flames
From the wild winds around you
Icarus is flying too close to the sun
And Icarus's life, it has only just begun
This is how it feels to take a fall
Icarus is flying towards an early grave
You put up your defenses when you leave
You leave because you're certain
Of who you want to be
You're putting up your armor when you leave
And you leave because you're certain
Of who you want to be, oh
Icarus is flying too close to the sun
And Icarus's life, it has only just begun
This is how it feels to take a fall
Icarus is flying towards an early grave
That is what they all say
You'll drink yourself to death
Look who makes their own bed
Lies right down within it
And what will you have left?
Out on the front doorstep
Drinking from a paper cup
You won't remember this
Living beyond your years
Acting out all their fears
You feel it in your chest
Your hands protect the flames
From the wild winds around you
Icarus is flying too close to the sun
And Icarus's life, it has only just begun
It's just begun
Standing on the cliff face
Highest foe you'll ever grace
It scares me half to death
Look out to the future
But it tells you nothing
So take another breath
Your hands protect the flames
From the wild winds around you
Icarus is flying too close to the sun
And Icarus's life, it has only just begun
This is how it feels to take a fall
Icarus is flying towards an early grave
You put up your defenses when you leave
You leave because you're certain
Of who you want to be
You're putting up your armor when you leave
And you leave because you're certain
Of who you want to be, oh
Icarus is flying too close to the sun
And Icarus's life, it has only just begun
This is how it feels to take a fall
Icarus is flying towards an early grave
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Light Up The Sky
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"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
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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”
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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."
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."
I have a different take on this. I think this song is about not knowing yourself and the journey of finding out who you are/are not. It’s about people’s criticism of people’s bad decisions and people's journey through life and takes apart the Icarus story and rather than heed people’s warnings or get burnt, it rather, talks about how it’s normal to get burnt and fall in life because the future is uncertain and changes just like you. Getting burnt is part of being human and part of the journey and unavoidable (just like our flaws).
Look who's digging their own grave That is what they all say You'll drink yourself to death
Look who makes their own bed Lies right down within it And what will you have left? (people criticizing bad life choices and the person making immature/bad decisions because that is who they are at the time-- also, young people not seeing their own mortality-- despite other's warnings)
Out on the front doorstep Drinking from a paper cup You won't remember this (You won’t remember this because it doesn't matter because you’re not that person any longer, this is one point in a journey (and cuz this person is wasted) —turning point)
Living beyond your years Acting out all their fears You feel it in your chest
(this is when the person changes/grows up/thinks they know who they want to be; they are taking a chance or a leap) (living beyond your years—wiser; acting out all their fears—doing what everyone is afraid to do; feel it in your chest—but you know it’s what you have to do)
Your hands protect the flames From the wild winds around you
Icarus is flying too close to the sun Icarus's life, it has only just begun It's just begun
(your taking a chance and getting burnt but it’s ok because your young and the journey has just started)
Standing on the cliff face Highest foe you'll ever grace It scares me half to death ( The future is the cliff and it scares you because of your choices/flaws and not knowing who you are)
Look out to the future But it tells you nothing So take another breath
(You can’t foresee who you will be or what will result in your choices---you just have to ‘take another breath’ and take a leap
Your hands protect the flames From the wild winds around you
Icarus is flying too close to the sun Icarus's life, it has only just begun This is how it feels to take a fall Icarus is flying towards an early grave
You put up your defenses when you leave You leave because you're certain Of who you want to be
You're putting up your armor when you leave You leave because you're certain Of who you want to be
(the moment when a person thinks they know who they want to be and are adamant and justifying their choice but finds out that looking back, perhaps they were mistaken; maybe this isn’t what they want)
Icarus is flying too close to the sun Icarus's life, it has only just begun This is how it feels to take a fall Icarus is flying towards an early grave (Icarus took a fall, and this is how it feels to take a fall: change/make mistakes/to find out who you wanted to be is not. In the case of Icarus, it results in his death, in the case of the person, it is the death of who they were connecting back to the beginning of the song)