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.
I saw pictures from the space shuttle
Of America tonight
I could almost see my house
I could almost see the rest of my life
And my mother's in the hospital
And my friends are in the news
Collecting trophies for the songs they wrote
While we lived in the shadow of the moon
Yes, I never made a gold record
And I've never been to Mars
But I've traveled around this world
Shooting fireworks and falling stars, and prison bars
And my father's got a decent job
And he's finally pulling through
There's more to life than singing songs we wrote
While we lived in the shadow of the moon
And I see colors when I hear your voice
Put on your wings that put gravity on trial
And I see colors, I don't hear the noise
Because we're only flying for a while
Because we're only flying for a while
I saw this picture of my niece
Twisting high above the narrow beam
And my brother looked so proud
Like he woke up in this perfect dream
And I've known you all my life
But I knew you long before that tune
Let's go dancing to the songs we wrote
When we lived in the shadow of the moon
And I see colors when I hear your voice
Put on your wings that put gravity on trial
I see colors, I don't hear the noise
Because we're only flying for a while
And I could love you in the falling rain
Like many things, this is a storm we're meant to ride
Like synesthesia aboard a stalling plane
It's like we're only flying for a while
Flying for a while
Whoooaaaaaaa (x3)
And I see colors when I hear your voice
Put on your wings that put gravity on trial
I see colors, and I don't feel the choice
Because we're only flying for a while
And I could love you in the falling rain
Like many things, this is a storm we're meant to ride
Like synesthesia aboard a stalling plane
It's like we're only flying for a while
Flying for a while
Flying for a while
Flying for a while
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa
Of America tonight
I could almost see my house
I could almost see the rest of my life
And my mother's in the hospital
And my friends are in the news
Collecting trophies for the songs they wrote
While we lived in the shadow of the moon
Yes, I never made a gold record
And I've never been to Mars
But I've traveled around this world
Shooting fireworks and falling stars, and prison bars
And my father's got a decent job
And he's finally pulling through
There's more to life than singing songs we wrote
While we lived in the shadow of the moon
And I see colors when I hear your voice
Put on your wings that put gravity on trial
And I see colors, I don't hear the noise
Because we're only flying for a while
Because we're only flying for a while
I saw this picture of my niece
Twisting high above the narrow beam
And my brother looked so proud
Like he woke up in this perfect dream
And I've known you all my life
But I knew you long before that tune
Let's go dancing to the songs we wrote
When we lived in the shadow of the moon
And I see colors when I hear your voice
Put on your wings that put gravity on trial
I see colors, I don't hear the noise
Because we're only flying for a while
And I could love you in the falling rain
Like many things, this is a storm we're meant to ride
Like synesthesia aboard a stalling plane
It's like we're only flying for a while
Flying for a while
Whoooaaaaaaa (x3)
And I see colors when I hear your voice
Put on your wings that put gravity on trial
I see colors, and I don't feel the choice
Because we're only flying for a while
And I could love you in the falling rain
Like many things, this is a storm we're meant to ride
Like synesthesia aboard a stalling plane
It's like we're only flying for a while
Flying for a while
Flying for a while
Flying for a while
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa
Lyrics submitted by SomthinCorporat, edited by betaLyrae, EBM5, vClaudiam
Synesthesia Lyrics as written by Mark Carl Stolinkski Williams Andrew Ross Mcmahon
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.”
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