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.
Swallowed up in dreams
In an empty space
I'm being carried away
Into the light
It's all hazy around
I'm filtering through the fog
Heading into
The heart of what lies beyond all time
I'm being taken along
A course I've been on before
I see nests of souls
Fireflies
Passing slowly by
And rising up higher
Heading into
The heart of what lies beyond all time
I had a lonely life
In my safety zone
Somewhere on the edge of the world
I was searching for myself
Watching all the others' lives
Doing nothing with my own
All too soon the life was over
And in my sunset days
Without love
With no friends
I couldn't let you come and take my soul
So after all
The last thing that I saw
Were the waves crashing violently on the shore
The darkness washed inside me
I crossed over to the other side
As my eyes adjusted to the dark
I could distinguish distant pallid light
So I went in this direction
Trying not to lose my way
And when I achieved my goal
I saw the brightness
Clouds
And all those nice memories
All those nice memories
But this special one
I'd left
Behind in the shade
In my darkest fear
And if I don't go back
I'll never find myself
In an empty space
I'm being carried away
Into the light
It's all hazy around
I'm filtering through the fog
Heading into
The heart of what lies beyond all time
I'm being taken along
A course I've been on before
I see nests of souls
Fireflies
Passing slowly by
And rising up higher
Heading into
The heart of what lies beyond all time
I had a lonely life
In my safety zone
Somewhere on the edge of the world
I was searching for myself
Watching all the others' lives
Doing nothing with my own
All too soon the life was over
And in my sunset days
Without love
With no friends
I couldn't let you come and take my soul
So after all
The last thing that I saw
Were the waves crashing violently on the shore
The darkness washed inside me
I crossed over to the other side
As my eyes adjusted to the dark
I could distinguish distant pallid light
So I went in this direction
Trying not to lose my way
And when I achieved my goal
I saw the brightness
Clouds
And all those nice memories
All those nice memories
But this special one
I'd left
Behind in the shade
In my darkest fear
And if I don't go back
I'll never find myself
Lyrics submitted by sokorny
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