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.
This burning had lost control
And Gideon robbed my soul and so
Here is the human joke
I failed I failed I failed you
Here in this troubled mind
Where fortunes may turn the tide and so
By clichés I'm paralyzed
I failed I failed I failed I failed I failed you I failed you
I wish I could
I'd be the guardian of morality I should
But now my heart must face reality
And visited by inspiration
Visited by indignation again
Battling by the sword
A fear of the spoken word and so
Best grab your crown and turn
I failed I failed I failed you
So loathed to speak my name
And grow wretched by the day and so
It's better to die than to be enslaved
I failed I failed I failed I failed I failed you I failed you
I wish I could
I'd be the guardian of morality I should
But now my heart must face reality
And visited by inspiration
Visited by indignation again
I wish I could
I would eliminate this sense of longing
Do I dare not drown in what I am becoming
Promises have been rejected
My beliefs have been fragmented again
And Gideon robbed my soul and so
Here is the human joke
I failed I failed I failed you
Here in this troubled mind
Where fortunes may turn the tide and so
By clichés I'm paralyzed
I failed I failed I failed I failed I failed you I failed you
I wish I could
I'd be the guardian of morality I should
But now my heart must face reality
And visited by inspiration
Visited by indignation again
Battling by the sword
A fear of the spoken word and so
Best grab your crown and turn
I failed I failed I failed you
So loathed to speak my name
And grow wretched by the day and so
It's better to die than to be enslaved
I failed I failed I failed I failed I failed you I failed you
I wish I could
I'd be the guardian of morality I should
But now my heart must face reality
And visited by inspiration
Visited by indignation again
I wish I could
I would eliminate this sense of longing
Do I dare not drown in what I am becoming
Promises have been rejected
My beliefs have been fragmented again
Lyrics submitted by sokorny
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