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.
Far, far beyond the island
We dwelt in shades of twilight
Through dread and weary days
Through grief and endless pain
It lies unknown
The land of mine
A hidden gate
To save us from the shadow fall
The lord of water spoke
In the silence
Words of wisdom
I've seen the end of all
Be aware the storm gets closer
chorus (1):
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That the winds will change
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That tomorrows bears insanity
Gone's the wisdom
Of a thousand years
A world in fire and chains and fear
Leads me to a place so far
Deep down it lies my secret vision
I better keep it safe
Shall I leave my friends alone
Hidden in my twilight hall
(I) know the world is lost in fire
Sure there is no way to turn it
Back to the old days
Of bliss and cheerful laughter
We're lost in barren lands
Caught in the running flames
Alone
How shall we leave the lost road
Time's getting short so follow me
A leader's task so clearly
To find a path out of the dark
chorus (2):
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That the winds will change
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That the winds will change
Even though
The storm calmed down
The bitter end
Is just a matter of time
Shall we dare the dragon
Merciless he's poisoning our hearts
Our hearts
How shall we leave the lost road
Time's getting short so follow me
A leader's task so clearly
To find a path out of the dark
chorus (2)
We dwelt in shades of twilight
Through dread and weary days
Through grief and endless pain
It lies unknown
The land of mine
A hidden gate
To save us from the shadow fall
The lord of water spoke
In the silence
Words of wisdom
I've seen the end of all
Be aware the storm gets closer
chorus (1):
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That the winds will change
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That tomorrows bears insanity
Gone's the wisdom
Of a thousand years
A world in fire and chains and fear
Leads me to a place so far
Deep down it lies my secret vision
I better keep it safe
Shall I leave my friends alone
Hidden in my twilight hall
(I) know the world is lost in fire
Sure there is no way to turn it
Back to the old days
Of bliss and cheerful laughter
We're lost in barren lands
Caught in the running flames
Alone
How shall we leave the lost road
Time's getting short so follow me
A leader's task so clearly
To find a path out of the dark
chorus (2):
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That the winds will change
Mirror Mirror on the wall
True hope lies beyond the coast
You're a damned kind can't you see
That the winds will change
Even though
The storm calmed down
The bitter end
Is just a matter of time
Shall we dare the dragon
Merciless he's poisoning our hearts
Our hearts
How shall we leave the lost road
Time's getting short so follow me
A leader's task so clearly
To find a path out of the dark
chorus (2)
Lyrics submitted by mimas
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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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.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Far, far beyond the island (in the undying lands beyond where numenor will eventually be) We dwelt in shades of twilight (the light of the trees) Through dread and weary days Through grief and endless pain (the whole bit about the trees dying, the kinslaying, the grinding ice, etc)
It lies unknown The land of mine (gondolin) A hidden gate (gondolin had hidden gates) To save us from the shadow fall (it was protected, for a while, from morgoth) The lord of water spoke (Ulmo to turgon) In the silence Words of wisdom I've seen the end of all Be aware the storm gets closer (eventually gondolin will fall)
chorus (1): Mirror Mirror on the wall (I not sure, maybe just a figure of speech) True hope lies beyond the coast (the only real way for morgoth to fall was by the hands of valar, not the noldor ps: the line is a quote form ulmo) You're a damned kind can't you see (the curse of the noldor) That the winds will change (when the noldor first arrived in middle earth, they seemed so powerful, but morgoth eventually became far stronger than they) Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You're a damned kind can't you see That tomorrows bears insanity
Gone's the wisdom Of a thousand years A world in fire and chains and fear Leads me to a place so far Deep down it lies my secret vision I better keep it safe (gondolin is a refuge from war of jewels)
Shall I leave my friends alone Hidden in my twilight hall (I) know the world is lost in fire Sure there is no way to turn it Back to the old days Of bliss and cheerful laughter We're lost in barren lands Caught in the running flames ( the battle of sudden-flames) Alone (should the city of menegroth aid the other elven kingdoms, it is essentially hopeless no matter what they do)
How shall we leave the lost road Time's getting short so follow me A leader's task so clearly To find a path out of the dark (the small group that was saved at the fall of gondolin by a secret passage through the mountains)
chorus (2): Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You're a damned kind can't you see That the winds will change Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You're a damned kind can't you see That the winds will change
Even though The storm calmed down The bitter end Is just a matter of time (at some points, the war of the jewels was at a stand-still, but the noldor really didn't have a chance)
Shall we dare the dragon Merciless he's poisoning our hearts Our hearts (glaunrung, and the dragon's powerful stare)
How shall we leave the lost road Time's getting short so follow me A leader's task so clearly To find a path out of the dark
All in all, a song about several of the noldor kingdoms and how they were all futile. The only way for morgoth to be defeated was by the valar.