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 am your nightmares, true scares
That dream when you can't stop from falling
Can't fight, can't run
Can't stop the person you've become
I am your heartbreaks, mistakes
That place inside your hate
I am that shadow following every move, reminding you
That it's never good enough, never good enough
Even though you'll try and try
I'm gonna call your bluff
Because I am the thing bringing the feelings when
Your world comes crashing around you
Smashes down around you
When will you see that you cannot hide from me?
When you feel darkness, hopeless
Can't cope with all the stress
I'll make you hate life bring strife
Remember failures hardened stare
And it's never gonna change, never gonna change
Always they'll be judging you
Compared to who and who
You trust in me but I only live to see
Your world come crashing around you
Smash down around you
When will you see that you cannot hide from me?
When I come for you
When I see through you
When I eat through you
When I destroy you
You'll think you're betrayed, astray
I'll leave you ripped and torn so bad you
Can't trust, can't love
Can't understand why life's so fucked
I'm deep inside your mind
In constant remind
If you leave your thoughts to me, believe
I'll make sure that I see
Your world come crashing around you
Smash down around you
When will you see that you cannot hide from me?
I'll make your world come crashing around you
Smash down around you
I'll let you see why cannot hide from me
Because I am you
That dream when you can't stop from falling
Can't fight, can't run
Can't stop the person you've become
I am your heartbreaks, mistakes
That place inside your hate
I am that shadow following every move, reminding you
That it's never good enough, never good enough
Even though you'll try and try
I'm gonna call your bluff
Because I am the thing bringing the feelings when
Your world comes crashing around you
Smashes down around you
When will you see that you cannot hide from me?
When you feel darkness, hopeless
Can't cope with all the stress
I'll make you hate life bring strife
Remember failures hardened stare
And it's never gonna change, never gonna change
Always they'll be judging you
Compared to who and who
You trust in me but I only live to see
Your world come crashing around you
Smash down around you
When will you see that you cannot hide from me?
When I come for you
When I see through you
When I eat through you
When I destroy you
You'll think you're betrayed, astray
I'll leave you ripped and torn so bad you
Can't trust, can't love
Can't understand why life's so fucked
I'm deep inside your mind
In constant remind
If you leave your thoughts to me, believe
I'll make sure that I see
Your world come crashing around you
Smash down around you
When will you see that you cannot hide from me?
I'll make your world come crashing around you
Smash down around you
I'll let you see why cannot hide from me
Because I am you
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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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I could be wrong, but the fact that Rob Flynn has admitted that Metallica were a huge influence to him, makes me think that this song is (at least in part) his way of 'tipping his hat' to Metallica's "Sad but true", being that both are about the negative side of the human psyche.