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.
It's been about a dozen seasons
Since the boy became a man
Now he sees the forest for the trees
Now he touches just enough to feel
He's much stronger than he was just yesterday
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim, you know?
You never really learn
Till you fall and feel the burn, you know?
He looks back and has to pity where he's been
And then he smiles and walks away
There were days when it hurt too much to handle
Foolish boy had to learn how to dismantle
All those memories that wouldn't seem to leave
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim, you know?
You never really learn
Till you fall and feel the burn, you know?
There is a reason, some reason for all of this
Affliction is a contradiction to our happiness
Except to those who know
Those who know, oh yeah
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim, you know?
You never really learn
Till you fall and feel the burn, you know?
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim
You know, you know, you know, you know
I know these things [Incomprehensible] won't matter
Since the boy became a man
Now he sees the forest for the trees
Now he touches just enough to feel
He's much stronger than he was just yesterday
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim, you know?
You never really learn
Till you fall and feel the burn, you know?
He looks back and has to pity where he's been
And then he smiles and walks away
There were days when it hurt too much to handle
Foolish boy had to learn how to dismantle
All those memories that wouldn't seem to leave
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim, you know?
You never really learn
Till you fall and feel the burn, you know?
There is a reason, some reason for all of this
Affliction is a contradiction to our happiness
Except to those who know
Those who know, oh yeah
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim, you know?
You never really learn
Till you fall and feel the burn, you know?
Won't get suckerpunched again
Gotta sink so you can swim
You know, you know, you know, you know
I know these things [Incomprehensible] won't matter
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Light Up The Sky
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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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Great version of a great song,
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How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.