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've wept for those who suffer long
But how I weep for those who've gone
Into rooms of grief and questioned wrong
But keep on killing
It's in the soul to feel such things
But weak to watch without speaking
Oh, what mercy sadness brings
If God be willing
There is a train that's heading straight
To Heaven's gate, to Heaven's gate
And on the way, child and man
And woman wait, watch and wait
For redemption day
Fire rages in the streets
And swallows everything it meets
It's just an image often seen
On television
Come leaders, come ye men of great
Let us hear you pontificate
Your many virtues laid to waste
And we aren't listening
There is a train that's heading straight
To Heaven's gate, to Heaven's gate
And on the way, child and man
And woman wait, watch and wait
For redemption day
What do you have for us today
Throw us a bone but save the plate
On why you waited 'til so late
Was there no oil to excavate?
No riches in trade for the fate
Of every person who died in hate
Throw us a bone, you men of great
There is a train that's heading straight
To Heaven's gate, to Heaven's gate
And on the way, child and man
And woman wait, watch and wait
For redemption day
It's buried in the countryside
It's hidden in the shells of night
It's everywhere a baby cries
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
But how I weep for those who've gone
Into rooms of grief and questioned wrong
But keep on killing
It's in the soul to feel such things
But weak to watch without speaking
Oh, what mercy sadness brings
If God be willing
There is a train that's heading straight
To Heaven's gate, to Heaven's gate
And on the way, child and man
And woman wait, watch and wait
For redemption day
Fire rages in the streets
And swallows everything it meets
It's just an image often seen
On television
Come leaders, come ye men of great
Let us hear you pontificate
Your many virtues laid to waste
And we aren't listening
There is a train that's heading straight
To Heaven's gate, to Heaven's gate
And on the way, child and man
And woman wait, watch and wait
For redemption day
What do you have for us today
Throw us a bone but save the plate
On why you waited 'til so late
Was there no oil to excavate?
No riches in trade for the fate
Of every person who died in hate
Throw us a bone, you men of great
There is a train that's heading straight
To Heaven's gate, to Heaven's gate
And on the way, child and man
And woman wait, watch and wait
For redemption day
It's buried in the countryside
It's hidden in the shells of night
It's everywhere a baby cries
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Redemption Day Lyrics as written by Sheryl Suzanne Crow
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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.
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Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Ed Sheeran
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.
What is worse, knowing that there are those who suffer, or knowing that those who cause their pain, know they're causing the pain yet continue to choose to do so?
"Oh what mercy sadness brings If God be willing "- perhaps if such people could feel the pain of others, feel sadness for them, they wouldn't continue to choose to hurt them.
The chorus is pretty obvious.
The nightly news blasts us with so many horrific images of disasters and violent crimes and such that we just become numb to it and go on with our life. Even if we have great leaders, no one bothers to listen to what they say.
We get the scraps off their plates. She questions the motives of her politicians.
The last line is about a country in a state of war, a new generation, and the grand ideology that we are taught in history classes- FREEDOM
love this song
About six months after the song's release, the "Heaven's Gate" cult committed mass suicide in California. It was a real example of what Jung called "synchronicity", I guess.
Is this a song of hope, or of deep disillusionment?