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.
They found us in the courtyard at our table in the shade
We toasted our last few moments and then the end came
They took us back to the airstrip in that beaten up old car
And we rattled across the African scrubland in silence
Our hands locked together with cold steel cuffs
Sometimes I wish it was still that way
Now a whole world has died since then, so many faithless days
I was born alone and lucky and I'm just used to it that way
My dice still roll in sixes and yours still turn up ones
And I have taken my good fortune and I've run and run
But I always swore I'd come back for you
Is it too late now to come back for you ?
Now beneath this lonely junction on the northbound M6
We spray our words of signature on the concrete bridge
And between the words of wisdom and the slogans of despair
Someone's just gone and written 'I'm sorry' there
Well I always swore I'd come back for you
Is it too late now to come back for you?
You're the only one I'll ever love
We toasted our last few moments and then the end came
They took us back to the airstrip in that beaten up old car
And we rattled across the African scrubland in silence
Our hands locked together with cold steel cuffs
Sometimes I wish it was still that way
Now a whole world has died since then, so many faithless days
I was born alone and lucky and I'm just used to it that way
My dice still roll in sixes and yours still turn up ones
And I have taken my good fortune and I've run and run
But I always swore I'd come back for you
Is it too late now to come back for you ?
Now beneath this lonely junction on the northbound M6
We spray our words of signature on the concrete bridge
And between the words of wisdom and the slogans of despair
Someone's just gone and written 'I'm sorry' there
Well I always swore I'd come back for you
Is it too late now to come back for you?
You're the only one I'll ever love
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
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I just discovered this wonderful song and it is so immersive. I cannot stop listening and thinking what the song is about. Does anyone have an idea? I just understand that a couple gets seperated and doesnt meet again after being handcuffed inside a car. I guess they get arrested for something. I'll just quote the parts I don't exactly understand:
"They found us in the courtyard at our table in the shade We toasted our last few moments and then the end came They took us back to the airstrip in that beaten up old car And we rattled across the African scrubland in silence Our hands locked together with cold steel cuffs"
Why are they in marrakesh? Why do they get arrested?
"My dice still roll in sixes and yours still turn up ones And I have taken my good fortune and I've run and run But I always swore I'd come back for you Is it too late now to come back for you ?"
It seems that he is somehow lucky and free now (rollin sixes) and she is not. But why?
Hopefully somebody else reads my comment since New Model Army does not seem very popular. Hence there are hardly any comments on any of the band's songs...
@Nacaer I'm just speculating but it feels like they're arrested for some political reason. They're activists, reporters, or volunteering for some cause. They're very close at the time, maybe unified by their beliefs, and because they're human, make promises of loyalty and kinship. Maybe fall in love. <br /> <br /> Then the song cuts to much later, year later. They've drifted apart, and the singer feels great regret and remorse. His star rose while the others fell. But maybe somewhere along that ascent, he forgot what really mattered, and now he's realizing that. This person that gave his life value was lost along the way. <br /> <br /> He wonders if he can have a second chance. <br /> <br /> The real question is: does he really want a second chance? Or is this confession just a way of consoling himself?