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.
"Chapter One"
I gave you my time
I gave you my whole life
I gave you my love, every dime
They told me it was, a crime
Do you remember?
Or did it all go in vain
"Chapter Two"
I looked in the light, I sat in your coalmine
The promise they made, I should keep?
Make sure that we would never meet
I can't remember
The promise I made so deep
Tell me that past times won't die
Tell me that old lies are alive
"Chapter Three"
Across darkened skies, I travelled without a light
I sank in the well of my mind
Too deep, never to be found
I can't remember
How could you be so vain
Tell me that past times won't die
Tell me that old lies are alive
Love that expired too long time ago
Kills me, it thrills me
"Chapter Four"
You have new love and
It looks good on you
I have never wished you dead, yet.
You can now have all the things I could never give to you
Look out the window "see'est moi"
"Chapter Five"
I'm sorry, I am here
I'm not sure if it should bring you fear
I whisper in your ear
Why is he here?
"Chapter six"
While you are sleeping, I steal your ear ring
Light you one candle, this anger I handle
They said I won't find you, but now I'm beside you
I'm not all that stable
You should know by know that you are mine
Tell me that old times won't die
Tell me that old lies are alive
I tell you that past times won't die
I tell you that old lies are alive
Love due to expire too long time ago
Kills me, it will kill you too
Past times won't die
I tell you old lies are alive
Hate to conspire too long time ago
Kill me, please kill me before
Tell you that past times won't die
I gave you my time
I gave you my whole life
I gave you my love, every dime
They told me it was, a crime
Do you remember?
Or did it all go in vain
"Chapter Two"
I looked in the light, I sat in your coalmine
The promise they made, I should keep?
Make sure that we would never meet
I can't remember
The promise I made so deep
Tell me that past times won't die
Tell me that old lies are alive
"Chapter Three"
Across darkened skies, I travelled without a light
I sank in the well of my mind
Too deep, never to be found
I can't remember
How could you be so vain
Tell me that past times won't die
Tell me that old lies are alive
Love that expired too long time ago
Kills me, it thrills me
"Chapter Four"
You have new love and
It looks good on you
I have never wished you dead, yet.
You can now have all the things I could never give to you
Look out the window "see'est moi"
"Chapter Five"
I'm sorry, I am here
I'm not sure if it should bring you fear
I whisper in your ear
Why is he here?
"Chapter six"
While you are sleeping, I steal your ear ring
Light you one candle, this anger I handle
They said I won't find you, but now I'm beside you
I'm not all that stable
You should know by know that you are mine
Tell me that old times won't die
Tell me that old lies are alive
I tell you that past times won't die
I tell you that old lies are alive
Love due to expire too long time ago
Kills me, it will kill you too
Past times won't die
I tell you old lies are alive
Hate to conspire too long time ago
Kill me, please kill me before
Tell you that past times won't die
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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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"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I'd say this song fits in a long saga, including the first "Letter to Dana" (That one I'm not so sure about.) then "Shy", where he meets the girl. then "the End of this Chapter", where he is left and stalks her. Then "Don't Say a Word" where he confronts and kills her. and "It Won't Fade" from the new albumn Unia where he invents another personality to deal with what he's done.