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.
Electric line, racing time
Fire down the wall
Spinning around, the killing ground
It makes you look so small
Henna years, the stinging tears
Flesh on the railway track
The screaming queen on the TV screen
Is never coming back
Suffer no more
Step inside and listen
Listen to my pillbox tales
Your special days, your winning ways
You're living out the past
You're lying lies and tying ties
And running much too fast
But you feel so sick
If you run too quick and wishing every day
Wishing you were all along
Wishing you were years away
Suffer no more
Step inside and listen
Listen to my pillbox tales
Listen to my
Listen to my pillbox tales
Electric line, racing time
Fire down the wall
Spinning around, this killing ground
It makes you look so small
The henna years, the stinging tears
Flesh on the railway track
Jamming queen on the TV screen
Is never coming back
Suffer no more
Step inside and listen
Listen to my pillbox tales
Step inside and listen to my
Step inside and listen to my
Step inside and listen to my pillbox tales
Fire down the wall
Spinning around, the killing ground
It makes you look so small
Henna years, the stinging tears
Flesh on the railway track
The screaming queen on the TV screen
Is never coming back
Suffer no more
Step inside and listen
Listen to my pillbox tales
Your special days, your winning ways
You're living out the past
You're lying lies and tying ties
And running much too fast
But you feel so sick
If you run too quick and wishing every day
Wishing you were all along
Wishing you were years away
Suffer no more
Step inside and listen
Listen to my pillbox tales
Listen to my
Listen to my pillbox tales
Electric line, racing time
Fire down the wall
Spinning around, this killing ground
It makes you look so small
The henna years, the stinging tears
Flesh on the railway track
Jamming queen on the TV screen
Is never coming back
Suffer no more
Step inside and listen
Listen to my pillbox tales
Step inside and listen to my
Step inside and listen to my
Step inside and listen to my pillbox tales
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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 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.
Blue
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“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.
Amazing
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
before the cure were the cure they were easy cure and were sort of a punk band, robs voice hadnt broke, they were cheesey, and the producation was awful, they sound absolutely hilarious, like rob has sucked in a helium balloon - adam