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.
Settle back and take a viewpoint
Heard before in wooden rooms
Hatred of authority begins with
Doing what you're told to do
When advice replaces orders
Hatred slowly turns to caution
Caution fades with interaction
Agreement - repetition - slogan
Waving slightly the banner cries
' There's no room left to advertise
Nothing left to advertise'
In all direction seeing signs
Of struggles lost to compromise
Sometimes it seems like the problem's
So deep that the digging's getting nowhere
Sometimes we have to find solutions
No more distractions
We're digging a hole
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We're digging a hole
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We're digging a hole
Has it got to the point where the problems are gone to the surface once dug up and revealed?
Are they so in our face that they've come to replace the things that we used to call 'real'?
Has it got to the point where the problems are gone because they got questioned and discussed?
Has it really all changed for the better these days? Imagine a 'Veggies'R'us'
Acceptance is static retention
Of orders delivered on masse
We put ourselves outside the picture
But still sit reflecting on glass
So when the institutions call
Check your conscience before you open the door
Be happy knowing who you are
And still digging holes
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We know what we're talking about
We're still digging holes
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We know what we found down here
Still digging holes
Still digging holes
Heard before in wooden rooms
Hatred of authority begins with
Doing what you're told to do
When advice replaces orders
Hatred slowly turns to caution
Caution fades with interaction
Agreement - repetition - slogan
Waving slightly the banner cries
' There's no room left to advertise
Nothing left to advertise'
In all direction seeing signs
Of struggles lost to compromise
Sometimes it seems like the problem's
So deep that the digging's getting nowhere
Sometimes we have to find solutions
No more distractions
We're digging a hole
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We're digging a hole
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We're digging a hole
Has it got to the point where the problems are gone to the surface once dug up and revealed?
Are they so in our face that they've come to replace the things that we used to call 'real'?
Has it got to the point where the problems are gone because they got questioned and discussed?
Has it really all changed for the better these days? Imagine a 'Veggies'R'us'
Acceptance is static retention
Of orders delivered on masse
We put ourselves outside the picture
But still sit reflecting on glass
So when the institutions call
Check your conscience before you open the door
Be happy knowing who you are
And still digging holes
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We know what we're talking about
We're still digging holes
Just to make sure
Just to make sure
We know what we found down here
Still digging holes
Still digging holes
Lyrics submitted by ThECr4cKFa1rY
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Gentle Hour
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.