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.
Jeweller has a shop on the corner of the boulevard.
In the night, in small spectacles he polishes old coins.
He uses spit and cloths and ashes.
He makes them shine with ashes.
He knows the use of ashes.
He worships God with ashes.
The coins are often very old by the time they reach the jeweller.
With his hand and ashes he will try the best he can.
He knows that he can only shine them, cannot repair the scratches.
He knows that even new coins have scars so he just smiles.
He knows the use of ashes.
He worships god with ashes.
In the darkest of the night.
Both his hands will blister badly.
They will often open painfully and the blood flows from his hands.
He works to take from black coin faces, the thumb prints from so many ages.
He wishes he could cure the scars.
When he forgets he sometimes cries.
He knows the use of ashes.
He worships god with ashes.
He knows, He knows
He worships God with ashes
In the night, in small spectacles he polishes old coins.
He uses spit and cloths and ashes.
He makes them shine with ashes.
He knows the use of ashes.
He worships God with ashes.
The coins are often very old by the time they reach the jeweller.
With his hand and ashes he will try the best he can.
He knows that he can only shine them, cannot repair the scratches.
He knows that even new coins have scars so he just smiles.
He knows the use of ashes.
He worships god with ashes.
In the darkest of the night.
Both his hands will blister badly.
They will often open painfully and the blood flows from his hands.
He works to take from black coin faces, the thumb prints from so many ages.
He wishes he could cure the scars.
When he forgets he sometimes cries.
He knows the use of ashes.
He worships god with ashes.
He knows, He knows
He worships God with ashes
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this song is beautiful with dark piano and cello but the true brilliance is in the lyrics his job(the jewller) is the perfect metaphor for redemption. the spit(like being spit upon) the cloth(to wipe away the spit) and the ashes (which in biblical refrence is the purifier)are the three steps of redemption there are other great metaphors but i cant describe all of them in a short review =) the philosopher
My dad always thought the song was about a Holocaust survivor. A Jewish jeweller who lost his loved ones hence the use of ashes and blood as metaphors.
Cleaning the coins; there is a popular misconception that Jews place coins on the eyes of their deceased, so perhaps the songwriter incorporated this into the lyrics. The jeweller sits alone in the dark and tries to restore the coins to their mint condition. He works until there is blood on his hands, on the ashes, on the coins, all the while knowing he can never retrieve the past. It is ashes... his loved ones are ashes. Ashes do indeed signify redemption, but they may also have a darker meaning here.
He is trying really hard to maintain his faith in God in-spite of his anguish, (a very Jewish trait) using the coins as substitutes and trying to erase the scars. Sometimes his grief overwhelms him and he cries...