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.
If I had forever
I would live this silence
I would feed this disease
Of which you are the cause
You are the cure
So hated and yet so sought
Penetrating my everything
I thought I did
I thought I would
Be able to put this off forever
But now as my time fades away
It seems a new reality hits
And the insured tomorrow is not a constant for me
With this impending death
I admit to myself
With me shall die my petty dreams
The blood washes off and yet the shame prevails
Tearing from the eyesockets the tellers of this tale
To die with nothing
Is a choice I've made
To derpive myself
Not telling you
Just how I live through this
Never will you hear my confessions
Like the obsession that was born of crayons and toys
And shall die with me today
The blood washes off and yet the shame prevails
Tearing from the eyesockets the tellers of this tale
It's untold
And now this loathesome beast
This would've-could've-should've spectre
Will crawl into my deathbed
And I shall smell it's foul breath
My death will pain me tenfold
Because no one will know
To hell with the spent years
and fuck the shed tears
I'll burn the books and sketches
But my guilt will keep knocking
Knocking
Knocking on my bedroom door
I would live this silence
I would feed this disease
Of which you are the cause
You are the cure
So hated and yet so sought
Penetrating my everything
I thought I did
I thought I would
Be able to put this off forever
But now as my time fades away
It seems a new reality hits
And the insured tomorrow is not a constant for me
With this impending death
I admit to myself
With me shall die my petty dreams
The blood washes off and yet the shame prevails
Tearing from the eyesockets the tellers of this tale
To die with nothing
Is a choice I've made
To derpive myself
Not telling you
Just how I live through this
Never will you hear my confessions
Like the obsession that was born of crayons and toys
And shall die with me today
The blood washes off and yet the shame prevails
Tearing from the eyesockets the tellers of this tale
It's untold
And now this loathesome beast
This would've-could've-should've spectre
Will crawl into my deathbed
And I shall smell it's foul breath
My death will pain me tenfold
Because no one will know
To hell with the spent years
and fuck the shed tears
I'll burn the books and sketches
But my guilt will keep knocking
Knocking
Knocking on my bedroom door
Lyrics submitted by Afina
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
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
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.