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.
Forfeit the game before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face you can’t run the race
The pace is too fast you just won't last
You love the way I look at you
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through
You take away if I give in
My life, my pride is broken
You like to think you’re never wrong
(You like to think you’re never wrong)
You want to act like you’re someone
(You want to act like you’re someone)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You want someone to hurt like you)
You want to share what you’ve been through
You live what you learn
You love the things I say I'll do
The way I’ll hurt myself again just to get back at you
You take away when I give in
My life, my pride is broken
You like to think you’re never wrong
(You like to think you’re never wrong)
You want to act like you’re someone
(You want to act like you’re someone)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You want someone to hurt like you)
You want to share what you’ve been through
(You live what you learn)
Forfeit the game before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face you can’t run the race
The pace is too fast you just can’t last
Forfeit the game before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face you can’t run the race
The pace is too fast you just can’t last
You like to think you’re never wrong
You want to act like you’re someone
You want someone to hurt like you
You want to share what you’ve been through
You like to think you’re never wrong
(You like to think you’re never wrong)
You want to act like you’re someone
(You want to act like you’re someone)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You want someone to hurt like you)
You want to share what you’ve been through
(You live what you learn)
Takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face you can’t run the race
The pace is too fast you just won't last
You love the way I look at you
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through
You take away if I give in
My life, my pride is broken
You like to think you’re never wrong
(You like to think you’re never wrong)
You want to act like you’re someone
(You want to act like you’re someone)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You want someone to hurt like you)
You want to share what you’ve been through
You live what you learn
You love the things I say I'll do
The way I’ll hurt myself again just to get back at you
You take away when I give in
My life, my pride is broken
You like to think you’re never wrong
(You like to think you’re never wrong)
You want to act like you’re someone
(You want to act like you’re someone)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You want someone to hurt like you)
You want to share what you’ve been through
(You live what you learn)
Forfeit the game before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face you can’t run the race
The pace is too fast you just can’t last
Forfeit the game before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame
Cover up your face you can’t run the race
The pace is too fast you just can’t last
You like to think you’re never wrong
You want to act like you’re someone
You want someone to hurt like you
You want to share what you’ve been through
You like to think you’re never wrong
(You like to think you’re never wrong)
You want to act like you’re someone
(You want to act like you’re someone)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You want someone to hurt like you)
You want to share what you’ve been through
(You live what you learn)
Lyrics submitted by ShyBoy1337
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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 is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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 like this remix WAY better than the original song actually. Linkin Park is not my favorite band but I think Reanimation is gonna kick arse. The video for this song is incredible! You can check it out at launch.com.