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.
I been alone
All the years
So many ways to count the tears
I never change
I never will
I'm so afraid the way I feel
Days when the rain and the sun are gone
Black as night
Agony's torn at my heart too long
So afraid
Slip and I fall and I die
I been alone
Always down
No one cared to stay around
I never change
I never will
I'm so afraid the way I feel
Days when the rain and the sun are gone
Black as night
Agony's torn at my heart too long
So afraid
Slip and I fall and I die
How I feel
Days when the rain and the sun are gone
Black as night
Agony's torn at my heart too long
So afraid
Slip and I fall and I die
All the years
So many ways to count the tears
I never change
I never will
I'm so afraid the way I feel
Days when the rain and the sun are gone
Black as night
Agony's torn at my heart too long
So afraid
Slip and I fall and I die
I been alone
Always down
No one cared to stay around
I never change
I never will
I'm so afraid the way I feel
Days when the rain and the sun are gone
Black as night
Agony's torn at my heart too long
So afraid
Slip and I fall and I die
How I feel
Days when the rain and the sun are gone
Black as night
Agony's torn at my heart too long
So afraid
Slip and I fall and I die
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
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.
The Night We Met
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Dreamwalker
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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.
Amazing
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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.
the only version of this song i've ever heard is off the live Rumours album, it has one of the best guitar solos i have ever heard...Lindsey Buckingham is an outstanding guitar player, possibly the most underrated guitarist in music
Pretty obvious that this song is about being alone and depressed because of it. The way Lindsey delivers it is incredibly emotional and genuine, and he sings it with such an overpowering sense of agony in his voice. The solo is one of the most amazing I've ever heard. Underrated and a mad genius with his guitar. The best version of this song is definitely off of the 1980 "Live" album. It's a staggeringly impressive performance with more emotion than usual and a much more intense solo.
A heart-aching song about being lonely.
absolutely one of the greatest guitar solos i've heard
The only version I have heard is the live version that originally appeared on the album, The Dance. In that version, some band member (presumably Lindsey Buckingham) blurts out some gibberish right when the crowd starts applauding when the song is over. It sounds like it's in a foreign, European language. What does he say?
I have the studio version off of fleetwood mac album. I love this song. Its so haunting and beautiful.
Personally, like said before, its about being alone, not sure if it refers to family, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, or whoever else. But it just seems like this person is alone, no one to turn to or talk to. Just an awesome song.
This song is Spectacular, the guitar in this is fantastic, one of my fauverite songs ever and arguably the best fleetwood mac song ever.
Lovely song, guitar makes me wish I could play. As to the gibberish, $band_member says, "Lindsay Buckingham", in a very British accent. HTH, stoolhardy.
I think it's about someone who's afraid because they're lonely and like the idea of being with someone but also know they won't change their character in order to do it. They'd rather be lonely than have to change but they hate being lonely still.