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.
You know my friend
I’ve been walking on a really strange path lately
I’m so glad you were not there
To see my fall, to see me passing on
My wound so deep
My veins opened wide
Letting flow my distress
Letting flow my requests
Listen my friend
As so one wanted to hear I’m telling you now
So weak was my hope
So cold the world around
So strong the calls
My pain invited echoes to my pain
Anguish Coiled in the gut like a starving worm
Fallen, between . . .
I slide down the hole at the center of my soul
I’ve given up, I’ve given up, larvae rots
For I let the angel rise
For I let the angel rise
I’ve been walking on a really strange path lately
I’m so glad you were not there
To see my fall, to see me passing on
My wound so deep
My veins opened wide
Letting flow my distress
Letting flow my requests
Listen my friend
As so one wanted to hear I’m telling you now
So weak was my hope
So cold the world around
So strong the calls
My pain invited echoes to my pain
Anguish Coiled in the gut like a starving worm
Fallen, between . . .
I slide down the hole at the center of my soul
I’ve given up, I’ve given up, larvae rots
For I let the angel rise
For I let the angel rise
Lyrics submitted by sean
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Let the record show I"m the first one to say anything about samael. This is the first post for them ever. Yay for me and stuff cause samael kicks a lot of ass and stuff. well anyway, this song seems to be about one who's embarassed about a time when he was down and is thankful that no one whitnessed him in his time of faithless despair. Beginning to lose faith he lets himself go I guess. not too sure though, good song, course all samael songs are cool.
yay... second post for samael.. awesome band really simplistic but always amazing.. great utilization of many instruments.. this song in particular made me sit up and notice these guys.
4th post ya
kickass song
Minor error in the lyrics I believe. "As so one wanted to hear.." should be "As no one.."
I'd say it's basically a short tale of depression/suicide.
The strange path he has been walking on is depression but he's shamefull of not being able to cope with life.
"My wound so deep My veins opened wide Letting flow my distress Letting flow my requests"
The deep wound is mentally. He slits his wrists and the flowing blood provides relief from that.
"Listen my friend As so one wanted to hear I’m telling you now "
No one would hear his pleas for help (or at least it seemed that way because of the depression), suicide is the only way he can express how he feels.
Third verse details the depression. Eg. "I slide down the hole at the center of my soul ": The self-destructive introversion depression can lead to.
"For I let the angel rise" The soul, or the "good and pure" part of him, is freed from the confinement of his body when he dies.
GriZzmo:
Great analysis! My precise interpretation of the song. What puzzles me is the song title. Why "Angel's Decay" and not "Angel's Rise" or something like that. After all, it's the body that decays and not "The Spirit". Any thoughts on that?
GriZzmo:
Great analysis! My precise interpretation of the song. What puzzles me is the song title. Why "Angel's Decay" and not "Angel's Rise" or something like that. After all, it's the body that decays and not "The Spirit". Any thoughts on that?
it might be that HE was the fallen angel. May I mention just as I did in my other post on The Cross, Samael is the name of a fallen angel. A certain fallen angel, whose name changed after he broke off. Satan himself, actually.
maybe since Samael is so centered on Satan, as their name indicates, this song is their interpretaion of what it was like for Satan to become a being of darkness and hate, from what he was: a being of light and goodwill.
"I let the angel rise" maybe he's not saying that the good of him is freed, but that the good in him is DRIVEN OUT. To make way for his REAL nature.
I think this song is about the initial weakness that Satan must have felt before establishing himself as the Devil. Now that he is so high and mighty, he is ashamed he was ever like that.
It could very well be about depression, but considering the band's background, it looks like what it's name suggests : "Angel's Decay", how an angel decayed into a being of evil, and instead of seeking the light, he sought out the dark instead.
This song is about a person struggling with thier sexual orientation, it is about a person talking to a friend and sharing that he will not pursue this lifestyle but follow gods ways:
You know my friend I�ve been walking on a really strange path lately I�m so glad you were not there To see my fall, to see me passing on
"this part represents a person exploring the other side of sexuality..one that is filled with sin, He feels guilty and is glad his friend was not there to see him engage in his weakness"
My wound so deep "gay is something that cannot be healed and is a part of the person"
My veins opened wide
Letting flow my distress "the more honest he is with himself the more he hates himself" Letting flow my requests "wanting not to be gay anymore"
Listen my friend As so one wanted to hear I�m telling you now "He is telling his friend that he is gay"
So weak was my hope So cold the world around So strong the calls My pain invited echoes to my pain "The guy is feeling hopeless for the future and is feeling tempted to live the christian lifestyle, he is doubting himself more and more"
Anguish Coiled in the gut like a starving worm Fallen, between "refering to abstinance-starving worm. The peguy has 'fallen between' the normal society
I slide down the hole at the center of my soul "the gayness is such a part of him that it creates a denial of basic self" I�ve given up, I�ve given up, larvae rots "The guy supresses his sexuality and gives up all hope at life"
For I let the angel rise For I let the angel rise "the man grasp onto the holy lifestyle, it is pure...the angel is totally a dying being decaying in its self for its self denial..hence the name of the song"