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.
Part of me won't go away
Every day, reminded how much I hate it
Weighted against the consequences
Can't live without it, so it's senseless
Wanna cut it out of my soul
And just live with a gaping hole
Take control of my life
And wash out all the burnt taste
I made the problems in the first place
Hang my head low 'cause it's part of me
You hardly see right next to the heart of me
Hurting me, the wounds soon scar
New cuts cover where the old ones are
And now I'm sick of this
I can't stand the sandpaper thoughts
That grate on my sanity
I'd rather not even be
Than the man that's staring in the mirror through me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
I feel it every day
I feel I'm in my way
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
Freedom can be frightening if you've never felt it
Once it's been dealt with you feel like
You've been touched by something angelic
And then melted down into a pool of peace
Cease to be the animal you used to be
Remove the broken parts you know were wrong
And feel the calm when the problem's all gone
And then you start to see
Another piece of yourself that you can't let be
Memories of the last fight to free yourself
Taken to the depths of the bottom of the well
And now you know that you can choose to lose
The part in your heart where your insides bruised
You can live if you're willing to
Put a stop to just what's killing you
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
I feel it every day
I feel I'm in my way
I feel the swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
Alive in me, inside of me
A part of me screams as I wait silently
Alive in me, inside of me
A part of me screams as I wait silently
This part of me won't go away (alive in me, inside of me)
(A part of me screams as I wait silently)
Part of me won't go away (alive in me, inside of me)
(A part of me screams as I wait silently)
Mmm, mmm, yeah
Everywhere I look around
I see how everything ought to be
Every time I see myself
There's always something wrong with me
Everywhere I look around
I see how everything ought to be
Every time I see myself
There's always something wrong with me
I feel it every day
I feel I made my way
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
I feel it every day
I feel I'm in my way
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
Every day, reminded how much I hate it
Weighted against the consequences
Can't live without it, so it's senseless
Wanna cut it out of my soul
And just live with a gaping hole
Take control of my life
And wash out all the burnt taste
I made the problems in the first place
Hang my head low 'cause it's part of me
You hardly see right next to the heart of me
Hurting me, the wounds soon scar
New cuts cover where the old ones are
And now I'm sick of this
I can't stand the sandpaper thoughts
That grate on my sanity
I'd rather not even be
Than the man that's staring in the mirror through me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
I feel it every day
I feel I'm in my way
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
Freedom can be frightening if you've never felt it
Once it's been dealt with you feel like
You've been touched by something angelic
And then melted down into a pool of peace
Cease to be the animal you used to be
Remove the broken parts you know were wrong
And feel the calm when the problem's all gone
And then you start to see
Another piece of yourself that you can't let be
Memories of the last fight to free yourself
Taken to the depths of the bottom of the well
And now you know that you can choose to lose
The part in your heart where your insides bruised
You can live if you're willing to
Put a stop to just what's killing you
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
Cut myself free willingly
Stop just what's killing me
I feel it every day
I feel I'm in my way
I feel the swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
Alive in me, inside of me
A part of me screams as I wait silently
Alive in me, inside of me
A part of me screams as I wait silently
This part of me won't go away (alive in me, inside of me)
(A part of me screams as I wait silently)
Part of me won't go away (alive in me, inside of me)
(A part of me screams as I wait silently)
Mmm, mmm, yeah
Everywhere I look around
I see how everything ought to be
Every time I see myself
There's always something wrong with me
Everywhere I look around
I see how everything ought to be
Every time I see myself
There's always something wrong with me
I feel it every day
I feel I made my way
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
I feel it every day
I feel I'm in my way
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
I feel it swell up inside, swell up inside
Swallowing me
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.”
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Great version of a great song,
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