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.
In the last rays
Of the setting sun
And the past days (yeah)
That's where our memories run
And all of those times
Still race through my mind
I'm shattered inside to find
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
There's nowhere to go
Call me and I'll wait 'til the summer
You never understood
Then I will wait forever
For a love that's only good
As the light starts to dim
The fear closes in
And the nightmares begin
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
And there's no place to go
Oh, no, you won't be there tomorrow
Oh, no, say it isn't true
I can't take this pain and sorrow
Oh, can't you see my heart is broken in two
I'm shattered inside to find
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
And there's no place to go
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
And there's no place to go
Of the setting sun
And the past days (yeah)
That's where our memories run
And all of those times
Still race through my mind
I'm shattered inside to find
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
There's nowhere to go
Call me and I'll wait 'til the summer
You never understood
Then I will wait forever
For a love that's only good
As the light starts to dim
The fear closes in
And the nightmares begin
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
And there's no place to go
Oh, no, you won't be there tomorrow
Oh, no, say it isn't true
I can't take this pain and sorrow
Oh, can't you see my heart is broken in two
I'm shattered inside to find
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
And there's no place to go
When the night comes down
And I'm here all alone
When the night comes down
And there's no place to go
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“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.
Beautiful song. My 2nd fave off Defenders Of The Faith next to The Sentinel.
I like the distant scream behind the chorus - it's subtle but quite effective.
This song is a great example of priest's ability to create wonderfully emotional soundscapes. This song draws me in every time. This song is one of the gems that only real priest fans know about, and where thier respect for priest comes from. Most people don't know anything besides "You've got another thing comin'" and don't look any deeper into priest's music before calling them a crappy band. I think the comercially successful preist tracks are probally the weakest in thier catalogue. Songs like this are what has kept me faithful to the band for 20 years.
Can't believe I'm the first to comment about this song on this site in a decade! Anyway, have always loved this song, very emotional. Don't really have an "inside interpretation" of what it's about other than there does seem to be a general feeling of deep loneliness and despair about it both in the lyrics, singing and in the music itself. Oh, about the line written, "Oh, say I'm trying inside to fight" after the guitar solo: I think that is incorrect, unless of course it's coming from the album lyric sleeve. I believe he's repeating the same line at the end of the first verse only with the slight change of putting an "Ooh" on it so it's "Ohhhh, shattered inside, to find." That just makes a WHOLE lot more sense to me than the other line IMO. I think the lyrics may have been transcribed by ear and that was just a simple mistake - again, just my opinion, not trying to start an argument here. Anyway, I really think the boys were at the top of their game here and did a brilliant job of making an emotional statement through this song.