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 envy your demise
I hope it's all you dreamed it would be
One bullet in this gun
Not sure if it's for you or me
I envy your demise
With all the guilt you hid away
All the lies that I had spun
And all the times I wished you'd stay
Now, all that I'll ever suffer
All that I'll ever be
All that I'll ever ruin
You can always cover me with makeup
I envy your demise
Seven hundred and fifty degrees
When it burned it smelled like you
But it scorched and looked a lot like me
I envy your demise
You never said that you'd try
When I had to lose control
Lose control to really cry
Now, all that I'll ever abuse
All that I'll ever see
All that I'll ever ruin
You can always cover it with makeup
All that I'll ever limit
All that I'll ever try
All that I'll ever trust
You can always cover it with
All that I'll ever abuse
All that I'll ever see
All that I'll ever ruin
You can always cover it with makeup
I hope it's all you dreamed it would be
One bullet in this gun
Not sure if it's for you or me
I envy your demise
With all the guilt you hid away
All the lies that I had spun
And all the times I wished you'd stay
Now, all that I'll ever suffer
All that I'll ever be
All that I'll ever ruin
You can always cover me with makeup
I envy your demise
Seven hundred and fifty degrees
When it burned it smelled like you
But it scorched and looked a lot like me
I envy your demise
You never said that you'd try
When I had to lose control
Lose control to really cry
Now, all that I'll ever abuse
All that I'll ever see
All that I'll ever ruin
You can always cover it with makeup
All that I'll ever limit
All that I'll ever try
All that I'll ever trust
You can always cover it with
All that I'll ever abuse
All that I'll ever see
All that I'll ever ruin
You can always cover it with makeup
Lyrics submitted by Catatonik
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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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“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.
This song to me is about suicide and I can relate. Last week my close friend shot himself. This song explains perfectly how I feel.
from what ive gotten: this song is about 2 addicts (probably substance abusers), both of them suicidal, as addicts are, but only one of them commited suicide, and the other one is left alone.
now the person thats still alive can do as much destruction as they please (for example: ruin their relationships, overdose on drugs, take out their anger on other people, etc) and it wont be seen as a bad thing because other people will think theyre grieving and hurting and their behaviours are acceptable and make sense because of that, as told in the line "now, all that ill ever abuse, ruin, you can always cover with makeup".
beautiful song.
reminds me of so many things...the inability to resist cutting, hating urself and sum1 else so much u don't know who's gonna get killed first. and also that however much pain u feel, u can always hide it away.
i think this is my favourite jack off jill <3 er..one of them, since i adore every song they've put out. but i never get sick of this song. i think it's about hating someone, but you hate yourself for hating them as well. shrug i think it's also about wanting to hide who you are to stop the pain[you can always cover me with makeup] it's about a lot of things really.. hurting yourself, self image, wanting revenge, etc etc..i think. although one can never be sure. xo.
this song is something i defintely can relate to. thank god for jack off jill and their empowering lyrics...mmm...
i think the line '1 bullet in this gun, not sure if it's for u or me' is my favourite line in this song. i also think 'u can always cover it with makeup' has two meanings- that you can always cover your scars with make-up, and that you can always hide away your pain.
I agree, lady... the 1 bullet in the gun is the part that I always relate to. Okay, so the whole song kicks ass...
Yep this is definantly one of my best joj songs too, i heart this song. I just love the way Jessicka sings with such feeling and passion. And ladyboygrrl - I agree with you totally, your spot on ;)
i think its about a girl thinking that shes not good for n e thing and she feels like all that she'll ever do is mess up something.but theres always a way to fix it.
i think its sorta like reaching a point in a relationship where you cant take any more and you know one of u is gonna be destroyed, but you dont know who.i love the first line. i agree with the things about make up too, that line is sort of my... i dunno, motto i guess. i live by that line.