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.
Shed some skin for the fear within
Is starting to hurt me with everything
Freed from the memory
Escape from our history, history
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go
I look to the future it makes me cry
But it seems too real to tell you why
Freed from the century
With nothing but memory, memory
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go
Freed us eventually just need to be happy, happy
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation, nation
Then everything must go
Is starting to hurt me with everything
Freed from the memory
Escape from our history, history
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go
I look to the future it makes me cry
But it seems too real to tell you why
Freed from the century
With nothing but memory, memory
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go
Freed us eventually just need to be happy, happy
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go
And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation, nation
Then everything must go
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Each of us is what he/she is (at least) partly because of recent history. What would each individual be if he/she could be FREED FROM THE MEMORY/CENTURY/HISTORY? we'll never know, but the impression is that history heavily weighs upon everybody's conscience and HURTS from whatever point of view you come to look at it (I'm just thinking of the Nazis, Stalin, the Holocaust, Cambodjan Red Khmers, Vietnam war, Hiroshima. pollution, starving children and fat western ladies...) The future is just an anticipation of what history has been, so why should we trust in the future? should we somehow get rid of the past, we would inevitably fall down again into the memory as soon as we look for any EXPLANATION about anything. Sooner or later you'll need an explanation about anything, but explanations need history, so once again, like in a nightmare, we are calling back history. Everything must go, you can't help it. We have been made of history, but history is mostly horrible and noone can escape that. A very realistic and pessimistic lyric with a theme not for everybody to understand or appreciate.