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.
(Gripping the wheel his knuckles went white with desire
The wheels of his Mustang exploding on the highway like a slug from a .45
True Death: 400 Horsepower of maximum performance piercing the night
This is Black Sunshine.)
Yeah! Move me in the silence Baltic motorway
Hang me on the edge before I fall away
Apocalypse is dawnin' action on the mile
A 'can-do' revolution, earth to the river [nile]
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Cry a river 'cosmic', moon in Scorpio
Feel her body 'breathe', acid radio
Tell me that you like it, when I'm going down!
Tell me that you like it, move to the speed of [sound]
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Go! Slide into, I said '44' cool heart can
A hypnotize dream into infinity, I turned the love to lies
Crawl across the water, wave and sink into the sea
Reflect'n onto everything, that you can never be
'Check-out!', yeah!
To the devil a daughter comes 200 worlds away, yeah
Born to lose the love you choose, destroy another day
Check out!!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride
Stare into the T.V. kiss off the pain
Wonderland is falling, no sing, no rain momentary
Damage into the high drift me to the circuit sky
(Finally nothing moves. High noon.
Black top rolling below the asphalt drive
A concrete fascination scraping the edge of nothing
This is Black Sunshine.)
The wheels of his Mustang exploding on the highway like a slug from a .45
True Death: 400 Horsepower of maximum performance piercing the night
This is Black Sunshine.)
Yeah! Move me in the silence Baltic motorway
Hang me on the edge before I fall away
Apocalypse is dawnin' action on the mile
A 'can-do' revolution, earth to the river [nile]
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Cry a river 'cosmic', moon in Scorpio
Feel her body 'breathe', acid radio
Tell me that you like it, when I'm going down!
Tell me that you like it, move to the speed of [sound]
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Go! Slide into, I said '44' cool heart can
A hypnotize dream into infinity, I turned the love to lies
Crawl across the water, wave and sink into the sea
Reflect'n onto everything, that you can never be
'Check-out!', yeah!
To the devil a daughter comes 200 worlds away, yeah
Born to lose the love you choose, destroy another day
Check out!!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride, yeah!
Sweet'n the ride Black Sunshine
Sweet'n the ride
Stare into the T.V. kiss off the pain
Wonderland is falling, no sing, no rain momentary
Damage into the high drift me to the circuit sky
(Finally nothing moves. High noon.
Black top rolling below the asphalt drive
A concrete fascination scraping the edge of nothing
This is Black Sunshine.)
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
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.
And let's forget sex. It's equating driving a ass-kicking muscle car with having on wild night of sex.
killer bassline
Pretty straightforward: It's about a ride in a 400 horsepower Mustang and the feeling of power and speed that goes with it.
Plus, Iggy Pop. Maybe it's about sex with Iggy Pop while he's high, and how it feels like you've been HIT by a 400 horsepower Mustang afterward, 'cuz all his crazy drug sperm is up in you. No? Fine.
My fave w.z. song damn awesum!!!
minister wighty, its obiosly about the hosile takover of tibet by china, how can you miss the references, like the 400 horse mustang and the devil doughter 2000 worlds away.
Yep, kicking ass in a ground-pounding machine, songs makes my hair stand up.
Heard this in Guitar Hero 3 and it kicks ass!
Think it might be about the race car 'Black Sunshine' or driving a fast ass car shrug
lol insane metal fan, i think you're only getting those references because you're high.
Kick ass song, THIS IS BLACK FUCKING SUNSHINE!
I personally think this song is about suicide, after a hostile relationship ends. Someone is taking (or thinking about taking) a last ride in a mustand driving it off a cliff into the water below. Anyway, that's just what I get out of the lyrics and the mood of the music itself. I'd love to know what the real meaning was to be according to the writer of the lyrics and music, if any meaning was intended.