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 lied
Right to your face
And I'll burn
Eternally in flames
In flames
Instinct
Has failed me now
Enslaved
By my deceit
Lies sink in like gasoline
Saturates my body
One last spark of dishonesty
And that will be the death of me
Damned
In flames
Damned
In flames
Lies engulf me
Lies they burn me
Lies they purge me
Lies they free me
Lies sink in like gasoline
Saturates my body
One last spark of dishonesty
And that will be the death of me
Damned
In flames
Damned
In flames
Right to your face
And I'll burn
Eternally in flames
In flames
Instinct
Has failed me now
Enslaved
By my deceit
Lies sink in like gasoline
Saturates my body
One last spark of dishonesty
And that will be the death of me
Damned
In flames
Damned
In flames
Lies engulf me
Lies they burn me
Lies they purge me
Lies they free me
Lies sink in like gasoline
Saturates my body
One last spark of dishonesty
And that will be the death of me
Damned
In flames
Damned
In flames
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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.”
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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Great version of a great song,
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“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.
I read an interview and Burton said this is about a guy who's living nothing but lies and is going to lie one more time, just to scortch his life.
This song to me, is about somebody who convulsivly tells lies, then tells more lies to cover up those lies, and it is as if he is covering himself with gasoline, and then once one of those lies is exposed it will cause all of his lies to be exposed, and his life will be over, representing a spark igniting the gasoline
Kick-ass song - i love the "gasoline" break...
And yes - lyrics it seems to be about a liar who is always afraid that someone will discover what he was doing...
Always took this to mean an intentional, self preservation, need to lie. Alot of sicko's in this world want your life, your money, to control you, to mold you into a zombie. So, it is more like an intentional sacrifice to keep these vampires away. To be ashes when they wanted your soul. A big fat 'FUCK YOU' to the assholes in this world who want to invade your privacy, your mind, in order to convert or change your thinking. well, I would rather go down in flames with lies than to be a part of those animals. Thats what this song means to me.