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 have come curiously close to the end, though
Beneath my self-indulgent pitiful hole
Defeated, I concede and move closer
I may find comfort here
I may find peace within the emptiness
How pitiful
It's calling me (calling me)
It's calling me (calling me)
It's calling me (calling me)
It's calling me
And in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping
The moon tells me a secret, a confidant
As full and bright as I am
This light is not my own and
A million light reflections pass over me
The source is bright and endless
She resuscitates the hopeless
Without her, we are lifeless satellites drifting
And as I pull my head out, I am without one doubt
Don't want to be down here soothing my narcissism
I must crucify the ego before it's far too late
I pray the light lifts me out
Before I pine away (pine away)
Before I pine away (pine away)
Before I pine away (pine away)
Before I pine away
So crucify the ego, before it's far too late
And leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical
And you will come to find that we are all one mind
Capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable
So let the light touch you
So let the words spill through
And let them pass right through
Bringing out our hope and reason
Before we pine away (pine away)
Before we pine away (pine away)
Before we pine away (pine away)
Before we pine away
Beneath my self-indulgent pitiful hole
Defeated, I concede and move closer
I may find comfort here
I may find peace within the emptiness
How pitiful
It's calling me (calling me)
It's calling me (calling me)
It's calling me (calling me)
It's calling me
And in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping
The moon tells me a secret, a confidant
As full and bright as I am
This light is not my own and
A million light reflections pass over me
The source is bright and endless
She resuscitates the hopeless
Without her, we are lifeless satellites drifting
And as I pull my head out, I am without one doubt
Don't want to be down here soothing my narcissism
I must crucify the ego before it's far too late
I pray the light lifts me out
Before I pine away (pine away)
Before I pine away (pine away)
Before I pine away (pine away)
Before I pine away
So crucify the ego, before it's far too late
And leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical
And you will come to find that we are all one mind
Capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable
So let the light touch you
So let the words spill through
And let them pass right through
Bringing out our hope and reason
Before we pine away (pine away)
Before we pine away (pine away)
Before we pine away (pine away)
Before we pine away
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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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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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”
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
I believe this song is about understanding your own self worth and not considering yourself to be better than everyone else. It bears a strong resemblance to the myth of Narcissus (from which the psychological condition narcissism got it's name) Who was so beautiful that everyone who saw him instantly fell in love with him. He however did not like this, because he didn't think anyone were worthy of his love since nobody were as beautiful as him. For this the gods cursed him to fall in love with his own reflection in the water. He could never embrace his own reflection and it was always out of reach. He spent the rest of his days on the bank watching his reflection until he pined away into a flower.
I dunno, just seems logical when you look at the lyrics which speaks of a reflection, narcissism, crucifying the ego and pining away.