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.
My compassion is broken now
My will is eroded now
And my desire is broken now
And it makes me feel ugly
I'm on my knees and burning
My piss and moans are the fuel that set my head on fire
So smell my soul burning
I'm broken, looking up to see the enemy
And I have swallowed the poison you feed me
But I survive on the poisons you feed me
And leavin' guilt fed, hatred fed, weakness fed
And it makes me feel ugly
I'm on my knees and burning
My piss and moans are the fuel that set my head on fire
I'm dead
Inside
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up at the bottom
(If I let you, you would make me destroy myself)
(In order to survive you, I must first survive myself)
(I can sink no further, and I cannot forgive you)
(There's no choice but to confront you, to engage you, to erase you)
(I've gone to great length to expand my threshold of pain)
(I will use my mistakes against you, there's no other choice)
(I'm shameless now, I'm nameless now, I'm nothing now, I'm no one now)
(But my soul must be iron 'cause my fear is naked)
(I'm naked and fearless and my fear is naked)
Dead inside, dead inside
Dead inside, dead inside
Nameless now, shameless now
Nothing now, no one now
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
And you see me naked now
Fearless now, naked now
Fearless now
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
It leaves me dead inside
Dead inside, dead inside, dead inside
Hatred keeps me alive
Lowliness keeps me alive
Weakness keeps me alive
Guilt keeps me alive at the bottom
My will is eroded now
And my desire is broken now
And it makes me feel ugly
I'm on my knees and burning
My piss and moans are the fuel that set my head on fire
So smell my soul burning
I'm broken, looking up to see the enemy
And I have swallowed the poison you feed me
But I survive on the poisons you feed me
And leavin' guilt fed, hatred fed, weakness fed
And it makes me feel ugly
I'm on my knees and burning
My piss and moans are the fuel that set my head on fire
I'm dead
Inside
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up at the bottom
(If I let you, you would make me destroy myself)
(In order to survive you, I must first survive myself)
(I can sink no further, and I cannot forgive you)
(There's no choice but to confront you, to engage you, to erase you)
(I've gone to great length to expand my threshold of pain)
(I will use my mistakes against you, there's no other choice)
(I'm shameless now, I'm nameless now, I'm nothing now, I'm no one now)
(But my soul must be iron 'cause my fear is naked)
(I'm naked and fearless and my fear is naked)
Dead inside, dead inside
Dead inside, dead inside
Nameless now, shameless now
Nothing now, no one now
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
And you see me naked now
Fearless now, naked now
Fearless now
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
Shit adds up
It leaves me dead inside
Dead inside, dead inside, dead inside
Hatred keeps me alive
Lowliness keeps me alive
Weakness keeps me alive
Guilt keeps me alive at the bottom
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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”
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Henry Rollins should never ever be allowe anywhere near Tool again. He is to music what fleas are to a dog. Just my feelings
I believe this song speaks for itself...
Ok guys / girls......this is 2 weird.....im currently listening to this song...and these lyrics are somewhat different from what i can hear.....jeez its too weird..the poster of these lyrics must have got them from T.D.N...(toolshed.down.net), but i can tell u....nowhere in this song does it say "by making weapons out of my imperfections"....hmmm, maybe its a different version of Undertow??
Just a little point on the spoken word part. The actual words on the album are different cause Henry Rollins wrote them. The lyrics listed here are what Maynard says in concert.
I love this song. It puts me in my place, at the bottom.
and what a true statement.....shit adds up at the bottom. What happens when u don't clean ur pool? SHIT ADDS UP AT THE BOTTOM!!!! What happens when u never flush ur toilet for months? SHIT ADDS UP AT THE BOTTOM!!! What happens when ppl go on roller coaster rides with a lot of loops in them? SHIT ADDS UP AT THE BOTTOM!!! Seems like this song can be used in many different situations.
riot4life you are hilarious!!
I just read in the recent issue of Guitar World (might have been a diff. magazine I cant remember) that Maynard wrote this about his experiences at Military school when he was younger.
no he wrote Intolerance about his militarty school experience
This song is simple. It's about hitting rock bottom. Can't sink any lower. Things can't get any worse.