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.
Slowly the pen touches paper
In the guidance of the words that you write
Memories roll in of the things you once did
And who you had shared them with
Somebody thinking of you
Did I bother telling you this
With the words that cross teeth and jump lips
A poor choice of words
In wanting to tell you anything
But words don't come with ease
They're forever my hurt
Would it really matter
If you were to count the days left with your hands
Your focus secure and the loves you left well
Smiles staged in photographs here until...
You left the light on
There's a chance I might have tripped girl
You were there to hold on
Ignoring the words
Of your obnoxious little brother
Kill or be killed spilled
The words from your mother
I'll lay awake for a while
I'll leave the light on a while
You couldn't stand a lifetime
Caught between here and the days of it
Carving her name across your arm
With every wish it's hit or miss her
I told you so I measure distance in lines
Departing the rest of my life
But you you you
You had better things to do
But you you you
You had better things to do...
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Ignoring the words
Of your obnoxious little brother
Kill or be killed
Spilled the words from your mother
I'll lay awake for a while
I'll leave the light on a while
But you couldn't last a lifetime
Caught between here and the days of it
Carving her name across your arm
With every wish it's hit or miss her
I told you so I measure distance in lines
Departing the rest of my life
If you'd get put to sleep
Like an old dog you're better off
Should you get put to sleep
I've been cautious with the words I extend
Allow this year before the world starts to end
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
And I woke to the sounds of her crying
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
And I woke to the sounds of her crying
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
And I woke to the sounds of her crying
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
Pray for us all
Pray for us all
Pray for us all
Pray for us all...
My dearest Apollo, I'll be burning star four
In the guidance of the words that you write
Memories roll in of the things you once did
And who you had shared them with
Somebody thinking of you
Did I bother telling you this
With the words that cross teeth and jump lips
A poor choice of words
In wanting to tell you anything
But words don't come with ease
They're forever my hurt
Would it really matter
If you were to count the days left with your hands
Your focus secure and the loves you left well
Smiles staged in photographs here until...
You left the light on
There's a chance I might have tripped girl
You were there to hold on
Ignoring the words
Of your obnoxious little brother
Kill or be killed spilled
The words from your mother
I'll lay awake for a while
I'll leave the light on a while
You couldn't stand a lifetime
Caught between here and the days of it
Carving her name across your arm
With every wish it's hit or miss her
I told you so I measure distance in lines
Departing the rest of my life
But you you you
You had better things to do
But you you you
You had better things to do...
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Liar liar liar liar
Ignoring the words
Of your obnoxious little brother
Kill or be killed
Spilled the words from your mother
I'll lay awake for a while
I'll leave the light on a while
But you couldn't last a lifetime
Caught between here and the days of it
Carving her name across your arm
With every wish it's hit or miss her
I told you so I measure distance in lines
Departing the rest of my life
If you'd get put to sleep
Like an old dog you're better off
Should you get put to sleep
I've been cautious with the words I extend
Allow this year before the world starts to end
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
And I woke to the sounds of her crying
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
And I woke to the sounds of her crying
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
And I woke to the sounds of her crying
Your father's dead
He passed in his sleep
Pray for us all
Pray for us all
Pray for us all
Pray for us all...
My dearest Apollo, I'll be burning star four
Lyrics submitted by fallacies, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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The whole storyline seems to have deep, deep roots in Greek mythology, and I'd wager that it's also based on Roman/Greek epics. Hell, there are even the fates watching over everything, but here they're called the "prise." To me, this song feels like the end of an act in a play, a reprise. All the characters come on stage and summarize what just happened. With just one voice, it's difficult to pick out voices (even though we KNOW there are multiple voices: Coheed, Claudio, Al the Killer, Sinistar perhaps, and so on and so forth), so having a reprise can be pretty tricky.
I take it as this: Claudio is pissed, confronts Al and Newo, hears Ambellina, has the Sinistar awaken (if anyone can confirm or deny this aspect, I'd really appreciate it. The Sinistar is something I really don't understand) and they're all having monologues at the same time.
Claudio (as Sinistar) "I've been cautious with the words I extend / allow this year before the world starts to end." Ambellina "Your father's dead, he passed in his sleep" Al the Killer ". . . and I woke to the sounds of her crying."
They all come to the conclusion that there is a lot going on and major changes are about to occur, so they plead the audience (in Greek/Roman theater fashion) to "Pray for us all."
Bah. There is far too much to think about here. We'll find out what's going on when the comic catches up to this point, seven years from now. :P
that explanation works too
I'll just copy pasta what I told someone a bit ago. ^.^<br /> "The Sinistar virus was a lie. There is no such thing. Deftinwolf made it up to make C&C kill their children. You might be confused with the fact that Josephine was the antidote to the Monstar virus that C&C were built with. But Claudio, Maria, and Matthew have/had no virus in them. The only thing that's special about Claudio (and I dont mean for that to sound so demeaning since it's such a BIG thing about him and the plot) is that he's the Crowing.<br /> <br /> This song is Claudio talking to Newwo's dog, Apollo. He's kind of venting to him in 'IKSSE:3'. At this point he knows all about his parents and his family being dead (keep in mind that this is supposed to be 10 years after) and everything is just now starting to get to him. "
Hey Angie, I said the same thing. It feels as though the entire album is a collection of memories that Claudio is telling Apollo, Newo's dog. The Album starts with who I believe is Claudio Kilgannon greeting Apollo "Hello Apollo. Where should I begin?" and ends with "Pray for us all... Good Apollo, I'll be burning Star IV." Although I never heard the last lyrics or Apollo mentioned in the song, the liner notes in the booklet end with this line before the credits. I do wonder about the chronology of a lot of the songs on all of the albums though.