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.
You weightless astronaut
You sunset diving bird
You cool wind set upon the branches of a tree
You holding my attention
You are my first impression
And I can recognize the life that I've been given
One day they will discover you
Low cloud moving cross the sky
One day they will uncover you
Young girl wash the sleep out of your eyes
Dust on my piano
Wool rest never sleeping
All your best one-liners borrowed from a film
The thing that gets to me
Is how you're never free
And how the spirit yearns
Your body is a prison
One day they will discover you
Low cloud moving cross the sky
One day they will uncover you...
The thing that gets to me
Is how you're never free
And how the spirit yearns
Your body is a prison
Bright as her eyes wide in the night
Why can't you see me?
Come with the wind, time to begin
There'll be no compromise
When all you want is wrapped around you
As those saints preserve us when we're dying
To pick us up from where we're lying
One day they will discover you
One day they will uncover you
Bright as her eyes wide in the night
They will discover you
They will discover you...
You sunset diving bird
You cool wind set upon the branches of a tree
You holding my attention
You are my first impression
And I can recognize the life that I've been given
One day they will discover you
Low cloud moving cross the sky
One day they will uncover you
Young girl wash the sleep out of your eyes
Dust on my piano
Wool rest never sleeping
All your best one-liners borrowed from a film
The thing that gets to me
Is how you're never free
And how the spirit yearns
Your body is a prison
One day they will discover you
Low cloud moving cross the sky
One day they will uncover you...
The thing that gets to me
Is how you're never free
And how the spirit yearns
Your body is a prison
Bright as her eyes wide in the night
Why can't you see me?
Come with the wind, time to begin
There'll be no compromise
When all you want is wrapped around you
As those saints preserve us when we're dying
To pick us up from where we're lying
One day they will discover you
One day they will uncover you
Bright as her eyes wide in the night
They will discover you
They will discover you...
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
Astro Lyrics as written by Neil Mullane Finn
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I read somewhere that Neil Finn described this song as being about watching your own funeral. I guess that would kind of explain, "As those saints preserve us when we're dying, To pick us up from where we're lying."