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.
Seasons of madness fill my mind
A lunar poet trying to find
A conception of what life is all about
Seconds pass me by I greet the minutes
A the hours roll them over
And years will drown the days and months
We are one, we are strangers in the night
Searching for our way to the light
Like an echo of unseen fantasies
That you'll never be able to catch
A drop in the ocean we're sailing upon
The angels of heaven are singing this song
Just souls in the corner of our universe
It seems that it's all we are
A drop in the ocean
Planet caravans sail on and on
In cosmic harmony they go
Within embrace of universal womb
Is it cosmic madness, harmony?
I ask you in my agony
As time won't heal my wounds it makes me numb
We are one, we are strangers in the night
Searching for our way to the light
Like an echo of unseen fantasies
That you'll never be able to catch
A drop in the ocean we're sailing upon
The angels of heaven are singing this song
Just souls in the corner of our universe
It seems that it's all we are
A drop in the ocean we're sailing upon
The angels of heaven are singing this song
Just souls in the corner of our universe
It seems that it's all we are
A drop in the ocean
A lunar poet trying to find
A conception of what life is all about
Seconds pass me by I greet the minutes
A the hours roll them over
And years will drown the days and months
We are one, we are strangers in the night
Searching for our way to the light
Like an echo of unseen fantasies
That you'll never be able to catch
A drop in the ocean we're sailing upon
The angels of heaven are singing this song
Just souls in the corner of our universe
It seems that it's all we are
A drop in the ocean
Planet caravans sail on and on
In cosmic harmony they go
Within embrace of universal womb
Is it cosmic madness, harmony?
I ask you in my agony
As time won't heal my wounds it makes me numb
We are one, we are strangers in the night
Searching for our way to the light
Like an echo of unseen fantasies
That you'll never be able to catch
A drop in the ocean we're sailing upon
The angels of heaven are singing this song
Just souls in the corner of our universe
It seems that it's all we are
A drop in the ocean we're sailing upon
The angels of heaven are singing this song
Just souls in the corner of our universe
It seems that it's all we are
A drop in the ocean
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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 song starts off trying to find the meaning of life. Then it explains that no matter how hard you try, you will never really find the true meaning of life; and all we really are are tiny things in the corner of the universe, like drops of water in an ocean.
Oh yeah it also seems that Tolkki thinks it gives agony to those who think about it, and a numb feeling, probably because of the lack of meaning and the inability to create one. I disagree that we are unable to have meaning, however.
@yellowtwo It is very difficult, and when you think you have a meaning you realize that it means nothing at all, because there is nothing more after death. So the meaning of life only makes sense while we are alive, the meaning of life is to live, to question ourselves and the world around us. To be humble because we are nothing on a universal scale.