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.
Even on the waves there is fighting
Where fish and flesh are woven into sea
One stabs the lance into an army
Another throws it into the ocean
Ahoy
Arise, arise seaman arise
Each does it in his own way
One thrusts the spear into a man
Another then into the fish
Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their blood a spear is lodged
They bleed softly into the ocean
The lance must be drowned in flesh
Fish and man sink to the depths
Where the black soul dwells
there is no light on the horizon
Ahoy
Arise, arise seaman arise
Each does it in his own way
One thrusts the spear into a man
Another then into the fish
Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their blood a spear is lodged
They bleed softly into the ocean
Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their heart a spear is lodged
They bleed themselves dry on the shore
Where fish and flesh are woven into sea
One stabs the lance into an army
Another throws it into the ocean
Ahoy
Arise, arise seaman arise
Each does it in his own way
One thrusts the spear into a man
Another then into the fish
Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their blood a spear is lodged
They bleed softly into the ocean
The lance must be drowned in flesh
Fish and man sink to the depths
Where the black soul dwells
there is no light on the horizon
Ahoy
Arise, arise seaman arise
Each does it in his own way
One thrusts the spear into a man
Another then into the fish
Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their blood a spear is lodged
They bleed softly into the ocean
Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their heart a spear is lodged
They bleed themselves dry on the shore
Lyrics submitted by Shoot_Me
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
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Well, as a DEP recruit in the U.S. Navy (don't hate me) I find this song quite inspiring, the song more or less calls seamen the soldiers of the sea, regardless of whether or not they kill man or fish. It speaks of the impact of war, and each seamen (or sailor, same difference) must learn to deal with such things. It also speaks how, if it could, the ocean itself would cry for those fallen, on every side
One must realize that a vast portion on Rammstein’s lyrics are a wordplay to begin with – take the whole concept of ”Du Hast” as an example and ice the cake with ”Mein Teil”. ‘Reise Reise’ is definitely a naval wake up call. But to cut to the chase: am I the only one seeing the connection between this song and the CLASSIC Wolfgang Petersen movie ‘Das Boot’, which by the way is pretty much a staple in contemporary German culture (and you don’t have to German to know that)? That, and ‘Moby Dick’? Naval, see? It’s all about the hubris and nemesis, in war or in peace, and the struggle within - Ahab's obsession.
I'm not sure why "Reise" is translated as "arise", since the word is the imperative form of "reisen", which means "to travel". So, shouldn't it be "Travel, travel, seaman, travel"?
@paphan it should be “journey, journey, seaman/sailer journey”
here is a very good explanation for the choice of words: Though written as a noun, "Reise" is obviously used as a verb in the song. The phrase "Reise, Reise" is used by seamen as a wake-up call and finds its roots in the Middle High German verb "risen", which meant "to rise" (to which it is obviously related as well). This verb has since died out in New High German, though the noun was retained and came to mean "journey" or "voyage". The verb "reisen" was rederived from the noun "Reise", but now means "to journey" or "to travel". It seems the old meaning has been preserved in this phrase in the seaman's language.
ja, genau. this is an awesome song, a very good start to an awesome album. totally badass.
RAMMSTEIN FANS: MORE TO THIS SONG THAN YOU MAY HEAR Sure, whatever Balkazar. This song is about naval warfare for two reasons. Number one, the lyrics say so themselves. "Reise, reise" does mean arise, arise and is used in the German military as a wakeup call I am told. The second reason is even better. If you hold down the rewind/skip button on the cd player, you hear 37 seconds of the song you never hear otherwise. It sounds like alarms and people hollering, followed by an explosion which also testifies to it being military related. Seriously, hold down the skip button and hear for yourself.
I guess there's a deeper meaning to it, but there are a lot of intentional sexual references, too. As usual in Rammstein lyrics ;-). Here's what i mean:
"One thrusts the spear into a man Another then into the fish" ...could be refering to homo- and heterosexuality (in this order) as you COULD see "fish" as a metaphor for women in this song
"In their blood a spear is lodged" can be translated "In HER blood a spear is lodged" as well ...I guess you get the idea what this could mean
"The lance must be drowned in flesh Fish and man sink to the depths" ...could refer to the feeling of getting lost in sexuality
"Arise, arise seaman arise Each does it in his own way One thrusts the spear into a man Another then into the fish"
Some men are soldiers, others are fisherman. I think this is what these lines are saying (although, there is an obvious sexual connotation here too...although that could just be an immature observation...). It seems to me this song is saying everyone kills, just in different ways ("The lance must be drowned in flesh ").
"Fish and man sink to the depths Where the black soul dwells there is no light on the horizon"
Maybe this is saying that everyone dies. But it seems to be more critical...This song coud be considered an argument against eating meat...It also seems to be a negative view on war ("Even on the waves there is fighting /Where fish and flesh are woven into sea...In their blood a spear is lodged/They bleed softly into the ocean") Ah, I don't know. Could be all of that...or none of that. ^^;
Oh, and concerning the last two lines: "In their heart a spear is lodged /They bleed themselves dry on the shore". This seems to be saying that they bring thier wounds back with them, and it "bleeds them dry". Much like the psychological and emotional aftermath of war.
Awsome song, for some reason I just can't help but feel that this song was inspired by a traditional seafaring ballad rather than something that Rammstein wrote on their own.