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.
...So please don't ask me how
I ended up at my wits end and breaking down.
Pages torn from books we never read,
'Cause we're plugged into this grid.
Don't pull this plug right now,
Or then we really have to live.
When I die, will they remember not
What I did, but what I haven't done.
It's not the end, that I fear with each breathe.
It's life that scares me to death...
When we built these dreams on sand,
How they all slipped through our hands.
And this might be our only chance.
Let's take this one day at a time,
I'll hold your hand if you hold mine.
The time that we kill keeps us alive.
Your words won't save me now.
I'm at the edge feeling the sweat drip from my brow.
Get a grip on yourself is what they say,
Every hour every day.
Hands over my ears,
I've been screaming all these years!
We came in search of answers!
We left empty handed again!
Shots fired into the sky...
Are now returning!
Where the fuck will you hide!
From the laughter in the closet, some alive
But the door hinges are squeaking letting in thin shards of light.
And now our hands extending outward,
Quiet comfort they invite,
And do we dare take what they offer?
Do we step into the light?
When we built these dreams on sand,
How they all slipped through our hands.
And this might be our only chance.
Let's take this one day at a time,
I'll hold your hand if you hold mine.
The time that we kill keeps us alive.
I ended up at my wits end and breaking down.
Pages torn from books we never read,
'Cause we're plugged into this grid.
Don't pull this plug right now,
Or then we really have to live.
When I die, will they remember not
What I did, but what I haven't done.
It's not the end, that I fear with each breathe.
It's life that scares me to death...
When we built these dreams on sand,
How they all slipped through our hands.
And this might be our only chance.
Let's take this one day at a time,
I'll hold your hand if you hold mine.
The time that we kill keeps us alive.
Your words won't save me now.
I'm at the edge feeling the sweat drip from my brow.
Get a grip on yourself is what they say,
Every hour every day.
Hands over my ears,
I've been screaming all these years!
We came in search of answers!
We left empty handed again!
Shots fired into the sky...
Are now returning!
Where the fuck will you hide!
From the laughter in the closet, some alive
But the door hinges are squeaking letting in thin shards of light.
And now our hands extending outward,
Quiet comfort they invite,
And do we dare take what they offer?
Do we step into the light?
When we built these dreams on sand,
How they all slipped through our hands.
And this might be our only chance.
Let's take this one day at a time,
I'll hold your hand if you hold mine.
The time that we kill keeps us alive.
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"The time that we kill keeps us alive"
what does this part mean, anyone?
that mean that if you spend your time fulfilling your dreams instead of "killing" it-than you can say that you are really leaving your life. It's something like "simply because you can breathe doesn't mean that you are alive or that you really live."- Rise against (Black Masks And Gasoline)