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.
It's been so long, it's hard to breath when the trust is gone
A face of steel just melts away in the weather
You got a lot to weigh so weigh it
If you got a lot to say just say it
Aren't you tired of wasted fuel
So now I hand the fuse to you
Burn it all lets burn it all
Let fire fall and buy the fall
What's done is done its in the past
Its ashes
I'm tired of you, you're tired of me
I hate the things you said to me
Now here's the chance to take it back
Its ashes, as ashes
Maybe I should drive home,
Far from sober
Maybe I should sleep alone,
Cause I don't have a rubber
You got a lot to weigh so weigh it
If you got a lot to say just say it
Aren't you tired of wasted fuel
So now I hand the fuses to you
Run away and see, how much it really means to me
Oh my God, who in the hell has been washing your brain
Just lose the girl and start again
Maybe then, maybe then
Maybe then, maybe then
Let's burn it all lets burn it all
Let fire fall and buy the fall
What's done is done its in the past
Its ashes
I'm tired of you, you're tired of me
I hate the things you said to me
Now here's the chance to take it back
Its ashes, oh its ashes, ashes,
Its ashes, ashes [Repeat x3]
Oh ashes
A face of steel just melts away in the weather
You got a lot to weigh so weigh it
If you got a lot to say just say it
Aren't you tired of wasted fuel
So now I hand the fuse to you
Burn it all lets burn it all
Let fire fall and buy the fall
What's done is done its in the past
Its ashes
I'm tired of you, you're tired of me
I hate the things you said to me
Now here's the chance to take it back
Its ashes, as ashes
Maybe I should drive home,
Far from sober
Maybe I should sleep alone,
Cause I don't have a rubber
You got a lot to weigh so weigh it
If you got a lot to say just say it
Aren't you tired of wasted fuel
So now I hand the fuses to you
Run away and see, how much it really means to me
Oh my God, who in the hell has been washing your brain
Just lose the girl and start again
Maybe then, maybe then
Maybe then, maybe then
Let's burn it all lets burn it all
Let fire fall and buy the fall
What's done is done its in the past
Its ashes
I'm tired of you, you're tired of me
I hate the things you said to me
Now here's the chance to take it back
Its ashes, oh its ashes, ashes,
Its ashes, ashes [Repeat x3]
Oh ashes
Lyrics submitted by silent eulogy
Ashes Lyrics as written by Dean Dillon David Vincent Williams
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I have a different theory about the message of this song. The song is written in the point of view of a guy who has a long time girlfriend whom he has come clean to about cheating on.
"It's been so long, it's hard to breath when the trust is gone"
"A face of steel melts away with the weather" Suggests that someone angry and guarded (in this situation, the girl) gives in to her love for him despite her trust having been destroyed and they stay together despite it.
"You got a lot to weigh so weigh it If you got a lot to say just say it Aren't you tired of wasted fuel so now i'll hand the fuse to you"
the end of the first verse which is repeated in the second rehashes the fact that the writer knows he has messed things up and that he wants to hear how angry she is. In fact, he wants to hear what she has to say to him instead of pretending like things are fine (referring to the face of steel again) and that they are wasting time by not dealing with it.
Burn it all lets burn it all Let fire fall and buy the fall What's done is done its in the past Its ashes I'm tired of you, you're tired of me I hate the things you said to me Now here's the chance to take it back Its ashes, as ashes
The chorus suggests that there is no fixing the mistrust that his cheating has created. they fight about it and say hurtful things to each other. He has accepted that there is no moving past it without forgiveness and wants her to forgive him so they can move on together.
In the second verse we see that they are taking a break from each other. He laments in his self misery about what he has done to her. He's getting drunk and sarcastically questioning the fact that he wants to sleep with other girls to make himself feel alright.
the most revealing passage of the song to me was: "Run away and see, how much it really means to me Oh my God, who in the hell has been washing your brain Just lose the girl and start again Maybe then, maybe then" In which the writer pretends he is okay with losing her and simultaneously questioning himself on why he doesn't want to give up on her and the only way he can make things right with her is if he moves on and gives her time to forgive him.
Just my two cents, also one hundred percent what I am going through personally right now.