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.
I was lying in my bed last night, staring
At a ceiling full of stars
When it suddenly hit me
I just have to let you know how I feel
We live together in a photograph of time
I look into your eyes
And the seas open up to me
I tell you I love you
And I always will
And I know that you can't tell me
I know that you can't tell me
So, I'm left to pick up
The hints, the little symbols of your devotion
So, I'm left to pick up
The hints, the little symbols of your devotion
And I feel your fists
And I know it's out of love
And I feel the whip
And I know it's out of love
And I feel your burning eyes
Oh, burning holes
Straight through my heart
It's out of love, ooh ooh
It's out of love
And I accept and I collect upon my body
The memories of your devotion
And I accept and I collect upon my body
The memories of your devotion
I feel your fists
And I know it's out of love
And I feel the whip
And I know it's out of love
I feel your burning eyes
Burning holes
Straight through my heart
It's out of love
It's out of love
Give me a little fistful of love
Give me a little fistful of love
Fistful of love
Fistful, fist, fist, fistful of love
You're giving me a little fist
Giving me a little fistful of love
Giving me, giving me
A little fistful of love
Give me a little, little, little, givin' little
Givin' me a fistful of love
Give a little bit, give a little bit
Givin' me a fistful of love
Oh, ooh baby
Givin' me just a little fistful of love
At a ceiling full of stars
When it suddenly hit me
I just have to let you know how I feel
We live together in a photograph of time
I look into your eyes
And the seas open up to me
I tell you I love you
And I always will
And I know that you can't tell me
I know that you can't tell me
So, I'm left to pick up
The hints, the little symbols of your devotion
So, I'm left to pick up
The hints, the little symbols of your devotion
And I feel your fists
And I know it's out of love
And I feel the whip
And I know it's out of love
And I feel your burning eyes
Oh, burning holes
Straight through my heart
It's out of love, ooh ooh
It's out of love
And I accept and I collect upon my body
The memories of your devotion
And I accept and I collect upon my body
The memories of your devotion
I feel your fists
And I know it's out of love
And I feel the whip
And I know it's out of love
I feel your burning eyes
Burning holes
Straight through my heart
It's out of love
It's out of love
Give me a little fistful of love
Give me a little fistful of love
Fistful of love
Fistful, fist, fist, fistful of love
You're giving me a little fist
Giving me a little fistful of love
Giving me, giving me
A little fistful of love
Give me a little, little, little, givin' little
Givin' me a fistful of love
Give a little bit, give a little bit
Givin' me a fistful of love
Oh, ooh baby
Givin' me just a little fistful of love
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
great songwriting like this means the lyrics can be interpreted another way, I think.
I've always heard this song to be more about unrequited love. I imagine two people having enjoyed a period of romance (be it long or short) and while the author has fallen heavily for the other person, the feeling is not mutual.
"I tell you I love you And I always will And I know that you can't tell me"
At this point the author understands that the person for whom he has this love is turning him away, leaving only memories ("photographs"), and hints of devotion.
So now the fists and whips of love are not literal weapons inflicting pain, but rather symbolize the phone the doesnt ring, or the letter thats never recieved. Or the hug that is absense any warmth, or the "see ya" that is cold.
Instead of bruises and cuts, the final two lines,
"I accept and I collect upon my body The memories of your devotion"
could be memories of the romance. Memories of holding hands, memories of kisses placed, memories, memories, memories. I think this is the case because of the word "collect." It's as though the author is collecting his memories for safe keeping.