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 know, I know I've let you down
I've been fool to myself
I thought that I could live for no one else
But now through all the hurt pain
It's time for me to respect
The ones you love mean more than anything
So with sadness in my heart
Feel the best thing I could do
Is end it all and leave forever
What's done is done it feels so bad
What once was happy now is sad
I'll never love again, my world is ending
I wish that I could turn back time
'Cause now the guilt is all mine
Can't live without the trust from those you love
I know we can't forget the past
You can't forget love & pride
Because of that, it's kill in me inside
It all returns to nothing
It all comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
It all returns to nothing
I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
In my heart of hearts, I know that I called never love again
I've lost everything, everything
Everything that matters to me, matters in this world
I wish that I could turn back time
'Cause now the guilt is all mine
Can't live without the trust from those you love
I know we can't forget the past
You can't forget love & pride
Because of that, it's kill in me inside
It all returns to nothing
It just keeps tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
It all returns to nothing
I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
It all returns to nothing
It just keeps tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
It all returns to nothing
I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
I've been fool to myself
I thought that I could live for no one else
But now through all the hurt pain
It's time for me to respect
The ones you love mean more than anything
So with sadness in my heart
Feel the best thing I could do
Is end it all and leave forever
What's done is done it feels so bad
What once was happy now is sad
I'll never love again, my world is ending
I wish that I could turn back time
'Cause now the guilt is all mine
Can't live without the trust from those you love
I know we can't forget the past
You can't forget love & pride
Because of that, it's kill in me inside
It all returns to nothing
It all comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
It all returns to nothing
I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
In my heart of hearts, I know that I called never love again
I've lost everything, everything
Everything that matters to me, matters in this world
I wish that I could turn back time
'Cause now the guilt is all mine
Can't live without the trust from those you love
I know we can't forget the past
You can't forget love & pride
Because of that, it's kill in me inside
It all returns to nothing
It just keeps tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
It all returns to nothing
I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
It all returns to nothing
It just keeps tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
It all returns to nothing
I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down
Ah-ah-ah-ah, letting me down, letting me down, letting me down
Lyrics submitted by Unconquered Sun
Komm, Susser Tod / 甘き死よ、来たれ [M-10 Director's Edit. Version] Lyrics as written by Shirou Sagisu Mike Wyzgowski
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Strange to see that no one has commented on this wonderful song. It's actually based on one of J.S Bach's piano pieces. Although the music is beautiful and cheerful, the lyrics basically tell of someone who has given up on love and wants to "end it all", because of the pain of memories. Appropriate for the movie which it's played in.