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.
and it is only in my dreams
that I permit myself to be insane
and I scream for no apparent reason
and my urge to crumble
the lives of others elevates as my...
my veins, they become a map
and words no longer make sense
for it is only actions that affect
the extent of temporary disease
in my dreams my veins become a map that guide me through insanity...
trapped inside my own body, but my actions reflect the work of a madman
my hands shake uncontrollaby, palms soaked in sweat
come as result of my nightmares, and my dreams
(in my dreams...)
is it ok to kill?
it's only in my dreams
my urge to crumble
drives me insane
that I permit myself to be insane
and I scream for no apparent reason
and my urge to crumble
the lives of others elevates as my...
my veins, they become a map
and words no longer make sense
for it is only actions that affect
the extent of temporary disease
in my dreams my veins become a map that guide me through insanity...
trapped inside my own body, but my actions reflect the work of a madman
my hands shake uncontrollaby, palms soaked in sweat
come as result of my nightmares, and my dreams
(in my dreams...)
is it ok to kill?
it's only in my dreams
my urge to crumble
drives me insane
Lyrics submitted by Cavenaghi
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
I think that this song is about someone who is trapped inside themself..its like he is trying to fight off some kind of internal demon, but he puts on a mask of normality...
For me it's about a guy who is losing himself... he thinks (or others think) that he's going to drive insane. And only his dreams are a way for him to get out of that madness. If you look at the end, you see that his dreams are his escape, because there he can let out all those urges and just let 'his demon' go.
This song is just genius! And the end is really driving me insane... I like it so much... good for me that I also dream al lot =D
i love this song i think it is about him getting so frustrated with everything, that he is about to go insane but he wont let him self, but he just wants to come out. or he feels guilty about soemthing, he knows something, and he has to keep it inside. and he is about to go insane with the knowing the truth.
i think the song is about someone who thinks that life is shit! that in his dreams he can actually be himself and he doesnt have to hide anything
I think this may be based off of the book "I Heard That Song Before" by Mary Higgins Clark. Maybe, maybe not. It reminds me of it though. It is about a person who thinks he might have killed 3 people while sleepwalking..He feels innocent because in his conscious mind he wouldn't harm a single person, but he has had disturbing dreams, and wonders if they are true basically.