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.
We hold in our hearts the sword and the faith
Swelled up from the rain, clouds move like a wraith
Well after all, we'll lie another day
And through it all
We'll find some other way
To carry on through cartilage and flood
And did you come to stare, or wash away the blood?
Well tonight, well tonight
Will it ever come?
Spend the rest of your days
Rocking out just for the dead
Well tonight
Will it ever come?
I can see you awake anytime, in my head
Did we all fall down?
Did we all fall down?
Did we all fall down?
Did we all fall down?
From the lights to the pavement
From the van to the floor
From backstage to the doctor
From the Earth to the morgue
Morgue, morgue, morgue
Well tonight
Will it ever come?
Spend the rest of your days
Rocking out just for the dead
Well tonight
Will it ever come?
I can see you awake anytime, in my head
All fall down
Well after all
Swelled up from the rain, clouds move like a wraith
Well after all, we'll lie another day
And through it all
We'll find some other way
To carry on through cartilage and flood
And did you come to stare, or wash away the blood?
Well tonight, well tonight
Will it ever come?
Spend the rest of your days
Rocking out just for the dead
Well tonight
Will it ever come?
I can see you awake anytime, in my head
Did we all fall down?
Did we all fall down?
Did we all fall down?
Did we all fall down?
From the lights to the pavement
From the van to the floor
From backstage to the doctor
From the Earth to the morgue
Morgue, morgue, morgue
Well tonight
Will it ever come?
Spend the rest of your days
Rocking out just for the dead
Well tonight
Will it ever come?
I can see you awake anytime, in my head
All fall down
Well after all
Lyrics submitted by everydayishalloween, edited by SmashingDestiny
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First of all, I'd like to point out that everyone on here who has posted some ignorant comment about this song being a shtty cover of a Def Leopard is a fcking moron. You don't know that the song sucks because you either haven't listened to it, or you don't know the actual Def Leopard Desert Song. The two songs are entirely different, you effing retards. It's amazing how any idiot can use the internet.
Now, as for the song's meaning, I'm pretty sure that the song is part of the whole "Demolition Lovers" story. "The sword and the faith" is similar to that old saying, "bible and sword." I'm not sure what that has to do with anything, it's just something I noticed. I've also noticed that a lot of MCRs songs have to do with the death of a lover, so I think it's safe to assume that the same theme could be in here somewhere. "I can see you awake anytime in my head" makes it seem so. And in seeming so, it is. The "from the lights to the pavement, from the van to the floor, from backstage to the doctor, from the Earth to the morgue" part could either be he himself or said lover, if you get what I mean. "Will it ever come?" Hmm...I'm stuck on that what. Does he mean tonight? Will the night ever come? Or maybe death? His own death? Revenge? Revenge is a good guess, since Demolition Lovers is the story. Hmmm...
I don't know. Great song, though.
Oh, and what? New gen songs aren't "real"? I should kick you in the teeth. Listen to the way he sings it and tell me this song isn't real. Look, man, I listen to it all. And I mean ALL! Everything from Beethoven to fckin' Katy Perry! I find value in all music, even if it isn't my type of music. It's better to respect all forms of art than to doubt them. Music is like stained glass: It only takes a little light to see through it, whether your looking for the sky or the inside of a cathedral. Grow up. I'm seveteen years old and I know more about respect and proper grammar than dudes on here who are, like, thirty, harping about Def Leopard when they obviously don't know what they're talking about since they thought this was a cover song (dipshts.)
APPRECIATE ALL MUSIC! (Oh, and don't use that "this isn't music" line, becauseit's been used to death you unoriginal pieces of conformist trash.)
damn genius quote man "Music is like stained glass: It only takes a little light to see through it, whether your looking for the sky or the inside of a cathedral." hig five :)