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.
Every day I walk out in this torn up world
And I fight to survive
I'm laughing when I make it to the Saturday
And I'm alive
Carrying your smile with me
Carrying your smile with me
Everywhere I look I see this world slippin' down
That low road, day by day
And I just go on working for the things I need
And making my own way
Carrying your smile with me, oh yea
Carrying your smile with me
Take a walk on the troubled side of this old town
Take a walk on the broken streets and the buildings falling down
Look at all these kids with nothing but trouble in their eyes
Trouble in their future, trouble in their lives
Some bridges are falling down
Some bridges are still around
Take a walk on the shaded uptown avenue
Some people are doing well no matter how they do
And I know there's more to life than what you own
But I see so many good things, things I've never known
Some bridges are falling down
Some bridges are still around
Every night I listen to the sound of the street
Lying in my bed
I love to see the dreams that are dancing there
In the light above your head
And sometimes I get so weary
And when hope is caving in
You fill me with your love and your laughter, baby
Until I get back up again
Carrying your smile with me
(Take a walk on the streets of this divided town)
Carrying your smile with me
(Take a walk on the smoking edge of the battleground)
Carrying your smile with me
(Take a look at the situation, the poverty and the desperation)
(Take the time for the realization)
Everyday I'm carrying your smile with me
(Take a walk in the daylight)
Carrying your smile with me
(Some bridges are falling down)
Carrying your smile with me
(Some bridges are still around)
And I fight to survive
I'm laughing when I make it to the Saturday
And I'm alive
Carrying your smile with me
Carrying your smile with me
Everywhere I look I see this world slippin' down
That low road, day by day
And I just go on working for the things I need
And making my own way
Carrying your smile with me, oh yea
Carrying your smile with me
Take a walk on the troubled side of this old town
Take a walk on the broken streets and the buildings falling down
Look at all these kids with nothing but trouble in their eyes
Trouble in their future, trouble in their lives
Some bridges are falling down
Some bridges are still around
Take a walk on the shaded uptown avenue
Some people are doing well no matter how they do
And I know there's more to life than what you own
But I see so many good things, things I've never known
Some bridges are falling down
Some bridges are still around
Every night I listen to the sound of the street
Lying in my bed
I love to see the dreams that are dancing there
In the light above your head
And sometimes I get so weary
And when hope is caving in
You fill me with your love and your laughter, baby
Until I get back up again
Carrying your smile with me
(Take a walk on the streets of this divided town)
Carrying your smile with me
(Take a walk on the smoking edge of the battleground)
Carrying your smile with me
(Take a look at the situation, the poverty and the desperation)
(Take the time for the realization)
Everyday I'm carrying your smile with me
(Take a walk in the daylight)
Carrying your smile with me
(Some bridges are falling down)
Carrying your smile with me
(Some bridges are still around)
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.