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.
The possibility that if I stopped clapping
My hands in the void
I would notice that I can't hold on to things
And
The possibility that if I stopped using my voice
I would notice songs that, all around me, sing
Looms in weather
Lives buried in my days
With all my songs and rhythms going like
The darkness surrounding a flame
It's what I don't say with my mouth
It's my mouth open
To breathe in
It's open windows
Still, I go on and on describing the shape
Around the thing I want to but can not name
In song
And, though my long life feels busy
And full of usefulness and drive
I will sleep through every single dawn
And those I see I will not understand though I try
I will sing through every single song
About the spaces left when we stop singing
And I will sing this
With longing
My hands in the void
I would notice that I can't hold on to things
And
The possibility that if I stopped using my voice
I would notice songs that, all around me, sing
Looms in weather
Lives buried in my days
With all my songs and rhythms going like
The darkness surrounding a flame
It's what I don't say with my mouth
It's my mouth open
To breathe in
It's open windows
Still, I go on and on describing the shape
Around the thing I want to but can not name
In song
And, though my long life feels busy
And full of usefulness and drive
I will sleep through every single dawn
And those I see I will not understand though I try
I will sing through every single song
About the spaces left when we stop singing
And I will sing this
With longing
Lyrics submitted by birdablaze
Stop Singing Lyrics as written by Phillip Whitman Elvrum
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The possibility that if I stopped clapping my hands in the void I would notice that I can't hold on to things And the possibility that if I stopped bellowing my voice in the void I would notice songs that, all around me, sing
Looms in weather Lives buried in my days With all my songs and rhythms going Like the darkness surrounding a flame
It's what I don't say with my mouth It's my mouth opening to breathe in It's the open windows in the wall Still I go on and on describing the shape Around the thing I want to but can not name
I go on and on in song after song, after song, after song And though my long life feels busy And full of usefulness and drive I will sleep through every single dawn And those I see I will not really comprehend
And I will sing through every single song About the spaces left when we stop singing And I will do this with longing