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.
Walk with me, my monster
But close those crusty eyes
The sounds I make may be abrasive
But you'll be all right
Turn off all your senses
And pretend you're home
Walk with me and you walk alone
Yeah!
At the sight of his scales
You start to shake
You can never trust a snake
At the sight of his scales
You start to scream
You can't trust a fanged thing
Grain by grain, so hot I've lost it
Echoes peck and gnaw at me
Creep, I crawl
Shake, I'm breaking
Creep and crawl
They're chasing me
Serpents!
And I feel so cold
Like the world just might explode
And if I open my mouth
It will fill full of sand
And I feel so cold
Like the world just might explode
And if I open my mouth
It will fill full of sand
At the sight of his scales
You start to shake
You can never trust a snake
At the sight of his scales
You start to scream
You can't trust a fanged thing
It's safe to say I've finally lost it
The well's gone dry and abandoned me
Creep, I crawl, begging droplets
Of anything to comfort me
Thirsty
Laying in a hot desert
Bitten by a poisonous snake
Soft venom floods my veins
I have lost my heartbeat
My poor pulse is quivering
And I've lost control
Descending to my ending
A perilous black hole
The rivers run dry and so has my veins
I'm a filthy animal begging for change
Nothing I do is going as planned
Nothing's left of me but fucking sand
Nothing's left of me but fucking sand
The sun explodes, so slow
I feel the flames and I see the snow
All that's left of my mind is sea of sand
The sun explodes, so slow
I feel the flames and I see the snow
All that's left of my mind is sea of sand
And everybody's celebrating!
I've lost my way
Desperate for change
Pursued by snakes
Bearing my name
I've lost my way
My skin's dry and baked
Fearing I'll fade
I'm the snake
I walk with my monster
He beats me down
Bestial and savage thoughts
His arms are long
Can't get up, can't get up
Nothing's as planned
Nothing's left of me but fucking sand!
But close those crusty eyes
The sounds I make may be abrasive
But you'll be all right
Turn off all your senses
And pretend you're home
Walk with me and you walk alone
Yeah!
At the sight of his scales
You start to shake
You can never trust a snake
At the sight of his scales
You start to scream
You can't trust a fanged thing
Grain by grain, so hot I've lost it
Echoes peck and gnaw at me
Creep, I crawl
Shake, I'm breaking
Creep and crawl
They're chasing me
Serpents!
And I feel so cold
Like the world just might explode
And if I open my mouth
It will fill full of sand
And I feel so cold
Like the world just might explode
And if I open my mouth
It will fill full of sand
At the sight of his scales
You start to shake
You can never trust a snake
At the sight of his scales
You start to scream
You can't trust a fanged thing
It's safe to say I've finally lost it
The well's gone dry and abandoned me
Creep, I crawl, begging droplets
Of anything to comfort me
Thirsty
Laying in a hot desert
Bitten by a poisonous snake
Soft venom floods my veins
I have lost my heartbeat
My poor pulse is quivering
And I've lost control
Descending to my ending
A perilous black hole
The rivers run dry and so has my veins
I'm a filthy animal begging for change
Nothing I do is going as planned
Nothing's left of me but fucking sand
Nothing's left of me but fucking sand
The sun explodes, so slow
I feel the flames and I see the snow
All that's left of my mind is sea of sand
The sun explodes, so slow
I feel the flames and I see the snow
All that's left of my mind is sea of sand
And everybody's celebrating!
I've lost my way
Desperate for change
Pursued by snakes
Bearing my name
I've lost my way
My skin's dry and baked
Fearing I'll fade
I'm the snake
I walk with my monster
He beats me down
Bestial and savage thoughts
His arms are long
Can't get up, can't get up
Nothing's as planned
Nothing's left of me but fucking sand!
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Great version of a great song,
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This song is about doing drugs. Without a dought. The "fanged thing" is a needle that he injects the drugs with. He holusantes(sp?) alot during this song. "echoes peck and gnaw at me creep, i crawl - shake im breaking creep and crawl -- theyre chasing me SERPENTS!!!!!"
But then he runs out of his drugs: "its safe to say ive finally lost it the wells gone dry and abandoned me creep, i crawl, begging droplets of anything to comfort me thirsty" The wells gone dry means hes out.
"laying in a hot desert bitten by a poisonous snake soft venom floods my veins i have lost my heartbeat my poor pulse is quivering and ive lost control descending to my ending a perilous black hole" He over doses and almost dies
"ive lost my way desperate for change pursued by snakes bearing my name" He doent like what hes become but hes addicted.
*hallucinates
That's a great interpretation. I'm happy to see no one tried to force nintendo into the meaning of this one too.
Original poster: Bravo! Both in a stunning relevation for the song meaning (although most people who have encountered the 'snake' would pick it up quite quickly), and also in helping to prove that one's ability to spell is in no direct correlation to their intelligence levels.
This song is obviously about that one snake thing...in that one nintendo game....haha. You guys should serously stop whining so much about HtB using nintendo metaphors, it works. Anyway, ever since I read your interpretation forgivenessforsale, I never have forgotten it. I believe that you have the song meaning down. The song is best around the parts "and i feel, so cold like the world just might explode and if i open my mouth it will fill full of SAND and i feel, so cold like the world just might explode and if i open my mouth it will fill full of SAND " and "the sun explodes, so slow i feel the flames and i see the snow all thats left of my mind is sea of sand the sun explodes, so slow i feel the flames and i see the snow all thats left of my mind is sea of sand"
Yes, forgivenessforsale's interpretation has stuck with me as well everytime I listen to this song.
Also, if you ask me, this song is quite underrated. It's just fantastic!