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 shared a common trade of reasoning out the years
Of failed affections and faces to forget
You should have told me
That the ties that made it all worth the while
Were quickly becoming a race to the blame
I tried to gain the advantage over you
It's plain to see theres nothing I could do or say
I tried to gain the advantage over you
A sad parade with nothing left to lose or gain
I could feel it coming
Like a train wreck, rumbling off the tracks
With every ounce of strength
I strain to pay back that dirty money
And the fortune abstract, but theres no feeling left intact
For the victim is now a god,
Doling out judgment, strike with divining rod
I dont want to get involved, looks like youre doing fine
But when I lay up at night, I can feel your eyes
And I can see your eyes, and I go rushing in to a world inside
Where theres none in between, and nothing can be denied
Struck down and stripped of pride,
That I could forgive you for once in our lives
But I failed, and I dont know why, Ill never know why
I failed and I dont know why
I tried to gain the advantage over you
It's plain to see theres nothing I could do or say
I tried to gain the advantage over you
A sad parade with nothing left to lose or gain
Of failed affections and faces to forget
You should have told me
That the ties that made it all worth the while
Were quickly becoming a race to the blame
I tried to gain the advantage over you
It's plain to see theres nothing I could do or say
I tried to gain the advantage over you
A sad parade with nothing left to lose or gain
I could feel it coming
Like a train wreck, rumbling off the tracks
With every ounce of strength
I strain to pay back that dirty money
And the fortune abstract, but theres no feeling left intact
For the victim is now a god,
Doling out judgment, strike with divining rod
I dont want to get involved, looks like youre doing fine
But when I lay up at night, I can feel your eyes
And I can see your eyes, and I go rushing in to a world inside
Where theres none in between, and nothing can be denied
Struck down and stripped of pride,
That I could forgive you for once in our lives
But I failed, and I dont know why, Ill never know why
I failed and I dont know why
I tried to gain the advantage over you
It's plain to see theres nothing I could do or say
I tried to gain the advantage over you
A sad parade with nothing left to lose or gain
Lyrics submitted by Feegore
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
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Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
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“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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
"Mea Culpa" means my fault, he regrets something.
"But I failed, and I dont know why, Ill never know why I failed and I dont know why"...its his fault that he failed. "I could feel it coming like a train wreck, rumbling off the tracks" he knows what is coming, and he tries to set things right by paying back the dirty money, but he just can't. he failed, and he'll never know why. Amazing song
Fantastic song.Fantastic band. :]
chris28, you basically got it right i just want to say that its not like my fault as in "my bad, it was my fault that that happened or w/e" its my fault as in my tragic, fatal fault in cahracter. like greek heroes, you know, and there tragic downfall. otherwise youre pretty much right in that he has this tragic fault and no matter how conscious he is of it, the deep root it has in his subconcsious will always overpower his consciousness
Its kind of like their anagnorisis that has to do with aristotle's theory of tragedy which shows how this band really knows what they're talking about with a tragedy. I'm glad to see a band that pays attention to these sort of things.
Yes, like Dream Theater.
Br00tal Breakdown.