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.
Tell me a story, settle the cards.
Give me a cause for the foreign wars.
Wrap me up in our flag,
and let the bombs fall where they may.
Tell me a tale, make the puzzle whole.
Give it to the pilgrim without a soul.
Sell it to the miner who can't afford his coal
and may the history factory never close.
You can build an army of this rabble yet.
You can make a nation from the ashes of the dead. Tell them a story:
god blood and glory,
brew up an enemy:
they're comin' to steal your bread.
And let the bombs fall where they may
on faces I don't see with names I cannot say.
For I trust the storyteller with my vote.
I, pilgrim was sold a golden soul,
sold a soul, sold his soul.
The first thing I remember?
Waking up and seeing you there.
Comfort like a fire, like an answer to a prayer.
Like a beacon in the blackness,
solace from the racket.
Take your shears to the briars.
Kill the chaors, make it clear.
Tell me why the buildings fall and everybody dies.
I have so many questions,
just tell me where to sign...
and I'll take up arms and lock all the doors
and I'll tell them a story 'bout the good guys
of the war, of the war.
Tell me a story to help me slip away.
I drank up an enemy.
So let the bombs rain from our parade
and fall where they may.
Give me a cause for the foreign wars.
Wrap me up in our flag,
and let the bombs fall where they may.
Tell me a tale, make the puzzle whole.
Give it to the pilgrim without a soul.
Sell it to the miner who can't afford his coal
and may the history factory never close.
You can build an army of this rabble yet.
You can make a nation from the ashes of the dead. Tell them a story:
god blood and glory,
brew up an enemy:
they're comin' to steal your bread.
And let the bombs fall where they may
on faces I don't see with names I cannot say.
For I trust the storyteller with my vote.
I, pilgrim was sold a golden soul,
sold a soul, sold his soul.
The first thing I remember?
Waking up and seeing you there.
Comfort like a fire, like an answer to a prayer.
Like a beacon in the blackness,
solace from the racket.
Take your shears to the briars.
Kill the chaors, make it clear.
Tell me why the buildings fall and everybody dies.
I have so many questions,
just tell me where to sign...
and I'll take up arms and lock all the doors
and I'll tell them a story 'bout the good guys
of the war, of the war.
Tell me a story to help me slip away.
I drank up an enemy.
So let the bombs rain from our parade
and fall where they may.
Lyrics submitted by KilRoyWas_Here
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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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.
Sounds like the singer is lamenting how history is written so we mericans get to feel like heroes, nd it leaves out the bad stuff. the middle part sounds like a totally different topic