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.
Sick. I’m walking
Tick? I’m talking.
Down the street and I’m sick
Of the talk of the ‘trick’ that’s every time we meet
But.
Oh, I don’t know why
Blinking, thinking something’s moving across my skin
And I scratch the spot, I watch the dot, that’s on the lens but
Oh, I don’t know why
Something’s closing in and I can’t do a thing
No, I can’t do a thing but wonder.
You said I’m crazy, I know.
You said I’m crazy, I know
All I can say is that the drugs don’t work no more.
My face is shaking,
Knees are breaking,
“Swallow this” and for once I’m mistaken
The rules I’ve been breaking, make you sick but
Oh, I don’t know why
My mind is in an oily state of screaming sin
And the moment I want to relax is when the **** kicks in, but
Oh, I don’t know why
Now he’s back again
And now he’s brought a friend.
And his friend’s brought a whole dark army…
Tick? I’m talking.
Down the street and I’m sick
Of the talk of the ‘trick’ that’s every time we meet
But.
Oh, I don’t know why
Blinking, thinking something’s moving across my skin
And I scratch the spot, I watch the dot, that’s on the lens but
Oh, I don’t know why
Something’s closing in and I can’t do a thing
No, I can’t do a thing but wonder.
You said I’m crazy, I know.
You said I’m crazy, I know
All I can say is that the drugs don’t work no more.
My face is shaking,
Knees are breaking,
“Swallow this” and for once I’m mistaken
The rules I’ve been breaking, make you sick but
Oh, I don’t know why
My mind is in an oily state of screaming sin
And the moment I want to relax is when the **** kicks in, but
Oh, I don’t know why
Now he’s back again
And now he’s brought a friend.
And his friend’s brought a whole dark army…
Lyrics submitted by blinkguitar2
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Light Up The Sky
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
No Surprises
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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.
Blue
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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
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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.
my take on this is that she is talking about a break up. but, with a twist. she's got a mental disorder. so, it's combining the above two theories. but, it makes sense. a person with a mental disorder, such as bipolar(which i do have), are more prone to take things less lightly. they may over react, and because of the break up, her mental disorder may have caused a big distress in her mind. hence, why the chorus is the way it is. her disorder got so bad, the drugs don't work anymore. so, it couldn't be contained, so he could have called her crazy because of that. wow, i actually feel smart.
This was the first song I heard by The Vincent Black Shadow, and I love it so much. Very pretty. So the song. . . This song looks like it's talking about a bad relationship resulting in her popping pills.
I somewhat agree angel. although, i must say that this song is very fun to sing. I think "fears in the water" will be a good album!
I personally think this is about her dealing with a mental illness, possibly scitzophrenia or bipolar. The words seem to describe symptoms of both, especially paranoia. Don't want to get to serious, but I am bipolar. This is a great song anyway. The beauty of lyrics is that they are open to everyone to translate.
I agree more with lithiumprincess that it has to do with a mental illness.
Blinking, thinking something’s moving across my skin I think she suffers from paranoia. When a person is paranoid, they have tendencies of having delusions.
"“Swallow this” and for once I’m mistaken" She may be in a mental asylum and the nurses make her take medication, to relax her.
I think when it says:
"Now he’s back again And now he’s brought a friend. And his friend’s brought a whole dark army…"
She may have been going crazy. So the doctor came back, with a bunch of nurses, to sedate her.
I don't know, just a thought. Awesome song though.
i feel as if this song is describing symptoms of being bipolar [i myself am bipolar]
I think that the "drugs" are a symbol of their love, and so once he starts calling her crazy, she realizes that "the drugs don't work no more"--that their love no longer suffices to cover up all of the guy's imperfections and judgements. So they break up, she goes through some withdrawal symptoms once he leaves--she didn't take their breakup very well (her face is shaking, her knees are breaking). But then the guy changes his mind, and comes back. But! When he came back, he brought a friend, which leads me to believe that either he now wants to set up his exgirlfriend with his friend, or he has some strange plans for the three of them together (which I'd rather not think about). Not really sure though where the whole dark army comes from or what that means, unless maybe it means the past, which will inevitably pull them apart again because the "drugs" will fail again. And, since the song is called metro, and the metro is the subway system in paris, I think this all must be going on in france. Which is awsome, because I love france so much. That makes me think, though, that maybe this song would be cooler if it were in french. That would mean that the chorus would be: "Tu dis que je suis fou, je sais Tu dis que je suis fou, je sais Tout que je peux parler etre que les drogues ne travaillent plus." Doesn't that sound so much cooler?!
um...its about a break-up,you can just tell when you listen,also...thats what half the other songs are about,why should this be any different,I still like it tho,makes me wanna dance
I personally think its about a prostitute on drugs. Hence 'trick', and how she says 'the rules ive been breaking' and 'my mind is in an oily state of screaming sin'
Well, what it means, really, is about the state of how everyone is on drugs. Here in Colorado we have a thing where right before a show a local radio station gets bands to play at a "Garage" and do their music accoustic, it is so awesome. When asked thats what he said he was going for. The lead singer added the love and the perscription part. The culminated to make this song. I think it rocks. TVBS rules