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.
Nice suits and black shoes, everyone is crying
Now I think it's my time to slip away, how I loathe this feeling
On top of all the dying I think I need a new job, running out of money
And my mom just phoned about the news
It always seems that just as I
Build the strength enough to climb and fight
The trees they grow in and block my sight
And now I'm stuck here with my darkest inner thoughts
I pleaded and prayed to you to come and take away
The voices and the choices that are bound to tear me limb from limb
They told me that you hear in some other way but if the answer is unknown
Then why should I believe them when they say
That you're up there and you honestly do care?
Everyone is singing now about the God, the God of love
But I don't feel it in my heart right now
The comforting reassurance of a cause but I want to believe
It always seems that just as I
Build the strength enough to climb and fight
The trees they grow in and block my sight
And now I'm stuck here with my darkest inner thoughts
I pleaded and prayed to you to come and take away
The voices and the choices that are bound to tear me limb from limb
They told me that you hear in some other way but if the answer is unknown
Then why should I believe them when they say
That you're up there and you honestly do care?
Oh, the opium blues inside my veins
I've got the chemicals inside my head to blame
The drugs do what the friends cannot
Oh, I think it's my time to slip away, how I love this feeling
Now I think it's my time to slip away, how I loathe this feeling
On top of all the dying I think I need a new job, running out of money
And my mom just phoned about the news
It always seems that just as I
Build the strength enough to climb and fight
The trees they grow in and block my sight
And now I'm stuck here with my darkest inner thoughts
I pleaded and prayed to you to come and take away
The voices and the choices that are bound to tear me limb from limb
They told me that you hear in some other way but if the answer is unknown
Then why should I believe them when they say
That you're up there and you honestly do care?
Everyone is singing now about the God, the God of love
But I don't feel it in my heart right now
The comforting reassurance of a cause but I want to believe
It always seems that just as I
Build the strength enough to climb and fight
The trees they grow in and block my sight
And now I'm stuck here with my darkest inner thoughts
I pleaded and prayed to you to come and take away
The voices and the choices that are bound to tear me limb from limb
They told me that you hear in some other way but if the answer is unknown
Then why should I believe them when they say
That you're up there and you honestly do care?
Oh, the opium blues inside my veins
I've got the chemicals inside my head to blame
The drugs do what the friends cannot
Oh, I think it's my time to slip away, how I love this feeling
Lyrics submitted by Triangle Of Terror
Opium Blues Lyrics as written by Eric Sturgeon Anthony Ruland
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
I love this song, one of their best.
I think that this song is about everything piling up and the person is hoping that faith will make it better, but then it doesn't. So they drown it out with drugs to make them feel better.
This person wants to believe in God, but doesn't know how to go to Him with their problems. The Christians seem to all tell him about this God of Love, but they do nothing for him themselves. They can't even help him take away his pain. "The drugs do what the friends cannot." It's a sad, but honest song, about how hated these people can be by the Christian crowd, and yet how they really do want to know the answer and have gone about in in a terribly wrong way.