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 live in a political world
Love don't have any place
We're living in times
Where men commit crimes
And crime don't have any face
We live in a political world
Icicles hanging own
Wedding bells ring
And angels sing
And clouds cover up the ground
We live in a political world
Wisdom is thrown in jail
It rots in a cell
Is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up the trail
We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank
Life is in mirrors
Death disappears
Up the steps to the nearest bank
We live in a political world
Courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted
Children unwanted
The next day could be your last
We live in a political world
The one we can see and feel
But there's no one to check
It's all a stacked deck
We all know for sure that it's real
We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear
Little by little
You turn in the middle
But you're never sure why you're here
We live in a political world
Under the microscope
You can travel anywhere
And hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope
We live in a political world
Turning and trashing about
As soon as you're awake
You're trained to take
What looks like the easy way out
We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all
It's turned away from the door
To wonder some more
Or put up against the wall
We live in a political world
Everything is hers and his
Climb into the frame
And shout God's name
But you're never sure what it is
Love don't have any place
We're living in times
Where men commit crimes
And crime don't have any face
We live in a political world
Icicles hanging own
Wedding bells ring
And angels sing
And clouds cover up the ground
We live in a political world
Wisdom is thrown in jail
It rots in a cell
Is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up the trail
We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank
Life is in mirrors
Death disappears
Up the steps to the nearest bank
We live in a political world
Courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted
Children unwanted
The next day could be your last
We live in a political world
The one we can see and feel
But there's no one to check
It's all a stacked deck
We all know for sure that it's real
We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear
Little by little
You turn in the middle
But you're never sure why you're here
We live in a political world
Under the microscope
You can travel anywhere
And hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope
We live in a political world
Turning and trashing about
As soon as you're awake
You're trained to take
What looks like the easy way out
We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all
It's turned away from the door
To wonder some more
Or put up against the wall
We live in a political world
Everything is hers and his
Climb into the frame
And shout God's name
But you're never sure what it is
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
No Surprises
Radiohead
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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
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
This song should be interpreted considering the following quote from "Union Sundown" (Album: Infidels):
Democracy don't rule the world, You'd better get that in your head. This world is ruled by violence But I guess that's better left unsaid.
I keep trying to find out what is making our world politial, how this works, and what would be the better, non-political character. It appears that political decisions are dominated by consderations of finding enough allies to have them pushed through. They are led by tactics. "Polticial world" tells us what gets lost when our decisions and our consciences are censored by political considerations.