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.
I will not be pushed
I will not be stamped defiled
I will not be crushed
I am not your only child
I am not a freak
Object of your own desire
I am not ashamed
I am not your alibi
I stand alone but I can see
You won't bring me down
Through all this pain and misery
I'm not broken
Crushed
Crushed
I am not a pawn
This is not a game of chess
I am not a pin
Stuck into your shiny vest
I am not a slave
I will do what I do best
Walking out on you
Take my life, leave the rest
I stand alone but I can see
You won't bring me down
Through all this pain and misery
I'm not broken
All the hatred, can't you see
You won't bring me down
All the light has set me free
I'm not broken
I stand alone but I can see
You won't bring me down
Through all this pain and misery
I'm not broken
All the hatred, can't you see
You won't bring me down
All the light has set me free
I'm not broken
I'm not broken
I will not be stamped defiled
I will not be crushed
I am not your only child
I am not a freak
Object of your own desire
I am not ashamed
I am not your alibi
I stand alone but I can see
You won't bring me down
Through all this pain and misery
I'm not broken
Crushed
Crushed
I am not a pawn
This is not a game of chess
I am not a pin
Stuck into your shiny vest
I am not a slave
I will do what I do best
Walking out on you
Take my life, leave the rest
I stand alone but I can see
You won't bring me down
Through all this pain and misery
I'm not broken
All the hatred, can't you see
You won't bring me down
All the light has set me free
I'm not broken
I stand alone but I can see
You won't bring me down
Through all this pain and misery
I'm not broken
All the hatred, can't you see
You won't bring me down
All the light has set me free
I'm not broken
I'm not broken
Lyrics submitted by Captain Asshole
Broken Lyrics as written by Roger Ramirez Bruce Dickinson
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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
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."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song is about The Prisoner, or at least has a lot of imagery from it:
"I will not be pushed, I will not be stamped, defiled" - From the episode 'Arrival', an almost direct quote of Number 6 talking to Number 2.
"I will not be crushed, I am not your only child" - in the episode 'Once Upon a Time', Number 2 probes Number 6's memories and finds that he had defiance towards his father.
"I am not a freak, object of your own desire" - in 'A Change of Mind', Number 2 tries to make Number 6 believe that he's had a lobotomy to stop him from being aggressive.
"I am not ashamed, I am not your alibi" - in 'Hammer Into Anvil', Number 6 tries to stop a villager from Number 2's mental torture, and the villager commits suicide. Number 2 threatens to make Number 6 pay, but Number 6 chooses instead to inflict his revenge on Number 2.
"I am not a pawn, this is not a game of chess" - in the episode 'Checkmate', Number 6 is a pawn in a real life game of chess, and is figuratively a "pawn" of the other prisoners in the village.
"I am not a pin stuck into your shiny vest" - all the villagers wear a badge with their number on it, but Number 6 refuses to wear his.
"I am not a slave, I will do what I do best, walking out on you, take my life and leave the rest" - Number 6 has a burning desire to escape The Village.
"I stand alone, now I can see You won't bring me down For all this pain and misery I'm not broken
All the hatred can't you see You won't bring me down All the light set me free I'm not broken"
The chorus refers to all the attempts the various Number 2s make to "break" Number 6 to extract the top secret information from him, and Number 6 ultimately resists each and every one of them.