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.
why do i keep falling back to you
you're a holy ghost, my mother told me all about you
its funny how i complicate the two
you're a sacred heart
if i've ever missed one
the ship is heading underneath the sea
you were the last reason i was waking up each morning
i cut a whole in my throat just for you
what a dirty love
if i've ever tasted one
you're a sacred heart
for a preaching dead man
i've got a sacred plan
from a preaching dead man
you're a holy ghost, my mother told me all about you
its funny how i complicate the two
you're a sacred heart
if i've ever missed one
the ship is heading underneath the sea
you were the last reason i was waking up each morning
i cut a whole in my throat just for you
what a dirty love
if i've ever tasted one
you're a sacred heart
for a preaching dead man
i've got a sacred plan
from a preaching dead man
Lyrics submitted by measure3three, edited by MSloom
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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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woah. i thought this was just a MO song... wow wow wow wow wow. this is blowing my mind... i just downloaded RAGC today and this song is my favorite MO song... with slightly different lyrics. i love how andy hull uses this song for both of his projects and how the lyrics have evolved.
i love this song. i feel like it means what it says it is "a sailor's drunken eulogy", or his drunken tribute of undying love to his cheating wife. he still loves her, even after what she did, he keeps on falling back to her. he compares her to a ghost, never leaving his thoughts. <br /> <br /> he calls his love for her dirty, it is, he shouldn't love her after what she did to him, but he cant help it he just does. her heart is sacred to him, it is holy, he still holds her on a pedestal even after what she has done. this song is him realizing he shouldnt love her and confessing his love for her at the same time.<br /> <br /> i don't now what two things he speaks of complicating in the first verse, or what he means by her being the LAST reason he was waking up...maybe he didnt realize that he kept her in the back of his mind, that he kept on loving her, and living for her, to get her back..just a guess. i also don't know what he means by cutting a whole in his throat just for her...maybe by loving her he was giving up a piece of himself, he was giving up his ability to say what he want to say, perhaps he didnt say how he truly felt betrayed bc he loves her so...idk tho,<br /> any other thoughts?
i love this song. i feel like it means what it says it is "a sailor's drunken eulogy", or his drunken tribute of undying love to his cheating wife. he still loves her, even after what she did, he keeps on falling back to her. he compares her to a ghost, never leaving his thoughts.
he calls his love for her dirty, it is, he shouldn't love her after what she did to him, but he cant help it he just does. her heart is sacred to him, it is holy, he still holds her on a pedestal even after what she has done. this song is him realizing he shouldnt love her and confessing his love for her at the same time.
i don't now what two things he speaks of complicating in the first verse, or what he means by her being the LAST reason he was waking up...maybe he didnt realize that he kept her in the back of his mind, that he kept on loving her, and living for her, to get her back..just a guess. i also don't know what he means by cutting a whole in his throat just for her...maybe by loving her he was giving up a piece of himself, he was giving up his ability to say what he want to say, perhaps he didnt say how he truly felt betrayed bc he loves her so...idk tho, any other thoughts?
This song is one of the saddest ones in my opinion. The captain just died, and he's back to think about his wife. The captain was the last person he had to talk to, everyone has left him.
I think the two things he complicates are "holy" and "ghost" how when someone dies you seem to glorify them into more than they were. so the holy ghost is either his wife or his captain. His wife isn't dead but she's been out of his life for so long, her absence makes his love stronger than it would be if they were together. He has always looked up to his captain as nearly godlike
This song is the sailor’s eulogy for his Captain, the last person in his life that he had any concern and respect for. It's important to keep in mind that the sailor is drunk and not in his right mind while giving the eulogy.
"Why do I keep falling back to you? You're the Holy Ghost my mother told me all about you" The sailor can't stop thinking about the Captain and, through his obsessive thoughts. He begins to get confused with the Captains identity in death. To the sailor, the Captain has become God-like in death, "you're the Holy Ghost my mother told me all about you". Holy Ghost is a reference to one of the parts of the holy trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) in the Christian religion. According to Christian beliefs, the Holy Ghost is the part of God that lives inside of us and speaks to us.
"It's funny how I complicate the two" This is him realizing that it's not possible for his Captain to literally be the Holy Ghost, yet he can't shake the feeling the he is.
"You're a sacred heart if I've ever missed one" Regardless his confusion as to whether or not the Captain is the Holy Ghost, he acknowledges that, in his eyes, the Captain was sacred, perfect, and flawless.
"The ship is heading underneath the sea. You were the last reason I was waking up each morning" The Sailor has reached a turning point through the Captains death. He now feels that life is not worth living because the one thing that was holding him together is now gone. He is planning to sink the ship as his means of suicide.
"I cut a whole in my throat just for you" The sailor is further emphasizing his desire to not be in the mortal world anymore. He's metaphorically going to slit his own throat by sinking the ship.
"What a dirty love if I've ever tasted one" He understands that it's crazy to sink the boat but doesn't care. His love for the Captain is dirty and driving him to do things that are irrational.
"You’re a sacred heart for a preaching dead man" The sailor expresses once again that the Captain is sacred. He now believes that the Captain is pushing him to sink the ship.
"I've got a sacred plan from a preaching dead man" The sailor is not going to let the Captain down, he's going to take on "the Captains" task of sinking the ship.