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.
Burn it down
It's a production of fear
Take another look isn't it clear
It's all so sadistic, annihilistic, it's so fucking vicious
It's getting harder to feel for all the people I kill
No time to cry for those who died
They stay unjustified
Through these eyes I see the catastrophe lying in my wake
Voices inside my mind shiver my spine
I am not ashamed
Look at me I'm a dead man walking
Put another nail in the coffin
On the hill I see the bodies burning
Burn it down
Looking back at the fields, all the blood that I've spilt
There's no emotion, just destruction of another person
Look at the blood on my hands
I feel no pain in my heart
Take a paxil, take a xanax
It won't erase the memories
Through these eyes I have seen such misery
I am not afraid
And if I should die tonight that would be just fine
Lay me in my grave
Look at me I'm a dead man walking
Put another nail in the coffin
On a hill I see the bodies burning
Burn it down
Burn it down
Burn it down
Burn it down
False evidence appearing real
So superficial, so superficial
So superficial, so superficial
It's a production of fear
Take another look isn't it clear
It's all so sadistic, annihilistic, it's so fucking vicious
It's getting harder to feel for all the people I kill
No time to cry for those who died
They stay unjustified
Through these eyes I see the catastrophe lying in my wake
Voices inside my mind shiver my spine
I am not ashamed
Look at me I'm a dead man walking
Put another nail in the coffin
On the hill I see the bodies burning
Burn it down
Looking back at the fields, all the blood that I've spilt
There's no emotion, just destruction of another person
Look at the blood on my hands
I feel no pain in my heart
Take a paxil, take a xanax
It won't erase the memories
Through these eyes I have seen such misery
I am not afraid
And if I should die tonight that would be just fine
Lay me in my grave
Look at me I'm a dead man walking
Put another nail in the coffin
On a hill I see the bodies burning
Burn it down
Burn it down
Burn it down
Burn it down
False evidence appearing real
So superficial, so superficial
So superficial, so superficial
Lyrics submitted by fallen_sunset
Dead Man Walking Lyrics as written by Kurt Ebelhaeuser Dylan Kennedy
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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Sounds like a killer who knows hes pretty much dead inside, being he isn't able to feel shame or guilt for all that hes killed, and obviously his life means nothing to him anymore. It could be about a soldier( as ToxicityBulletCM pointed out) being that they are conditioned to not feel guilt for killing, and they are pretty much war tools. Being that war is hell, the soldier doesn't care if he dies or not.
Amazing Song !!!!!
I Love It
the growl in the middle of the song is just fuckin brilliant
this song is awesome!!!!
a really good heavy metal
whenever i play smackdown vs raw 2009 i always have it on this song.
I get a slight feeling its about soldiers
this is a great song love to play this song when i play games
Late to the party here, but here goes:
This song makes me think of how one moves on from people for whatever reason: maybe its a backstabbing friend, a cheating girlfriend/boyfriend, an abusive parent, a toxic work environment, etc.
The way this song portrays killing and spilling blood could very well be killing the relationships with people that one needs to move on from.
"No time to cry for those who died They stay unjustified" -No point in feeling bad about telling those who need to hear how shit they are, its gotta be done.
Being a "Dead man walking" very well can be that feeling of being numb from the frustrations and emotions from cutting people off. Are they the best decisions? Who knows.
idk, just my thoughts.