Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
I love the feeling when we lift off
Watching the world so small below
I love the dreaming when I think of
The safety in the clouds out my window
I wonder what keeps us so high up
Could there be a love beneath these wings?
If we suddenly fall should I scream out
Or keep very quite and cling to my mouth?
As I'm crying, so frightened of dying
Relax, yes, I'm trying
This fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
I love the quite of the night time
When the sun is drowning in the deathly sea
I can feel my heart beating as I speed from
The sense of time catching up with me
The sky set out like a pathway
But who decides which route we take
As people drift into a dream world
I close my eyes as my hands shake
And when I see a new day
Who's driving this anyway
I picture my own grave 'cause fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Floating neither up or down
I wonder when I'll hit the ground
Well, the earth beneath my body shake
And cast your sleeping hearts awake
Could it tremble stars from moon light skies?
Could it drag a tear from your cold eyes?
I live on the right side, I sleep in the left
That's why everything's gotta be love or death
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Watching the world so small below
I love the dreaming when I think of
The safety in the clouds out my window
I wonder what keeps us so high up
Could there be a love beneath these wings?
If we suddenly fall should I scream out
Or keep very quite and cling to my mouth?
As I'm crying, so frightened of dying
Relax, yes, I'm trying
This fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
I love the quite of the night time
When the sun is drowning in the deathly sea
I can feel my heart beating as I speed from
The sense of time catching up with me
The sky set out like a pathway
But who decides which route we take
As people drift into a dream world
I close my eyes as my hands shake
And when I see a new day
Who's driving this anyway
I picture my own grave 'cause fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Floating neither up or down
I wonder when I'll hit the ground
Well, the earth beneath my body shake
And cast your sleeping hearts awake
Could it tremble stars from moon light skies?
Could it drag a tear from your cold eyes?
I live on the right side, I sleep in the left
That's why everything's gotta be love or death
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Yes, this fear's got a hold on me
Lyrics submitted by cosinewave, edited by Alieno
Death Lyrics as written by Denis Leary
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
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
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Show Me a Little Shame
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
He certainly did earn that reputation.
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
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.
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."
Straight from the CD insert. So these are the official lyrics:
I love the feeling when we lift off Watching the world so small below I love the dreaming when I think of The safety in the clouds out my window I wonder what keeps us so high up Could there be love beneath these wings? If we suddenly fall should I scream out? Or keep very quiet and cling to My mouth as I'm crying So frightened of dying "Relax" Yes I'm trying But fear's got a hold on me.
Yes this fear's got a hold of me.
I love the quiet of the night time When the sun has drowned in a deathly sea. I can feel my heart beating as I speed from. The sense of time catching up with me. The sky set out like a pathway But who decides which route we take? As people drift into a dream world I close my eyes and my hands shake And will i see a new day? Who's driving this anyway? I picture my own grave 'Cos fear's got a hold of me
Yes this fear's got a hold of me
Floating neither up or down I wonder when I hit the ground Will the earth beneath my body shake And cast your sleeping hearts awake? Could it tremble stars from moonlit skies? Could it drag a tear from your cold eyes? I'll live on the right side and sleep on the left That's why everything's got to be love or death
Yes this fear's got a hold of me.
Some of it may not sound right but that's what the CD booklet says, so that's what they are.