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 see the sunlight on your face,
I see the darkness in your eyes.
In my mind, that’s lover’s paradox.
I always try to give you space,
No way to cut you down to size.
We got lost in our heart shape box.
Oh, should we try to have some cuts,
Or should we just go separate ways?
Or best yet, why don’t we move our grot?
Maybe Belgrade on the train,
But we can get out of this maze.
It sounds like we’re both confused and bored.
So tear me up
And knock me down.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
You know that I depend on you,
You know that you depend on love.
And then love, well, love depends on me.
From my subjective point of view,
It never works like hand in glove.
But still I, I hope you disagree.
So tear me up
And knock me down.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
And I’m tired of you being tired of me,
Oh yeah, that’s right, sometimes I wish we just could let it be.
And I’m tired of me being tired of you,
It's something, yes, sometimes you wish you meet somebody new.
You...
Sometimes I wish that too.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
So tear me up
And knock me down.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
No one gets around.
No one gets around.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
So tear me up
And send me out.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I see the darkness in your eyes.
In my mind, that’s lover’s paradox.
I always try to give you space,
No way to cut you down to size.
We got lost in our heart shape box.
Oh, should we try to have some cuts,
Or should we just go separate ways?
Or best yet, why don’t we move our grot?
Maybe Belgrade on the train,
But we can get out of this maze.
It sounds like we’re both confused and bored.
So tear me up
And knock me down.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
You know that I depend on you,
You know that you depend on love.
And then love, well, love depends on me.
From my subjective point of view,
It never works like hand in glove.
But still I, I hope you disagree.
So tear me up
And knock me down.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
And I’m tired of you being tired of me,
Oh yeah, that’s right, sometimes I wish we just could let it be.
And I’m tired of me being tired of you,
It's something, yes, sometimes you wish you meet somebody new.
You...
Sometimes I wish that too.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
So tear me up
And knock me down.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
I messed you up,
To watch you frown.
Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
No one gets around.
No one gets around.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
So tear me up
And send me out.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
Lyrics submitted by acidmaniac
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
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"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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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.
Gentle Hour
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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,
No Surprises
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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.
brilliant song. i can't wait to see them play this live. this song is quite different from every other track on the album - and reminds me a lot of the Home From Home LP.
I think the meaning is fairly clear here - everybody has been in this boat, where times are rough and are probably not going to get any better, you both can see that and both know that it needs to end, but still can't. when the word 'lovers' becomes a paradox.
as with most millencolin songs, it can be hard to hear the lyrics.. i think the following adjustments need to be made. can anyone back me up?
'Oh, should we try to have some cuts,' '.. try to have some kids'
'Or best yet, why don’t we move our grot?' '...why don’t we move apart?'
'I messed you up' '.. mess you up' (except first time after bridge)
Oh, should we try to have some GUTS Or should we just go separate ways? Or best yet, why don’t we move ABROAD? Maybe BERLIN OR MADRID, But we can get out of this maze. It sounds like we’re both confused and bored.
think this is a more correct 2nd part but still not sure about the abroud/apart thing, other things are pretty obvious if you ask me
and in the 6th part, sure about this one And I’m tired of me being tired of you, It's OBVIOUS, sometimes you wish you meet somebody new.
I see the sunlight on your face, I see the darkness in your eyes. In my mind, that’s lover’s paradox. I always try to give you space, No way to cut you down to size. We got lost in our heart shape box.
Oh, should we try to have some KIDS Or should we just go separate ways? Or best yet, why don’t we move ABROAD? Maybe BELGRADE OR MADRID, But we can get out of this maze. It sounds like we’re both confused and bored.
So tear me up And knock me down. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around. I messed you up, To watch you frown. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
You know that I depend on you, You know that you depend on love. And then love, well, love depends on me. From my subjective point of view, It never works like hand in glove. But still I, I hope you disagree.
So tear me up And knock me down. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around. I messed you up, To watch you frown. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
And I’m tired of you being tired of me, Oh yeah, that’s right, sometimes I wish we just could let it be. And I’m tired of me being tired of you, It's OBVIOUS, sometimes you wish you meet somebody new. You... Sometimes I wish that too.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around. I messed you up, To watch you frown. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around.
So tear me up And knock me down. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around. I messed you up, To watch you frown. Just like a vicious circle no one gets around. No one gets around. No one gets around.
It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around. So tear me up And send me out. It’s like a vicious circle no one gets around.
After listening more closely, this must be like the correct lyrics :) Feel free to make corrections if you find something :)
Cool song
im looking at the lyrics book on the album and it is KIDS not CUTS, and its ABROAD not APART, and its BELGRADE OR MADRID
good song, the lyrics are a bit far off but
fav song of the new record. i love it and i'm acutally listening to it the whole day.
Wow, defintely one of their most emotional songs. Obviously about a relationship falling apart. Reminds me of my ex girlfriend. While things were strong, I listened to this song a lot, and it became my anthem when she decided I wasn't good enough. AWESOME song that lots of people can relate to!