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.
It's February and I just want April
To take my hand and pick me up again
Yeah, I'm numb but it's really not that bad
Live life 'til you get it wrong
Take a breath and turn your head
Oh my god, I've gotta get out of this trend
It's 8 o'clock in the middle of a last chance
Can't we just pretend we don't know
Anything or anyone or anywhere anyway?
It's kinda scary in the dark in the dim light
Can't I just pretend I don't mind
Everything or everyone or everywhere anyway?
I've got a lot of life and you've got nothing, nothing
I've got a lot of life and you
Don't swallow the sun, the moon isn't bright enough
We're all like flashlights, useless till you turn us on
Sex and cigarettes are real, the apocalypse is fate
Replace the T with a K
Religion's a reminder that our past is filled with liars
I spell my name with capital letters
But I don't talk much 'cause I'm a beginner at this life thing
Yeah, I'm young but that don't mean much here
If everyone knows that they're gonna grow old
Then why do we act like why we don't like the past?
If we had the chance we'd do it all over again
I've got a lot of life and you've got nothing, nothing
I've got a lot of life and you
Don't swallow the sun, the moon isn't bright enough
We're all like flashlights, useless till you turn us on
Sex and cigarettes are real, the apocalypse is fate
Replace the T with a K
Religion's a reminder that our past is filled with liars
I've spent 21 years replacing my old fears for new ones
I've asked why, how and where
More times than I care to remember
I've got 7 days 'til a new week comes
And 24 hours to convince myself I'm real
'Cause today I'm not so sure I even exist
Sitting by the sinners on a bad day
Everybody's kiss is contagious
I'm tired of watching wars on my TV screen
There's not an easy way to say this
Nobody likes a winter sitting on the wind while the trees get thinner
Can't you just pretend you're a good kid?
Can't I just pretend I really give a shit
Even though I don't really know how I want to live?
I promise I'll be a better person this time next year
This time next year
To take my hand and pick me up again
Yeah, I'm numb but it's really not that bad
Live life 'til you get it wrong
Take a breath and turn your head
Oh my god, I've gotta get out of this trend
It's 8 o'clock in the middle of a last chance
Can't we just pretend we don't know
Anything or anyone or anywhere anyway?
It's kinda scary in the dark in the dim light
Can't I just pretend I don't mind
Everything or everyone or everywhere anyway?
I've got a lot of life and you've got nothing, nothing
I've got a lot of life and you
Don't swallow the sun, the moon isn't bright enough
We're all like flashlights, useless till you turn us on
Sex and cigarettes are real, the apocalypse is fate
Replace the T with a K
Religion's a reminder that our past is filled with liars
I spell my name with capital letters
But I don't talk much 'cause I'm a beginner at this life thing
Yeah, I'm young but that don't mean much here
If everyone knows that they're gonna grow old
Then why do we act like why we don't like the past?
If we had the chance we'd do it all over again
I've got a lot of life and you've got nothing, nothing
I've got a lot of life and you
Don't swallow the sun, the moon isn't bright enough
We're all like flashlights, useless till you turn us on
Sex and cigarettes are real, the apocalypse is fate
Replace the T with a K
Religion's a reminder that our past is filled with liars
I've spent 21 years replacing my old fears for new ones
I've asked why, how and where
More times than I care to remember
I've got 7 days 'til a new week comes
And 24 hours to convince myself I'm real
'Cause today I'm not so sure I even exist
Sitting by the sinners on a bad day
Everybody's kiss is contagious
I'm tired of watching wars on my TV screen
There's not an easy way to say this
Nobody likes a winter sitting on the wind while the trees get thinner
Can't you just pretend you're a good kid?
Can't I just pretend I really give a shit
Even though I don't really know how I want to live?
I promise I'll be a better person this time next year
This time next year
Lyrics submitted by youngmelon
Swallow the Sun Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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"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"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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i love the lyrics to this song.
It's 8:00 in the middle of a last chance, Can't we just pretend we don't know, Anything or anyone or anywhere anyway.
I've spent 21 years Replacing my old fears for new ones. I've asked why, how, and where? More times than I care to remember. I've got 7 days 'til a new week comes, And 24 hours to convince myself I'm real, 'Cause today I'm not so sure I even exist.