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'm looking for a sign
My spirit's faded
She holds on like a vine
Patterns in traffic
They sound just like my heart racing the dark
In time to catch you
No one should let you
Go wandering off into the night
You're not an orphan.
I keep waiting for my breath
To come back never
So I've take what I have left
Patterns in traffic
The pulse just like my heart racing the dark
In time to catch you
No one should let you
Go wandering off into the night
You're not an orphan.
Right there to catch you
I won't forget you
But now you're wandering to the night
But you're no orphan.
[Repeat: x2]
You're not an orphan
I never thought the day would come
(You're not an orphan)
They tell me that you've finally run
(You're not, you're not, you're not an orphan)
I guess you always said you would someday
My spirit's faded
She holds on like a vine
Patterns in traffic
They sound just like my heart racing the dark
In time to catch you
No one should let you
Go wandering off into the night
You're not an orphan.
I keep waiting for my breath
To come back never
So I've take what I have left
Patterns in traffic
The pulse just like my heart racing the dark
In time to catch you
No one should let you
Go wandering off into the night
You're not an orphan.
Right there to catch you
I won't forget you
But now you're wandering to the night
But you're no orphan.
[Repeat: x2]
You're not an orphan
I never thought the day would come
(You're not an orphan)
They tell me that you've finally run
(You're not, you're not, you're not an orphan)
I guess you always said you would someday
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I agree with suckyourpitydownx.
It's about a girl he knows about to commit suicide, and hes trying to race to get to her before she does.
"Patterns in traffic They sound just like my heart Race in the dark In time to catch you"
And the reason she is going to kill herself is because she tries to believe shes alone in her life, when she really isnt. Like shes trying to make her life a tragedy even though its perfectly okay.
"No one should let you Go wandering off into the night You're not an orphan."
And even in his best attempts to save her, he's too late. "I never thought the day would come (you're not an orphan) They tell me that you've finally run (you're not an orphan) I guess you always said you would someday (you're not an orphan)"
So yep. My thoughts.
honestly one of the best new songs. it's so beautiful. i have no idea what it's about but i think it's great.
i think "you're not an orphan" is saying that "you're not alone." because when you think of an orphan, generally you think of a scared, lonely little child. but this song is saying that you're not an orphan, you're not alone, i'm here for you.
sounds kind of like suicide to me, atleast thats my first thought, I could be wrong.
They tell me that you've finally run (possibly saying this certain person has finally killed themself.)
I don't know.
this song is so beautiful, it's far too short, i wish it were longer. when i first heard it, i thought it said 'they tell me that you've finally won', which would have similar meaning.
Could the person he is saying "you're not an orphan" to be Annie? Like the reference to little orphan Annie. Just a thought that popped into my mind
To see what this song is about, go here: absolutepunk.net/showthread.php
For the rest of the album: absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php
I love this song, it's absolutely beautiful. I don't have much to say about the meaning, though, because since it keeps coming up next to "Vermillion" on my mp3 player's shuffle, I just associate it with the Bokurano anime now >.< And while it fits very well with bits of that, it's obviously not what it's supposed to be about XD
I don't know about this song. I thought it was about suicide too until I saw a video that said it was related to the resolution so I think maybe it's about this girl just getting up and leaving, starting a new life
"No one should let you Go wandering off into the night You're not an orphan."
meaning that if she just leaves she still has ties, it's not like she has nobody and nobody will miss her
"I never thought the day would come (you're not an orphan) They tell me that you've finally run (you're not an orphan) I guess you always said you would someday (you're not an orphan)"
and she's spoken about just leaving before, getting out of her life and just running away but nobody thought she ever would and now she's just left and nobody can believe it
I don't know. that's just how I see it.
'They sound just like my heart RACING the dark'
not race in.
'So take what I have left Patterns in traffic That PULSE just like my heart'
not pulls.
all according to the booklet inside the c.d. case. 'cause i'm the dork who reads every single word of those. ;]