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.
Will you give all you got to give, are you making it up a bit
Are you loosing your mind, loosing track of time
Hide yourself in a masquerade, falling into this escapade
Watch yourself dancing with the clowns
Did you think you would be up with the kings and the queens
Building castles of sand, it gets out of hand
You know there's no guarantee surviving anomalies
No one can breathe in the sea, ironically
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
Counteract and get physical, deaf to anything critical
I don't mean to be cynical but you're fading away
Everybody has disappeared, will the walls listen to your fears
There's no reflection here, ironically
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
It is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
Are you loosing your mind, loosing track of time
Hide yourself in a masquerade, falling into this escapade
Watch yourself dancing with the clowns
Did you think you would be up with the kings and the queens
Building castles of sand, it gets out of hand
You know there's no guarantee surviving anomalies
No one can breathe in the sea, ironically
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
Counteract and get physical, deaf to anything critical
I don't mean to be cynical but you're fading away
Everybody has disappeared, will the walls listen to your fears
There's no reflection here, ironically
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
It is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
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