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.
From the soundtrack to the film of the same name.
Empty out your pockets, toss the lot upon the floor.
All those treasures, my friend,
You dont need them anymore.
Your days are all through dying,
They gave all their ghosts away,
So kiss close all your wounds and call living life a day.
For the planets gravitate around you,
And the stars shower down around you,
And the angels in heaven adore you,
And the saints all stand and applaud you.
So faraway,
So faraway and yet so close.
Say farewell to the passing of the years,
Though all your sweet goodbyes will fall upon deaf ears.
Kiss so softly the mouths of the ones you love,
Beneath the september moon and the heavens above.
And the world will turn without you,
And history will soon forget about you,
But the heavens they will reward you,
And the saints will be there to escort you.
So faraway,
So faraway and yet so close.
Do not grieve at the passing of mortality,
For lifes but a thing of terrible gravity.
And the planets gravitate around you,
And the stars shall dance about you,
And the angels in heaven adore you,
And the saints all stand and applaud you.
So faraway,
So faraway and yet so close.
Empty out your pockets, toss the lot upon the floor.
All those treasures, my friend,
You dont need them anymore.
Your days are all through dying,
They gave all their ghosts away,
So kiss close all your wounds and call living life a day.
For the planets gravitate around you,
And the stars shower down around you,
And the angels in heaven adore you,
And the saints all stand and applaud you.
So faraway,
So faraway and yet so close.
Say farewell to the passing of the years,
Though all your sweet goodbyes will fall upon deaf ears.
Kiss so softly the mouths of the ones you love,
Beneath the september moon and the heavens above.
And the world will turn without you,
And history will soon forget about you,
But the heavens they will reward you,
And the saints will be there to escort you.
So faraway,
So faraway and yet so close.
Do not grieve at the passing of mortality,
For lifes but a thing of terrible gravity.
And the planets gravitate around you,
And the stars shall dance about you,
And the angels in heaven adore you,
And the saints all stand and applaud you.
So faraway,
So faraway and yet so close.
Lyrics submitted by ecorchee1
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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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."
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Holy no comments batman! For real? God, i love this song. I've had this on a compilation of scattered and unreleased Nick songs from way back, well before the B-Sides album got released, and this has always been one of my most loved tracks on there.
This is one of the songs that better be played at my funeral. That and Tom Wait's "Green Grass", and John Prine's "Please Don't Bury Me," and (of course) "Lay Me Low." And, thanking the man jesus, i have never had anyone terribly close to me die, but when they do, this fucker's getting played by me and my guitar for them without question, and probably much to the chagrin of anyone in attendance. A great song about death, and reassuring ourselves about it. "Your days are all through dying, they gave all their ghosts away. So kiss close all of your wounds, and call living life a day." So sadly sweet.
Oh and here's a weird thing. When i got the B-Sides album, i was surprised that "Faraway, So Close" was not on there. Disappointing, but then, at the end of the 1st CD, there was this song called "What Can I Give You?" that i had never heard sounding almost exactly like "Faraway, So Close." What's the story there? Which was written first, and why are there two? It really tripped me out and i thought i was crazy. Little Ghost Song, off the 3rd CD is similar in that respect. Odd stuff.
For the record, this song is way better than "What Can I Give You?" - sorry Nick and Co., just my feeling.