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.
Daylight take us
Lead us on our way
On our way
Daylight take us (There's a fire and I feel it inside my chest)
Lead us on our way (There's a fire and I feel it in every breath)
On our way (I know we meant for more than this, daylight take us, lead us, on our way)
We are the atmosphere
We are the waiting sky
We are the atmosphere
We cannot die
We are the atmosphere
We are the waiting sky
We are the atmosphere
We cannot die
Daylight take us
Lead us on our way
On our way
We cannot die
Daylight will take us
Lead us on our way
On our way
Lead us on our way
On our way
Daylight take us (There's a fire and I feel it inside my chest)
Lead us on our way (There's a fire and I feel it in every breath)
On our way (I know we meant for more than this, daylight take us, lead us, on our way)
We are the atmosphere
We are the waiting sky
We are the atmosphere
We cannot die
We are the atmosphere
We are the waiting sky
We are the atmosphere
We cannot die
Daylight take us
Lead us on our way
On our way
We cannot die
Daylight will take us
Lead us on our way
On our way
Lyrics submitted by Craigman510
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The first time I heard this song, I was thinking about how the girl in the song was either one of the three: Dead, hooked on drugs and dying, or underwater. I thought about those three things until I really started to listen to the song, then I got to thinking.
Who says the girl was the one in trouble? It was all of the rest that were doomed from the start but they weren't aware.
"they're ten feet deep and no one knows they're in it; they're all too busy living."
So now she tries to correct the way of the people and, by chance or bad luck, she too is lost. For what reason is she lost? Sadly it is because she witnessed what has already happened around her.
"the lights flash red, she knows that she is in it, because she's only seen it."
She restrained herself from what everyone else was doing, but after the realization of being doomed with the rest she gave up hope, and let herself be taken in with the crowd. Doing what they did. Except now she did more then the rest, getting deeper and deeper then the others, to them, she was "ten feet deep" and they couldn't do anything.
"She was holding back, now she's holding up; she was ten feet deep before they finally found her, and she couldn't recover."
Now here is the part that I really don't understand either. It could mean that they think they are too powerful to lost to anyone or anything, but I really don't think that's all they it could mean.
"We are the atmosphere We cannot die"
This is when she starts to die. Feeling the pain of the people, and remembering that fact they were all doomed, she came up with one last thought "they're all just sinners". Then at the start of the night, she dies.
"she takes a drink to see the atmosphere this night's lost too soon, she's on her way home"
Hope may have come from the girls death, or do they await divine punishment? It is for you to decide.
"There's a fire and I feel it inside my chest There's a fire and I feel it in every breath I know we were meant for more than this, daylight, take us, lead us, on our way"