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.
There's a vulture perching right off screen
And it's bitter and whispers chaotic things
And it reached in quick ain't it worrying
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, stop listening
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
You're a marionette in the center of
All the twisting strings coming from above
It may seem too deep to recover from
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, just let it go
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
When the voices start spinning just be aware
I have brought enough stones for us to share
That one's grinning that one's burning, aim for the throat
Let him choke on the stones that we are to throw
It's the great downfall
Not the overthrow
If you shoot them down
It'll make you soar
When reactions turn into hurricanes
And the middle course seems a little tame
Whether full or empty it's all the same
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, you're not to blame
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
But now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
And it's bitter and whispers chaotic things
And it reached in quick ain't it worrying
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, stop listening
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
You're a marionette in the center of
All the twisting strings coming from above
It may seem too deep to recover from
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, just let it go
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
When the voices start spinning just be aware
I have brought enough stones for us to share
That one's grinning that one's burning, aim for the throat
Let him choke on the stones that we are to throw
It's the great downfall
Not the overthrow
If you shoot them down
It'll make you soar
When reactions turn into hurricanes
And the middle course seems a little tame
Whether full or empty it's all the same
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, you're not to blame
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
But now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
Lyrics submitted by combatwaffle
Substitution Lyrics as written by Christopher Andrew Guanlao Brian Nolan Kalei Aubert
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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”
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Have you listened to silversun pickups? I'd say a good third of their songs are about failed relationships. And for most people there's nothing mundane about it. And I really don't think the tone of the song matches the subject of suicide, it's just a tad too upbeat. Plus you didn't even mention how the title, or most of the lyrics for that matter, jive with suicide. The vulture offscreen is a universal omen for doom/decay, possibly as in a failing relationship. I think it's a stretch to attribute so much of their imagery to "voices" in your head. Plus, since when does hearing voices coincide with suicide, other than in the rare occurence of severe schizophrenia?