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.
As I sit alone and tired with time to spare,
temptation rears its ugly head
Born from a deceptive dream into a nightmare
It calls to me again
Testing me to see if I will break this time
or at least how far I'll bend
I can see its glowing eyes and hear its evil cries
"Come dance with me, my friend..."
So, the things that I want to do, I find myself not doing,
but the things that I don't want to do, I fall into
Why? Why do we struggle with the former things
and live in our own power below our means?
War! Don't you understand this is war?
War with the principalities and powers
Things unseen that would devour us all
The spirit battles the flesh
And now my wounds are deep and torn wide open
I'm tired and weary, hurt and broken down
(Lead us not) Into temptation
(But deliver us) From the evil one
(Darkness falls) On my spirit again
(Again temptation calls) I can hear it
As the battle rages on and on,
I face the things that put my faith to the test
When fallen angels won't leave me alone
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
When my sword has broken off in my hand,
I see the dark futility of the flesh
When I'm about to fall, please help me stand
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
They're on my back
I run, but I can feel their talons digging in my flesh
Blood trickles down upon the earth
and I grow weaker with each breath
Each time I shake one off,
another wraps its teeth around my neck
And every time, the one, the thorn is there
to tear me down again
The angels counterstrike
Their flaming swords slice through the fallen ones
The demons reunite, attack again
The cycle has begun
Caught in the middle of this present darkness
with nowhere to run
We're in a holy war
As it is written, so shall it be done
“Where there's a will, there's a way,” they say
But sometimes my will seems to get in the way
So You will have to fight for me today
You will have to fight for me today
You will have to fight for me today
As the battle rages on and on,
I face the things that put my faith to the test
When fallen angels won't leave me alone
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
When my sword has broken off in my hand,
I see the dark futility of the flesh
When I'm about to fall, please help me stand
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
To rest (x4)
temptation rears its ugly head
Born from a deceptive dream into a nightmare
It calls to me again
Testing me to see if I will break this time
or at least how far I'll bend
I can see its glowing eyes and hear its evil cries
"Come dance with me, my friend..."
So, the things that I want to do, I find myself not doing,
but the things that I don't want to do, I fall into
Why? Why do we struggle with the former things
and live in our own power below our means?
War! Don't you understand this is war?
War with the principalities and powers
Things unseen that would devour us all
The spirit battles the flesh
And now my wounds are deep and torn wide open
I'm tired and weary, hurt and broken down
(Lead us not) Into temptation
(But deliver us) From the evil one
(Darkness falls) On my spirit again
(Again temptation calls) I can hear it
As the battle rages on and on,
I face the things that put my faith to the test
When fallen angels won't leave me alone
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
When my sword has broken off in my hand,
I see the dark futility of the flesh
When I'm about to fall, please help me stand
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
They're on my back
I run, but I can feel their talons digging in my flesh
Blood trickles down upon the earth
and I grow weaker with each breath
Each time I shake one off,
another wraps its teeth around my neck
And every time, the one, the thorn is there
to tear me down again
The angels counterstrike
Their flaming swords slice through the fallen ones
The demons reunite, attack again
The cycle has begun
Caught in the middle of this present darkness
with nowhere to run
We're in a holy war
As it is written, so shall it be done
“Where there's a will, there's a way,” they say
But sometimes my will seems to get in the way
So You will have to fight for me today
You will have to fight for me today
You will have to fight for me today
As the battle rages on and on,
I face the things that put my faith to the test
When fallen angels won't leave me alone
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
When my sword has broken off in my hand,
I see the dark futility of the flesh
When I'm about to fall, please help me stand
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
To rest (x4)
Lyrics submitted by ledtheater9, edited by Octavarium64
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