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.
My world astir and sickly
Spits out our voices singing
"Tra la la la" on high now
To kingdom come so slightly
Herein a void in your place
I twitch and tweak in allusion
To sit and stare so blankly
Until all hope is used up
Why do I always need to need you when you're fleeting?
Where do you go when I'm around?
What have I done, what have I lost that's so defeating?
And have the nerve to wear a crown?
Oh na na na na na na
Hey hey hey hey
In some dark room
A smoky figure fills me full
Makes my head swell in ruin
My family kneels at their pew
They nod, "We believe in
What you're doing"
I feel it rise above me
The western landscapes towering
And from my shell of a body
The flowers blossom for picking
I've waited and waited
For someone to take it
Don't fight it, don't bother
An inch for another
Don't listen
Don't hear them
They're in this together
I've learned well
Now hear me
There's much to be fearing
I'm used to your absence
Your faceless distractions
I've painted your patterns
But found them attractive
Now I've been leaning towards
A life far more candid
Though lead through the dark
With your eyes as my candles
Where your life
And my life's directions
Can wrangle
And all of a sudden
You've left me to handle
The reasons that never
Forbid me to stand tall
And somehow or somewhere
I found out the secret
To staying alive
Without actually breathing
Spits out our voices singing
"Tra la la la" on high now
To kingdom come so slightly
Herein a void in your place
I twitch and tweak in allusion
To sit and stare so blankly
Until all hope is used up
Why do I always need to need you when you're fleeting?
Where do you go when I'm around?
What have I done, what have I lost that's so defeating?
And have the nerve to wear a crown?
Oh na na na na na na
Hey hey hey hey
In some dark room
A smoky figure fills me full
Makes my head swell in ruin
My family kneels at their pew
They nod, "We believe in
What you're doing"
I feel it rise above me
The western landscapes towering
And from my shell of a body
The flowers blossom for picking
I've waited and waited
For someone to take it
Don't fight it, don't bother
An inch for another
Don't listen
Don't hear them
They're in this together
I've learned well
Now hear me
There's much to be fearing
I'm used to your absence
Your faceless distractions
I've painted your patterns
But found them attractive
Now I've been leaning towards
A life far more candid
Though lead through the dark
With your eyes as my candles
Where your life
And my life's directions
Can wrangle
And all of a sudden
You've left me to handle
The reasons that never
Forbid me to stand tall
And somehow or somewhere
I found out the secret
To staying alive
Without actually breathing
Lyrics submitted by HopeSoForYou
Eyes as Candles Lyrics as written by Michael Angelakos
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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lyric: "to kingdom come so slightly."
that might answer questions about the song title. i love both songs though.
You failed to note these lyrics further on though:<br /> <br /> I've painted your problems but found them attractive.<br /> Now I've been leaning towards a life far more caring,<br /> thrown back through the dark with your eyes as my candles,<br /> <br /> In fact, To Kingdom Come has no mention at all neither kingdoms nor candles.<br /> It may very well be that they liked them both as titles for this particular song, chose one and slapped the other on another song.<br /> <br /> According to Wikipedia the above lyrics match as well as the lyrics to To Kingdom Come based on the length of the tracks.<br /> Also on the Passion Pit facebook page they have a playable Eyes as Candles track and it is indeed the above lyrics.