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.
I've been habitually rubbing the sleep from my eyes,
I see the rain does not respect state lines, why should you?
And I've seen dirt dry fires arise by pissing boy fountain statues
And they say electricity, can travel up your piss stream
Oh am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny?
Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race
Will I gain weight in later life?
And when will someone swing a scythe against me?
Out of every woman on earth, who will I mate with?
Or will I spit empty threats, until all that's left, is a million zeros printed on a roll of ticker-tape?
And one last echo of the final tiny wave in my wake?
Will all my unused seed collect like mercury, in some kind of afterlife for halves?
Should I offer up my lats and pecs as stakes in death?
Whatever the will of the people shall be, Ohio and me
But am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny?
Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race
Will I gain weight in later life?
And when will someone swing a scythe against me?
Oh I'd rest in peace on a freshly cleaned and steamed plush carpet for sure,
In the vacant third floor of a department store
Or be hung with four nails on the projection wall
In an empty convention center banquet hall
That's right, I'm like everybody else is
Ashamed of sleep, I lie when a phone call wakes me
Oh am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny?
Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race
Will I gain weight in later life?
And when will someone swing a scythe against me?
I see the rain does not respect state lines, why should you?
And I've seen dirt dry fires arise by pissing boy fountain statues
And they say electricity, can travel up your piss stream
Oh am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny?
Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race
Will I gain weight in later life?
And when will someone swing a scythe against me?
Out of every woman on earth, who will I mate with?
Or will I spit empty threats, until all that's left, is a million zeros printed on a roll of ticker-tape?
And one last echo of the final tiny wave in my wake?
Will all my unused seed collect like mercury, in some kind of afterlife for halves?
Should I offer up my lats and pecs as stakes in death?
Whatever the will of the people shall be, Ohio and me
But am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny?
Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race
Will I gain weight in later life?
And when will someone swing a scythe against me?
Oh I'd rest in peace on a freshly cleaned and steamed plush carpet for sure,
In the vacant third floor of a department store
Or be hung with four nails on the projection wall
In an empty convention center banquet hall
That's right, I'm like everybody else is
Ashamed of sleep, I lie when a phone call wakes me
Oh am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny?
Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race
Will I gain weight in later life?
And when will someone swing a scythe against me?
Lyrics submitted by shitscold
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I'm not going to tackle the entire song. It is far too dense. I'm going try my hand at the verse that I've found most perplexing, not only in understanding the words (i.e., what is he saying?), but the meanings behind the words as they sound to me.
The lyrics that I find most inscrutable are:
Upon a closer listen, it sounds to me like:
It would fit with his concerns about the burn of scrutiny: a horse before the race is not fully prepared. One who is not fully prepared for something will feel "the burn of scrutiny."
So, perhaps the comparison is that in some aspect of his life, he feels like that horse, unprepared, naked, and therefore subject to the burn of scrutiny.