Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Hear footsteps creak the floor
The shadows give away
Someone outside the door
Wont let them in
Life damaged, gears to grind
A run-down broke machine
That steals your peace of mind
Before you know it's gone
Lay down
Lay
Silence burning, hold your tongue
Keep us separate, sullen, dumb
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
These things I hate in you
Also reflect it seems
Distortion laced with spite
Takes you out of me
Lay down
Lay
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface something
Crawling on your skin, discomfort
Makes you break and run, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
The shadows give away
Someone outside the door
Wont let them in
Life damaged, gears to grind
A run-down broke machine
That steals your peace of mind
Before you know it's gone
Lay down
Lay
Silence burning, hold your tongue
Keep us separate, sullen, dumb
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
These things I hate in you
Also reflect it seems
Distortion laced with spite
Takes you out of me
Lay down
Lay
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface something
Crawling on your skin, discomfort
Makes you break and run, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
Lyrics submitted by stonechainorioles, edited by travislandrews
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
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
i think personally for the band, this was about the time when layne dived deeper into his drug dependancy, and instead of reaching out to his band members/friends for help, he shut them out of his life and didn't listen to them, and acted in a way that hurt them...you could apply this to any of your friends that have ever shut you out before.