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.
Lo and behold!
They preach servility, the conformed way of breathing.
(They speak in the same tongues everyday.)
Betwixt fear I smelt a carcass bathed of sin.
The carrion swarm will love us for this one.
Our only curse is the disgusting rotting urge.
To feed our ears with the devils piss.
Loyal and servile we kneel before his fallen throne.
Let us try recite once, before we rot and burn.
Master almighty, my light, separate my sinful spine.
"Bow your heads, to the sound of creation. To the giver and taker of life."
Swallow the sand and let it drown your insides.
This must be cleansing.
Cleansing for the constant current of whispers.
In the eyes of every second there is the warm breath of his lowness.
Temptation is our common blood as it runs free through the brain of every human skull. Our fragile spines are so very weak.
We fracture to the calls of six fingers, eyes and feet.
Now I see what we've come to spectate today: To pit the flesh on our back against nerves will never hold our will.
They won't give in.
They won't give in until we've surrendered.
They won't give in.
The signals deep beneath my feet preach past the beat and rest beneath.
The martyrs call but we bind the lock and heave.
And now we've fallen from such monumental height
unto the grounds of summoning fear.
So perfectly measured, calculated every deed.
The books of his back hands march to the path of transcribed disease.
I've given up.
And the world has given in.
When there is nothing left of earth, recite the final words.
Recite the final words.
"Mother abysmal can you mask my life's obscenities?
The sky has spoken.
I'm in contempt up to my ears, mother.
Cry every unbirthed captive wolf.
The scale is now my master. Respond only to his voice"
Respond only to His voice.
They won't give in until we've surrendered.
They preach servility, the conformed way of breathing.
(They speak in the same tongues everyday.)
Betwixt fear I smelt a carcass bathed of sin.
The carrion swarm will love us for this one.
Our only curse is the disgusting rotting urge.
To feed our ears with the devils piss.
Loyal and servile we kneel before his fallen throne.
Let us try recite once, before we rot and burn.
Master almighty, my light, separate my sinful spine.
"Bow your heads, to the sound of creation. To the giver and taker of life."
Swallow the sand and let it drown your insides.
This must be cleansing.
Cleansing for the constant current of whispers.
In the eyes of every second there is the warm breath of his lowness.
Temptation is our common blood as it runs free through the brain of every human skull. Our fragile spines are so very weak.
We fracture to the calls of six fingers, eyes and feet.
Now I see what we've come to spectate today: To pit the flesh on our back against nerves will never hold our will.
They won't give in.
They won't give in until we've surrendered.
They won't give in.
The signals deep beneath my feet preach past the beat and rest beneath.
The martyrs call but we bind the lock and heave.
And now we've fallen from such monumental height
unto the grounds of summoning fear.
So perfectly measured, calculated every deed.
The books of his back hands march to the path of transcribed disease.
I've given up.
And the world has given in.
When there is nothing left of earth, recite the final words.
Recite the final words.
"Mother abysmal can you mask my life's obscenities?
The sky has spoken.
I'm in contempt up to my ears, mother.
Cry every unbirthed captive wolf.
The scale is now my master. Respond only to his voice"
Respond only to His voice.
They won't give in until we've surrendered.
Lyrics submitted by alien13
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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Pretty sure this song is about religion. It's leaning towards Christianity more than anything. The meaning of the song is clear to me: Believing in God more than anything else, but also when the Devil's trying to corrupt you and the demons of this world won't stop corrupting our lives with sin until you side with the Devil. However, put your faith into God, repent and he will forgive you of any sins you've committed in his eyes. Near the end when the person's "contempt" up to his ears, it means he's being tricked into putting faith into the Devil. And the whole world has "surrendered" their faith to God and has put into the Devil. And now the whole world has become some kind of a commemoration to wickedness. Anyway that's what I got from it. Could be totally off