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.
Cut me down from here
Fade it out, my time
Stretch it out, my face
I stay here
Stained
Cut me down from here
I’m running out of space
Fade it out, my time
Stretch it out, my face
I stay here
Stained
Cut me down from here
I’m running out of space
Lyrics submitted by saturnine
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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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.
I personally think this is a gorgeous song. It connects with me in ways some of the other songs don't, perhaps for its simplicity, but maybe more of what it means to me. It seems as if the person is speaking like they are stuck somewhere and in pain (emotionally); maybe trapped in the aftermath of a horrible break-up, trapped in the pain and wanting to get out of the pain its causing. Also, it can apply to other sorts of situations that cause deep emotional scarring and pain.
i totally agree w the previous comment.. im a huge fa of this band but i just got to listen to this track recently and honestly i felt more in love w blue foundation cause it was really like this song was written based on my life atm well i think the lyrical I is in some very very unconfortable situation (he says "Cut me down from here" twice in a very short song) but, despite the fact that verses 1,2,3 and 6 sound like he's asking for help (and he sings it rapidly), verses 4 and 5, obviously the main part of the song, sound more like he is imposing himself over the problem... why? cause he uses the terms "time" and "space" on expressions that give me the idea that he no longer measures/controls his time and has lost the notion of his place bc of the unconfortable situation.. like he is losing himself, his selfesteem, his identity (nothing is more "you" than your face, and he uses the term "my face") bc of the problem idk i probably didnt make myself clear well i don't even speak english fluently and im trying to explain my personal thoughts, smthg i cant even do in my own idiom so fuck it! anyway that's what i get from this song