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 am a ghost, this is a dream
There's something here, it calls to me
I sense it 'cause it's always there
So silent as I stare and stare
There is a light, when we're asleep
We're barely doors, with locks and keys
With feelings of our hopes and fears
As sounds explode within our ears
Like stars at night
falling fast asleep
on the risen sun
Wait patiently,
you can feel it 'cause it's always there
Growing stronger as you stare and stare
Like love and lies shake violently
down to the core to foster grief
It has a way to keep me down
I gotta say it wears me out
So sadly soul survivors
Lost and lonely in open water
Yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh
Help I'm losing, help I'm falling
Life is silent, the earth is calling
Every reason, every nighttime
And every day starts and ends in sunlight
But I'm not okay with this vicious cycle
Something's broken, it seems unnatural
These shapes are wondrous,
but loosely woven
The sounds are deafening,
and time is frozen
Yo oh oh oh
[Repeat x2]
So sadly, soul survivors
Lost and lonely in open water
Yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh
There's something here, it calls to me
I sense it 'cause it's always there
So silent as I stare and stare
There is a light, when we're asleep
We're barely doors, with locks and keys
With feelings of our hopes and fears
As sounds explode within our ears
Like stars at night
falling fast asleep
on the risen sun
Wait patiently,
you can feel it 'cause it's always there
Growing stronger as you stare and stare
Like love and lies shake violently
down to the core to foster grief
It has a way to keep me down
I gotta say it wears me out
So sadly soul survivors
Lost and lonely in open water
Yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh
Help I'm losing, help I'm falling
Life is silent, the earth is calling
Every reason, every nighttime
And every day starts and ends in sunlight
But I'm not okay with this vicious cycle
Something's broken, it seems unnatural
These shapes are wondrous,
but loosely woven
The sounds are deafening,
and time is frozen
Yo oh oh oh
[Repeat x2]
So sadly, soul survivors
Lost and lonely in open water
Yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh, yeah oh
Lyrics submitted by WorldOfLove
Soul Survivor (...2012) Lyrics as written by Tom Delonge Adam Willard
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Light Up The Sky
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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"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.
When We Were Young
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Correct lyrics:
I am a ghost, this is a dream. There's something here, it calls to me. I sense it 'cause it's always there. So silent as I stare and stare. There is a light, when we're asleep. We bear the doors with locks and keys. With feelings of our hopes and fears, as sounds explode within our ears.
Like stars at night, falling fast asleep. An arisen sun, waiting patiently. You can feel it 'cause it's always there. Growing stronger as we stare and stare. Like love and lies, shake violently Down to the core to foster grief. It has a way to keep me down. I gotta' say it wears me out.
So sadly, soul survivors. Lost and lonely in open water.
Help I'm losing. Help I'm falling. Life is silent, the Earth is calling. Every reason, every night time, And every day starts and ends in sunlight. But I'm not okay with this vicious cycle. Somethings broken, it seems unnatural. These shapes are wondrous, but loosely woven. The sounds are deafening, and time is broken.
So sadly, soul survivor. Lost and lonely in open water.
With that said I think the song is about the insanity of isolation. Growing tired of the routine of living alone without connection to another human being, and contemplating a way out, namely suicide.
@timasahh - thanks for the lyric correction.
A couple things about your thoughts. First off, thank you for sharing them :-) and bringing awareness to suicidal thoughts. Even though I don't believe the message leads to that meaning, I do see how there's a connection between the feeling of the song and it's lyrics and the feelings someone can have when contemplating their reasons behind self-murder. Or better yet, giving up on this existence... So, I actually see how the song can mean what you said. This existence... That's gonna lead to my opinion on what the song is saying.