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.
Deeper in and deeper still
Use your hands for eyes
Sift around the bottom row
And soon will be your time
Keep your hands by your side
Hands by your side
Hands by your side
Your hands by your side, soon will be your time
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
(I've seen better, seen you crying and crying)
(I've seen better, seen you crying and crying)
Deeper in and deeper still
The belly was the bank
The lion holds the mouth we feed
And died at forty-five
Keep your hands by your side
Hands by your side
Your hands by your side
Your hands by your side, soon will be your time
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Use your hands for eyes
Sift around the bottom row
And soon will be your time
Keep your hands by your side
Hands by your side
Hands by your side
Your hands by your side, soon will be your time
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
(I've seen better, seen you crying and crying)
(I've seen better, seen you crying and crying)
Deeper in and deeper still
The belly was the bank
The lion holds the mouth we feed
And died at forty-five
Keep your hands by your side
Hands by your side
Your hands by your side
Your hands by your side, soon will be your time
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
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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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Page
Ed Sheeran
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This song (and the whole album) is about finding your way out of poverty.
"Deeper in and deeper still use your hands like eyes / Sift around the bottom row and soon will be your time / Keep your hands by your side," means to wait and just survive in poverty trusting that the time to escape will come.
"I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way / I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out"- He has to find a way out of the 'American Ghetto'
Then the repeated "Bring all my people with me" means that he wants to bring his family out of this poverty too.
This next verse is my favorite, "Deeper in and deeper still the belly was the bank / The lion holds the mouth we feed still died at forty-five" I think Portugal the Man means that falling deeper into poverty they were more concerned with just getting food into their stomachs, then they were with getting money. They were just getting by day by day, and that lifestyle led the people around to die at forty-five.
The rest of the song is about him having hope of escaping the ghetto and bringing all his people with him.