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.
Hydrogen in our veins
It cannot hold itself
Our my blood is pouring
And the pressure in our bodies
That echoes up above it is exploding
And our particles they're burning up
Because they yearn for each other
And although we stick together
It seems that we are stranging one another
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
An atom to atom oh can you feel it on me love
A pattern to pattern oh can you see it on me love
Atom to atom oh what's the matter with me love
Strangeness and charm
It started from your arms and it's a catalyst
You're a chemical that burns there's nothing like this
It's the purest element but it's so volatile
An equation heaven sent, and you'll forever inject
Strangeness and charm
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
An atom to atom oh can you feel it on me love and
A pattern to pattern oh can you see it on me love
Atom to atom oh what's the matter with me love
Strangeness and charm
It started from your arms and it's a catalyst
You're a chemical that burns there's nothing like this
It's the purest element but it's so volatile
An equation heaven sent and you'll forever inject
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
It started from your arms and it's a catalyst
You're a chemical that burns there's nothing like this
It's the purest element and it's so volatile
An equation heaven sent and you'll forever inject
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Oh, oh, down, down down down
It cannot hold itself
Our my blood is pouring
And the pressure in our bodies
That echoes up above it is exploding
And our particles they're burning up
Because they yearn for each other
And although we stick together
It seems that we are stranging one another
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
An atom to atom oh can you feel it on me love
A pattern to pattern oh can you see it on me love
Atom to atom oh what's the matter with me love
Strangeness and charm
It started from your arms and it's a catalyst
You're a chemical that burns there's nothing like this
It's the purest element but it's so volatile
An equation heaven sent, and you'll forever inject
Strangeness and charm
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
An atom to atom oh can you feel it on me love and
A pattern to pattern oh can you see it on me love
Atom to atom oh what's the matter with me love
Strangeness and charm
It started from your arms and it's a catalyst
You're a chemical that burns there's nothing like this
It's the purest element but it's so volatile
An equation heaven sent and you'll forever inject
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
Strangeness and charm
It started from your arms and it's a catalyst
You're a chemical that burns there's nothing like this
It's the purest element and it's so volatile
An equation heaven sent and you'll forever inject
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
Feel it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
See it on me love
See it on me love
See it on me love
(Strangeness and charm)
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Oh, oh, down, down down down
Lyrics submitted by ImARobotMachine, edited by tokataro, PoetryBird, cactuar, Peachre
Strangeness and Charm Lyrics as written by Paul Epworth Florence Welch
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
I'm pretty sure that the first line should be "Hydrogen in our veins, it cannot hold itself, our blood is boiling". This would make much more sense with the next lyric about pressure above building, and it sounds like what Flo is singing. Also, the word is "catalyst", not "catalyct". Catalysts are substances that allow chemical reactions to happen at lower than normal energy requirements, without getting used up in the process.
Also, on other sites I've read, and I hear this as well, that it's "The static of your arms, it is the catalyst".