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.
What to do
Nothing new
We tried each other
Let's try another
When you came
Through the door
I felt everything
And nothing that I had before
Tell yourself
It's not yourself
But no one else
Can make me know there's no one else
When you came
Through the door
I was sure
You never even felt the floor
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
Change your mind
And stop the time
That comes between us
That bends beneath us
If you're mine
I don't mind
We tried another
Let's try each other
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
In hospitals
In shopping malls
With heavy heads
And locker walls
An empty street
At three a.m.
You told me you're not one of them
We took a vow
To never sleep
While there was still air left to breathe
And you're the same
So slightly strange
Among the fakes you knew the pains
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
We just don't belong
We just don't belong
We just don't belong
Don't belong
Don't belong
We just don't belong
Don't belong
Don't belong
We just don't belong
Don't belong
Don't belong
We just don't belong
Nothing new
We tried each other
Let's try another
When you came
Through the door
I felt everything
And nothing that I had before
Tell yourself
It's not yourself
But no one else
Can make me know there's no one else
When you came
Through the door
I was sure
You never even felt the floor
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
Change your mind
And stop the time
That comes between us
That bends beneath us
If you're mine
I don't mind
We tried another
Let's try each other
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
In hospitals
In shopping malls
With heavy heads
And locker walls
An empty street
At three a.m.
You told me you're not one of them
We took a vow
To never sleep
While there was still air left to breathe
And you're the same
So slightly strange
Among the fakes you knew the pains
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
I know
It is wrong
But we just don't belong
In your eyes
In the sun
No we just don't belong
We just don't belong
We just don't belong
We just don't belong
Don't belong
Don't belong
We just don't belong
Don't belong
Don't belong
We just don't belong
Don't belong
Don't belong
We just don't belong
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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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.
Punchline
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Yesterday, I ran across a Susan Sontag quote that said, "Two people form a couple; and every couple is an odd couple." I feel like this song sort of epitomizes that. These two people meet, there's an initial attraction, but they hesitate for fear of what other people might think/not fitting some traditional mold. By the end of the song, they've realized that they still like one another and accept the fact that they're misfits--but they're misfits together.
Man, this has anthem written all over it. The feeling of "us" as misfits would have been huge in the 1990's. I think technically he may be directly referring to one person and himself as a couple that doesn't work. However, no doubt he's aware that chanting "we don't belong" over and over again is going to be viewed in a broader way by his audience.
I think it's less about the two people fitting in with sociert and more about the them not belonging together. Maybe they tried to see if a relationship would work. It doesn't, yet one or both still dance around the possibility of some sort of relationship working.
I just heard this for the first time a week ago. 15 seconds in I knew it was gold. I love the feeling you get when you hear a song you go on to really love for the first time (only happens maybe 5 times a year).
I've always liked these guys but they absolutely NAILED it with this song.
I agree with the first comment- really nice input.
Just a heads up: the lyric is 'in THEIR eyes, in the sun, we just don't belong'.
I think this is crucial. The song is about a disapproved of relationship, in some way, whether specifically disapproved of, or just the kind of relationship not seen as 'normal' in society or certain circles. Misfits maybe, and I think the couple are confused by the attraction themselves.
As always, utterly beautiful and addictive.
I think photojonny may be correct about resisting "normalization." I have often wondered if any of the songs on this album could be referring to same-sex desire or bisexuality. I saw an interview where Kip said he could not run for President due to indiscretions when younger. Any speculation or knowledge?
Quite interesting, but is there such a thing as bisexuality?
In a recent issue of the Big Takeover, Kip says Belong is a rewrite of the song Homeboy by the band Adorable except "with different riffs." (which was mixed by Alan Moulder-who of course mixed Belong.)