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.
Crude little wooden idols
And aviator shades
The trinkets and the treasures we brought back from the Crusades
Some guy in an Impala shakes his head when he rides by
But I remember when we shared a vision, you and I
Worked hard to build this altar
We made it earn its keep
The cracks across its surface spiderweb while we're asleep
The sacrificial stains all spreading out and soaking through
But I remember when we kept it pretty, me and you
And high above the water
The eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle
Is gonna get his wish
Stock shots stupid stock shots
From the Pomona mall
Set up like unloved icons gathering dust up on the wall
From films no one remembers
They call down silently
But I remember when their names were dear to you and me
Yeah
Pennies on the dollar
Everything's gotta go
The things that we can't even give away
I don't wanna know
Try to see if secrets burn when you hold them up into the light
I remember when we loved each other day and night
And high above the water
The eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle
Is gonna get his wish
And aviator shades
The trinkets and the treasures we brought back from the Crusades
Some guy in an Impala shakes his head when he rides by
But I remember when we shared a vision, you and I
Worked hard to build this altar
We made it earn its keep
The cracks across its surface spiderweb while we're asleep
The sacrificial stains all spreading out and soaking through
But I remember when we kept it pretty, me and you
And high above the water
The eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle
Is gonna get his wish
Stock shots stupid stock shots
From the Pomona mall
Set up like unloved icons gathering dust up on the wall
From films no one remembers
They call down silently
But I remember when their names were dear to you and me
Yeah
Pennies on the dollar
Everything's gotta go
The things that we can't even give away
I don't wanna know
Try to see if secrets burn when you hold them up into the light
I remember when we loved each other day and night
And high above the water
The eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle
Is gonna get his wish
Lyrics submitted by fougasse
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
"An estate sale is something where you get rid of all the stuff that nobody has any use for anymore, but it's a whole lot of stuff. This song is about a couple of people who no longer have any use for a bunch of stuff that was once extraordinarily important to them in their lives. It's a very tragic situation, but at the same time, I sort of feel like they've earned this moment of darkness, like maybe it's sort of what they were working for, so why begrudge them that?"
Asheville, NC 4/10/2011
When I saw them perform live, John said this song was about a couple that had moved in together, the song doesn't specify if they got married or not, and they decided to part ways and divide up the property.
both are correct its about a couple moving in together and the things important to you when independent are no longer important when you become a unit. most couples have to compromise on what stays and what goes because there isnt enough space for two peoples entire belongings.
I don't doubt OneTimeForAll's story, but JD is really great at telling more than one story at the same time. To me, the chorus ("eagle spots the fish") strongly suggests an unequal, probably exploitive relationship. So I think this song is about what happens when your abuser dies and you have to sort through the memories to figure out if there are any that are worth keeping (echoing the end of <i>The Sunset Tree</i>).