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.
He took a watch on a chain from a waistcoat pocket
Unhooked the clasp
Flipped open the lid
Inside's a universe of constellations
Said "What's the time Mr Rabbit?"
He said, "It’s closing time"
Won't be long we hit the low point on the high road
If you do your sums
Or the high point on the dirt road
Then we'll soon be done
I said Buddy tell me how does this work
On this lamppost it read DOG
It read AND
It read EVE
It read EVOL
Backwards
Old man, what do you see
We're just bugs heading into a windscreen
The constellations pulsed and glowed
Reading the future in the guts of a cane toad
The angle of stars when you're conceived
The point of return written into your genes
I conceive when I breathe.
There's monsters coming to get you
Closing time
Dreams come true
We collude
There's monsters coming to get you
Â
Break down or breaking through
DMTv
Give me the Nembutol
Banging at my door
Banging at my door
Stirring the witches brew
Kicking off downstairs
Stuck in a déjà vu
Banging at my door
Banging at my door
He took a bleached white bone from his pocket (an inside pocket)
Mumbled a spell
Sound like a song
Petitioned his gods with prayer as if his life depended on it
Said "What's the time Mr Rabbit?"
He said, "There is no time"
Used the bone to let some blood fall on the parched land
Then he passed it on
He let my blood spill on the parched land
I took up his song
Sang,
"Buddy tell me how does this work?"
With my blood
He wrote, AND
He wrote, EVE
He wrote, DOG
He wrote, EVOL
Backwards.
Old man, what do you see?
We're just bugs heading into a windscreen
The constellations pulsed and glowed
I saw the future in the guts of a cane toad
The angle of stars when you're conceived
The futures melting, melting like ice cream
I conceive when I dream
There's monsters coming to get you
Closing time
Dreams come true
We collude
There's monsters coming to get you
Closing time (Break down or breaking through)
Dreams come true (DMTv)
We collude (Give me the Nembutol)
Banging at my door
Banging at my door
Stirring the witches brew
Kicking off downstairs
Stuck in a déjà vu
Banging at my door
Banging at my door
We murder the hero
Lyrics submitted by Thermidor
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"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.
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.