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.
I know, leaving's your living, it's built in your bones,
No one can ever escape all of their ghosts,
So if you walk, you better learn how to run,
That's why I wrote this song.
Your contrail's coated in broken homes.
You polished up this pretty pearl of a hope,
That I won't parade your skeletons for everyone,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song.
I know you know the words so sing along
She always made the best of deaf and blind,
Fashionable dress of canes and signs.
Tracing their apparel, like a judge of character in braile,
She never missed a lift, a bump, or line
But fingertips will drift and miss blip from time to time.
This is how we find secrets that slipped our grip,
Over wit and charm on whispered breath,
Frantically fishing for familiarness on fingertips.
This is just, shit what is this, this is redress.
I know her cane is just a comedy.
Tin cups a crutch for crippled honesty.
Her slain perception, a lame deception.
What's astonishing we bought it see.
Every Harry, Dick, and Tom left her very
Fickle palms palming a broken promise ring.
You follow me? 100 strong men choked on the bit,
While the blind bride guides the bridle toward the abyss.
And this can only end wrong but motherfuck it,
That's the reason why I wrote this song.
I know, leaving's your living, it's built in your bones,
No one can ever escape all of their ghosts,
So if you walk, you better learn how to run,
That's why I wrote this song.
Your contrail's coated in broken homes.
You polished up this pretty pearl of a hope,
That I won't parade your skeletons for everyone,
That's why I wrote this song.
Lionel Terray said it the truest, I set it to music,
We're all "Conquistadors of the Useless".
What kind of fool is so stupid to climb a mountain to do it,
Then climb back down to the town without a picture to prove it?
I knew it, from the moment I saw your eyes flash wide in the crowd,
That you would cut and run, but it's to late to turn back now.
It's when those burnt black clouds submerge the
Earth in shroud that kings earn that crown.
And this is how we rise, by taking the fall,
Survive another winter on straight to the thaw.
One day you'll learn to strain the tea through your teeth
And maybe find the strength to proceed to the peak.
You press on into the thin again till I cannot breathe.
I swallowed so much of my damn pride that it chokes me.
The real risk is not a slipped grip at the edge of the peak,
The real danger is just to linger at the base of the thing.
I know, leaving's your living, it's built in your bones,
No one can ever escape all of their ghosts,
So if you walk, you better learn how to run,
That's why I wrote this song.
Your contrail's coated in broken homes.
You polished up this pretty pearl of a hope,
That I won't parade your skeletons for everyone,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song.
I know you know the words so sing along
No one can ever escape all of their ghosts,
So if you walk, you better learn how to run,
That's why I wrote this song.
Your contrail's coated in broken homes.
You polished up this pretty pearl of a hope,
That I won't parade your skeletons for everyone,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song.
I know you know the words so sing along
She always made the best of deaf and blind,
Fashionable dress of canes and signs.
Tracing their apparel, like a judge of character in braile,
She never missed a lift, a bump, or line
But fingertips will drift and miss blip from time to time.
This is how we find secrets that slipped our grip,
Over wit and charm on whispered breath,
Frantically fishing for familiarness on fingertips.
This is just, shit what is this, this is redress.
I know her cane is just a comedy.
Tin cups a crutch for crippled honesty.
Her slain perception, a lame deception.
What's astonishing we bought it see.
Every Harry, Dick, and Tom left her very
Fickle palms palming a broken promise ring.
You follow me? 100 strong men choked on the bit,
While the blind bride guides the bridle toward the abyss.
And this can only end wrong but motherfuck it,
That's the reason why I wrote this song.
I know, leaving's your living, it's built in your bones,
No one can ever escape all of their ghosts,
So if you walk, you better learn how to run,
That's why I wrote this song.
Your contrail's coated in broken homes.
You polished up this pretty pearl of a hope,
That I won't parade your skeletons for everyone,
That's why I wrote this song.
Lionel Terray said it the truest, I set it to music,
We're all "Conquistadors of the Useless".
What kind of fool is so stupid to climb a mountain to do it,
Then climb back down to the town without a picture to prove it?
I knew it, from the moment I saw your eyes flash wide in the crowd,
That you would cut and run, but it's to late to turn back now.
It's when those burnt black clouds submerge the
Earth in shroud that kings earn that crown.
And this is how we rise, by taking the fall,
Survive another winter on straight to the thaw.
One day you'll learn to strain the tea through your teeth
And maybe find the strength to proceed to the peak.
You press on into the thin again till I cannot breathe.
I swallowed so much of my damn pride that it chokes me.
The real risk is not a slipped grip at the edge of the peak,
The real danger is just to linger at the base of the thing.
I know, leaving's your living, it's built in your bones,
No one can ever escape all of their ghosts,
So if you walk, you better learn how to run,
That's why I wrote this song.
Your contrail's coated in broken homes.
You polished up this pretty pearl of a hope,
That I won't parade your skeletons for everyone,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song,
That's why I wrote this song, that's why I wrote this song.
I know you know the words so sing along
Lyrics submitted by iamacablecar
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