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.
God, I pray for you
Quite the task at hand
Dear God, I wait for you
Child to a man
God, do you hear cries of kindred souls?
Dear God, the broken man reaps what he has sown
Pray for me, I am not alone
Dear God, exorcise strangers from my home
So cold the winter of discontent
A lifetime to remember
Life seems so animated
Neurons firing round after round
How illogical!
Stillness makes my skin crawl,
but where I run isn't anywhere at all
I can't let them take me down!
Will her sickness break her crown?
Why in the name of God would they hold her down?
I can't let them put me six feet under!
One-eyed Pollyanna left out in the rain
A stitch in time will mend her fine and on the shelf again
Scarecrow and the Tin Man dancing in her dreams
Come the dawn, a bitter pill keeps her there, it seems
Shelter me, my asylum, shelter me
Incarnation of the dead memories
Masterful liar, a reflection
We are flawed, flawed to perfection
In the eyes of a child cut so deep she'll never, ever love again
His addiction left her bleeding
In the eyes of a child locked away in a heart-shaped box
It holds a secret, she hears it breathing
In the end, thy kingdom come
In the end, thy will be done
"This, and nothing more" quoth the raven
In the end, thy kingdom come
In the end, thy will be done
Here forevermore, this and nothing more
Rise higher, open your eyes, child
All of God's graces, you were born to be here
Just as you are, child, neurotically wired
Rivers of tears won't wash the strand away
Rise higher, open your eyes, child
All of God's graces you were born to be
Will I always see through the eyes?
See through the eyes of a child?
Cross-eyed Mary, quite contraire,
how does your garden grow?
Seeds of sorrow yield tomorrow,
harvesting the fruit you bestow
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Walls of shame built brick by brick
Sitting in his angry chair
Fear became a means to an end
In the eyes of a child cut so deep she'll never love again
His addiction left her bleeding
In the eyes of a child, buried in a heart-shaped box
It holds her secret, she hears it breathing
Down on her knees, dying God on a cross of gold
No deliverance, tears are seething
All the king's horses and all the king's men
tried, but they could not put Pollyanna together again
Rise higher, open your eyes, child
All of God's graces, you were meant to be here
More than you are, child, neurotically wired
Rivers of tears won't wash the strand away
Rise higher, open your heart wide
All of your demons will finally fade away
Will I always see through the eyes of a child?
Why do we remember the cold November rain?
A stitch in time would save us nine and on our feet again
Scarecrow and the Tin Man, much like you and I
A broken heart, you've lost your mind
You become what you deny
Shelter me, my asylum, shelter me
Incarnation of the dead memories
Masterful liar, my reflection
We are flawed, flawed to perfection
Quite the task at hand
Dear God, I wait for you
Child to a man
God, do you hear cries of kindred souls?
Dear God, the broken man reaps what he has sown
Pray for me, I am not alone
Dear God, exorcise strangers from my home
So cold the winter of discontent
A lifetime to remember
Life seems so animated
Neurons firing round after round
How illogical!
Stillness makes my skin crawl,
but where I run isn't anywhere at all
I can't let them take me down!
Will her sickness break her crown?
Why in the name of God would they hold her down?
I can't let them put me six feet under!
One-eyed Pollyanna left out in the rain
A stitch in time will mend her fine and on the shelf again
Scarecrow and the Tin Man dancing in her dreams
Come the dawn, a bitter pill keeps her there, it seems
Shelter me, my asylum, shelter me
Incarnation of the dead memories
Masterful liar, a reflection
We are flawed, flawed to perfection
In the eyes of a child cut so deep she'll never, ever love again
His addiction left her bleeding
In the eyes of a child locked away in a heart-shaped box
It holds a secret, she hears it breathing
In the end, thy kingdom come
In the end, thy will be done
"This, and nothing more" quoth the raven
In the end, thy kingdom come
In the end, thy will be done
Here forevermore, this and nothing more
Rise higher, open your eyes, child
All of God's graces, you were born to be here
Just as you are, child, neurotically wired
Rivers of tears won't wash the strand away
Rise higher, open your eyes, child
All of God's graces you were born to be
Will I always see through the eyes?
See through the eyes of a child?
Cross-eyed Mary, quite contraire,
how does your garden grow?
Seeds of sorrow yield tomorrow,
harvesting the fruit you bestow
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Walls of shame built brick by brick
Sitting in his angry chair
Fear became a means to an end
In the eyes of a child cut so deep she'll never love again
His addiction left her bleeding
In the eyes of a child, buried in a heart-shaped box
It holds her secret, she hears it breathing
Down on her knees, dying God on a cross of gold
No deliverance, tears are seething
All the king's horses and all the king's men
tried, but they could not put Pollyanna together again
Rise higher, open your eyes, child
All of God's graces, you were meant to be here
More than you are, child, neurotically wired
Rivers of tears won't wash the strand away
Rise higher, open your heart wide
All of your demons will finally fade away
Will I always see through the eyes of a child?
Why do we remember the cold November rain?
A stitch in time would save us nine and on our feet again
Scarecrow and the Tin Man, much like you and I
A broken heart, you've lost your mind
You become what you deny
Shelter me, my asylum, shelter me
Incarnation of the dead memories
Masterful liar, my reflection
We are flawed, flawed to perfection
Lyrics submitted by Octavarium64
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