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 a journey
So hard to describe
Your harbour so small
The ocean so wide
Spin the wheel, spin the wheel
Go wherever she spins
Surrender to this wave that's rolling in
Homing fingers
Starting to dig
Raising expectations
Lifting the lid
There's a show going down
Going deeper within
I long to lose myself
Inside your skin
What a feeling under the stars
My body's rotating from venus through mars
There's a war going on
Between my head and my heart
I wonder how they grew so far apart
I'm so shaken, about to explode
The myth of kissing princes
Is they turn into toads
There's a war going on
Between the sun and the moon
Before they come to terms
We'll be consumed
Oh my god, please take me now
I'm ready for ascension
If I only knew how
Give me wings give me wings
Now I'm stuck on the ground
Recieve this blood and bones
I'm homeward bound
See the statue growing wings
This singer was a virgin
Until he conceived
God is love, god is love
And her lover I'll be
I long to leave the world in ecstacy
Dance with me around this fire
The dance of bad angels who'd love to fly higher
God is love, god is love
And her lover I'll be
I long to lead the world in ecstacy
So hard to describe
Your harbour so small
The ocean so wide
Spin the wheel, spin the wheel
Go wherever she spins
Surrender to this wave that's rolling in
Homing fingers
Starting to dig
Raising expectations
Lifting the lid
There's a show going down
Going deeper within
I long to lose myself
Inside your skin
What a feeling under the stars
My body's rotating from venus through mars
There's a war going on
Between my head and my heart
I wonder how they grew so far apart
I'm so shaken, about to explode
The myth of kissing princes
Is they turn into toads
There's a war going on
Between the sun and the moon
Before they come to terms
We'll be consumed
Oh my god, please take me now
I'm ready for ascension
If I only knew how
Give me wings give me wings
Now I'm stuck on the ground
Recieve this blood and bones
I'm homeward bound
See the statue growing wings
This singer was a virgin
Until he conceived
God is love, god is love
And her lover I'll be
I long to leave the world in ecstacy
Dance with me around this fire
The dance of bad angels who'd love to fly higher
God is love, god is love
And her lover I'll be
I long to lead the world in ecstacy
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Dance of the Bad Angels Lyrics as written by Timothy Booth Angelo Badalamenti
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
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.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I can't really describe what this sing does to me. It's a collection of strange pictures in my mind and fairies speaking softly... I don't really know what's so great about this song, but it's just impeccable.