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.
Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure, what I stand for oh oh oh
What do I stand for? Oh what do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh
This is it, boys, this is war, what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype,
Save that for the black and white I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked,
But here they come again to jack my style
That's alright, I found a martyr in my bed tonight
Stops my bones from wondering just who I, who I, who I am, oh who am I, mm, mm
Well some nights, I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for? Oh what do I stand for? Most nights, I don't know (come on)
So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?
No. When I see stars, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like a swan, so come on
Oh, come on, oh, come on, oh come on!
Well that is it, guys, that is all, five minutes in and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one's not for the folks at home, I'm sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?
My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called "love"
But when I look into my nephew's eyes,
Man you wouldn't believe, the most amazing things, that can come from,
Some terrible nights, ah (oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh)
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh
The other night, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we'd both agree
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure, what I stand for oh oh oh
What do I stand for? Oh what do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh
This is it, boys, this is war, what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype,
Save that for the black and white I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked,
But here they come again to jack my style
That's alright, I found a martyr in my bed tonight
Stops my bones from wondering just who I, who I, who I am, oh who am I, mm, mm
Well some nights, I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for? Oh what do I stand for? Most nights, I don't know (come on)
So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?
No. When I see stars, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like a swan, so come on
Oh, come on, oh, come on, oh come on!
Well that is it, guys, that is all, five minutes in and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one's not for the folks at home, I'm sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?
My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called "love"
But when I look into my nephew's eyes,
Man you wouldn't believe, the most amazing things, that can come from,
Some terrible nights, ah (oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh)
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh
The other night, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we'd both agree
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
Lyrics submitted by tauntingthepavement, edited by Mellow_Harsher, daltdog, rtoompuu, lyricedit, Jessie8340, Montrose, deidra7, lcmayzl, JMSmusic, thenewval, jbird233, DBAPaul, sohostar, CheesyNach0
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I'm going to make a completely different analysis about what this song is about. I look at it as man who is trying to fit into a world that won't change. He is a down to earth man trying to fit into a world that relies on media and propaganda, but overlooks what is right and just. Furthermore, the world is getting worse and not subject to change their actions. This man must either comply to the world or be alone in solitude with his own beliefs.
"Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck" indicates his lifestyle from the start, though "cashing in" indicates that he wants to remain in his "bad luck" because he doesn't want to be anyone other than himself, no matter what the world urges.
"Some nights I wish my lips could build a castle, some nights I wish they could just fall off" indicates the two-faced world he must live in. Often he wishes to comply to worldly affairs for better luck, while other times he wants to remain himself, as that is who he is. He has this internal battle within himself where he cannot figure out his decisions or himself (thus the relevance to war indirectly).
"But I still wake up, still see your ghost" indicates that he is willing to live to bring back what the world used to be without all the media-driven propaganda and hostility that fulfills the world today.
"I was never one to believe the hype, Save that for the black and white I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, But here they come again to jack my style." This is one of the most relevant passages of the song within this given analysis. The man is "not one to believe in hype" which indicates that he doesn't believe in the media or propaganda around him. "Save that for the black and white" indicates the people of the world around him which he distances himself from, and the same people who follow the media and propaganda because they believe it will provide them a better life. "I try twice as hard, but I'm half as liked" indicates the man's willingness to change, but the world continuing to ignore his changes for a better place. "But here they come again to jack my style" indicates the people who follow worldly affairs are taking over those who believe in themselves and ignore the media, thus destroying individuality.
"That's alright, I found a martyr in my bed tonight" is the man's recognition of someone who died for their individuality and fought against the media and propaganda which is currently spoiling the earth. The man is considering himself as better off because he has not been dead, but remaining alive would mean complying to the worldly affairs.
The whole song is a constant battle of the man's individuality and the man's willingness to comply to worldly affairs. He doesn't want to lose recognition as himself, but he is afraid to die as a martyr. Throughout the song he contemplates what he should do, but there is no right answer. You must die for your own rights, or give into something you don't believe in. If he fails to choose a side, he remains in solitude, where he is now. Many other lyrics indicate this.
"The other night, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me" is the man imagining a utopian world, one free from all the media, propaganda, and sadness that currently surrounds his regular lifestyle.
The whole song works as a monologue into a man's thoughts on how he can keep his own individuality while remaining in a world that fosters everyone being the same.