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.
Meet the son of a government man
And a pillar of salt
I was born with blood on my hands
And have all the signs of a bleeding heart
Living high on a giant hawk
On a mountain so steep
Keep your head in a hollow log
As the ruling fog are about to creep
What have we done?
How'd we get so far from the sun?
Lost, lost in an oscillating phase
Where a tiny few catch all of the rays
Out beyond the western squalls
In an Indian land
They work for nothing at all
They don't know the mall or the layaway plan
Dig yourself a beautiful grave
Everything you could want
Maybe those invisible slaves
Are too far away for a ghost to haunt
What do we charge?
Letting go of a claim so large
Oh, all of our working days are done
But a tiny few are having all of the fun
Get used to the dust in your lungs
Is there no way down
From this peak to solid ground
Without having our gold teeth
Pulled from our mouth
Make me a drink strong enough
To wash away this dishwater world they said was lemonade
Walk with me after the show
Maybe we can find a way through the minefield in the snow
What are they charged?
Letting go of a claim so large
Oh, all of our working days are done
But a tiny few are having all of the fun
Apologies to the sick and the young
Get used to the dust in your lungs
And a pillar of salt
I was born with blood on my hands
And have all the signs of a bleeding heart
Living high on a giant hawk
On a mountain so steep
Keep your head in a hollow log
As the ruling fog are about to creep
What have we done?
How'd we get so far from the sun?
Lost, lost in an oscillating phase
Where a tiny few catch all of the rays
Out beyond the western squalls
In an Indian land
They work for nothing at all
They don't know the mall or the layaway plan
Dig yourself a beautiful grave
Everything you could want
Maybe those invisible slaves
Are too far away for a ghost to haunt
What do we charge?
Letting go of a claim so large
Oh, all of our working days are done
But a tiny few are having all of the fun
Get used to the dust in your lungs
Is there no way down
From this peak to solid ground
Without having our gold teeth
Pulled from our mouth
Make me a drink strong enough
To wash away this dishwater world they said was lemonade
Walk with me after the show
Maybe we can find a way through the minefield in the snow
What are they charged?
Letting go of a claim so large
Oh, all of our working days are done
But a tiny few are having all of the fun
Apologies to the sick and the young
Get used to the dust in your lungs
Lyrics submitted by llscience, edited by gina102083
No Way Down Lyrics as written by James Mercer
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
The pillar of salt could be a reference to the Biblical character of Lot's wife. In Genesis 19, she and Lot are fleeing Sodom, which is being destroyed by divine forces. They are instructed by angels not to look back, but she disobeys and is turned into a pillar of salt.