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.
(L.A., L.A.)
(L.A., L.A.)
In the land of gods and monsters
I was an angel
Living in the garden of evil
Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed
Shining like a fiery beacon
You got that medicine I need
Fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly
Put your hands on my waist, do it softly
Me and God we don't get along, so now I sing
No one's gonna take my soul away
Living like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel sprees, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want"
It's innocence lost
Innocence lost
In the land of gods and monsters
I was an angel, lookin' to get fucked hard
Like a groupie incognito posing as a real singer
Life imitates art
You got that medicine I need
Dope, shoot it up straight to the heart, please
I don't really wanna know what's good for me
God's dead, I said, "Baby that's alright with me"
No one's gonna take my soul away
Living like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel sprees, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want"
It's innocence lost
Innocence lost
When you talk it's like a movie and you're making me crazy
'Cause life imitates art
If I get a little prettier, can I be your baby?
You tell me, "Life isn't that hard"
No one's gonna take my soul away
I'm living like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel sprees, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want"
It's innocence lost
Innocence lost
(L.A., L.A.)
In the land of gods and monsters
I was an angel
Living in the garden of evil
Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed
Shining like a fiery beacon
You got that medicine I need
Fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly
Put your hands on my waist, do it softly
Me and God we don't get along, so now I sing
No one's gonna take my soul away
Living like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel sprees, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want"
It's innocence lost
Innocence lost
In the land of gods and monsters
I was an angel, lookin' to get fucked hard
Like a groupie incognito posing as a real singer
Life imitates art
You got that medicine I need
Dope, shoot it up straight to the heart, please
I don't really wanna know what's good for me
God's dead, I said, "Baby that's alright with me"
No one's gonna take my soul away
Living like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel sprees, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want"
It's innocence lost
Innocence lost
When you talk it's like a movie and you're making me crazy
'Cause life imitates art
If I get a little prettier, can I be your baby?
You tell me, "Life isn't that hard"
No one's gonna take my soul away
I'm living like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel sprees, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want"
It's innocence lost
Innocence lost
Lyrics submitted by iholdher, edited by LanaDRey, Mellow_Harsher, amx555, charnn, tballin92, GiovanniM, LaylaHassan, leonard110
Gods & Monsters Lyrics as written by Tim Larcombe Elizabeth Grant
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song, at least on the surface, is about the internal conflict many people face about the temptations or 'sin' of the world. These include drugs, sex, and other typical things that come with fame (think sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll). She takes these and sexualizes them in an analogy throughout several lines;
"fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly"
In the chorus, she's kidding herself (or whoever the narrator is);
"No one's gonna take my soul away" is her way of saying that despite all the things she does, she will still be that "angel", or at least she hopes she will. However, by the end of the chorus, she's admitted the truth; all of this has taken away her innocence.
Also in the chorus, she mentions "living like Jim Morrison". Jim Morrison's life was plagued by drug abuse and a lot of sex with groupies. I believe when she says "headed towards a fucked up holiday", she is referring to the date of his death, July 3rd. This is obviously right before the America's Independence Day, July 4th. Both Morrison and Lana Del Rey are American, so this is appropriate. This life she is living will one day lead to her death.
The religious theme throughout I'm not really sure about. Gods and monsters could represent the seemingly prominent figures in the music industry, or other people in her surroundings. God isn't painted as a caring one in this song, but one of destruction, wrath, and conflict with Lana. She wants to think of herself as an angel among monsters, but she's really not that innocent.
Could God not be her conscience? And could the sin (drugs, adultry, gambling...anything that causes harm) not be the monsters? One is supposedly beautiful while the other is ugly. One brings peace while the other brings turmoil. I'm not sure, but it sounds plausible to me.