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.
Memories from the distance calling me
Tonight I'll meet my roots
Our spirits are soaring through the fog
They won't forsake me again
They won't leave me alone in my pain
Painful days of sorrow will draw in the past
My night will turn into a bright day
I'm prepared for whatever my future will bring me
As long as my secret is safe
There is no place I can go to hide from dark thoughts
I try to escape from the perception of my soul, my decay
Falling down a cesspit of hatred and lies
A wild vision torturing my mind
Awakes my soul which I am feeling stronger now
Prepared for the eternal fight
Fighting against themselves
Are the echoes of my inner voices
I cannot stop them
They start crying while I'm becoming the silence
Among the shouts of the crowd
There is no place I can go to hide from dark thoughts
I try to escape from the perception of my soul, my decay
You know they won't understand
They'll never see who you are
They see the dark in the light
You are the unveiled secret
They don't want to see beyond
You are like a threat, you're like a ghost
A mystery, a silent word
You are the unveiled secret
Unveiled secret, unveil yourself!
Quis es?
Quis es?
Quis es?
I meant to shadow myself
Cannot deny what I am
Concealing my uniqueness
Always and forever
There is no place I can go to hide from dark thoughts
I try to escape from the perception of my soul, my decay
Unveiled secret, unveiled being, unveil yourself, now!
Tonight I'll meet my roots
Our spirits are soaring through the fog
They won't forsake me again
They won't leave me alone in my pain
Painful days of sorrow will draw in the past
My night will turn into a bright day
I'm prepared for whatever my future will bring me
As long as my secret is safe
There is no place I can go to hide from dark thoughts
I try to escape from the perception of my soul, my decay
Falling down a cesspit of hatred and lies
A wild vision torturing my mind
Awakes my soul which I am feeling stronger now
Prepared for the eternal fight
Fighting against themselves
Are the echoes of my inner voices
I cannot stop them
They start crying while I'm becoming the silence
Among the shouts of the crowd
There is no place I can go to hide from dark thoughts
I try to escape from the perception of my soul, my decay
You know they won't understand
They'll never see who you are
They see the dark in the light
You are the unveiled secret
They don't want to see beyond
You are like a threat, you're like a ghost
A mystery, a silent word
You are the unveiled secret
Unveiled secret, unveil yourself!
Quis es?
Quis es?
Quis es?
I meant to shadow myself
Cannot deny what I am
Concealing my uniqueness
Always and forever
There is no place I can go to hide from dark thoughts
I try to escape from the perception of my soul, my decay
Unveiled secret, unveiled being, unveil yourself, now!
Lyrics submitted by WithinWishEpica
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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,
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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