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.
Dust to dust
sperm to worm
pull up from the sludge
and cry out spit
out the rage suck up
the fear lock yourself
in and drive drive drive quiet
the nervous cables circuitries
spinal cord and fingers
drool for the bell
that rings on and on
any given day
it's just that take
what you can and strike back
all the spacious smog and stucco skies
cant belie the truth in her eyes
gone are the dusty gods of duck
and cover drills stardust
that makes the hand that pulls
the precious bones from the sand jump
from the rock into the cool waters
and she shines
she shines gone
are the dusty gods of echo cathedrals.
sperm to worm
pull up from the sludge
and cry out spit
out the rage suck up
the fear lock yourself
in and drive drive drive quiet
the nervous cables circuitries
spinal cord and fingers
drool for the bell
that rings on and on
any given day
it's just that take
what you can and strike back
all the spacious smog and stucco skies
cant belie the truth in her eyes
gone are the dusty gods of duck
and cover drills stardust
that makes the hand that pulls
the precious bones from the sand jump
from the rock into the cool waters
and she shines
she shines gone
are the dusty gods of echo cathedrals.
Lyrics submitted by Panoramic
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.