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.
[Chorus:]
Keep ahold of your heart
It's not something you want to lose again
You're always watching the clock
It only serves to make you feel so small
And then the sound of the stream
Of the traffic outside
There he is with the light in his eyes
Painting pictures with words and with sounds
And Jericho comes down when he's around
Yeah, Jericho comes down when he's around
What I court into my mouth - remember it
Charon rows slow down the River Styx
Vanilla sky dream, I remember it
Seeing the saints on the boats with their hypocrites
Take currency to another world
'Cause greed is alive in the Underworld
Maybe make a bribe in the Underworld
A blank check to return to the mortal coil
But when you return, you die quicker
Your vices survive and die with you
You face Christ on an open picture
And the man on the boat's two gold bits richer
This picture's an ominous wash
A triptych kiss of Hieronymus Bosch
And when you seek the way of the rich to fill,
You'll find old priest greets on Elysian Fields
And serve of this curse with this nervousness,
This impulse to engulf indulgences
The saddest reality I left
With a three-headed dog slobbering by the exit
Oh Hephaestus, grant me respite
I'm desperate for one bolt to choke this dustbin
I'm so restless, bodes on a tempest
Stone-face cloak like smoke with asbestos
I wonder what it'd damage my eyes
To spit to the sky like damning the Gods
The blind eyes turn to embarrass us all
And in a death, hearing torts from your character flaws
It's perilous signs and treacherous rot
To think a fairytale cares if you perish or not
My ties with a limp is how I'm set with them all
And never took a step to inherit a loss
[Chorus:]
Keep that open hand warm
No one will ever be yours and yours alone
You've got dining to do
Find all the places where you've been run through
And then the sight of his face
When he comes into view
There he is just in front of you
Murmuring lips in your hair feels like home
But Jericho comes down when he's around
Yeah, Jericho comes down when he's around
I had a dream that you opened up the Lamb's Book
Turned away in disgust like you can't look
I'm scared as hell that you could pull the rug
Out from under me as soon as you pull the plug
I believed with my tongue and confessed
I saw you face to face, you wasn't impressed
That's why I walk like I'm covered in debt
It's like permanent rest ain't something I get
And I still ain't figured it out
How my brother's on a death bed withering down
With or without thoughts, just a pitiful sound
And you watched us beg like ridiculous clowns
See, I don't care if this switcher is sound
And I'm live, but it's pump
And they're spitting the rounds
Face first, white knuckles digging the ground
Like everybody's got a plan until they hid in the mouth
'Cause momma said Gold Streets
And daddy said that the table was set
And then we'd know peace
But it's feeling like a slow creep
To a day that you stayed upon like you don't know me
But you know me
I'm nine years old and slowly
Feel reaper's cold grippers on me
On the operator table in a cold heat
Momma's so scared that she holds me
I can't do this tiptoe tight-rope in limbo
Lifetime flies right out the window
Now I'm begging you to make it so simple
Affair with a faith getting notice when the wind blows
So tell me you'd take me
Keep me in the Lamb's Book, never erase me
If you love me, tell me you'd take me
Across the River Styx safely
Keep ahold of your heart
It's not something you want to lose again
You're always watching the clock
It only serves to make you feel so small
And then the sound of the stream
Of the traffic outside
There he is with the light in his eyes
Painting pictures with words and with sounds
And Jericho comes down when he's around
Yeah, Jericho comes down when he's around
What I court into my mouth - remember it
Charon rows slow down the River Styx
Vanilla sky dream, I remember it
Seeing the saints on the boats with their hypocrites
Take currency to another world
'Cause greed is alive in the Underworld
Maybe make a bribe in the Underworld
A blank check to return to the mortal coil
But when you return, you die quicker
Your vices survive and die with you
You face Christ on an open picture
And the man on the boat's two gold bits richer
This picture's an ominous wash
A triptych kiss of Hieronymus Bosch
And when you seek the way of the rich to fill,
You'll find old priest greets on Elysian Fields
And serve of this curse with this nervousness,
This impulse to engulf indulgences
The saddest reality I left
With a three-headed dog slobbering by the exit
Oh Hephaestus, grant me respite
I'm desperate for one bolt to choke this dustbin
I'm so restless, bodes on a tempest
Stone-face cloak like smoke with asbestos
I wonder what it'd damage my eyes
To spit to the sky like damning the Gods
The blind eyes turn to embarrass us all
And in a death, hearing torts from your character flaws
It's perilous signs and treacherous rot
To think a fairytale cares if you perish or not
My ties with a limp is how I'm set with them all
And never took a step to inherit a loss
[Chorus:]
Keep that open hand warm
No one will ever be yours and yours alone
You've got dining to do
Find all the places where you've been run through
And then the sight of his face
When he comes into view
There he is just in front of you
Murmuring lips in your hair feels like home
But Jericho comes down when he's around
Yeah, Jericho comes down when he's around
I had a dream that you opened up the Lamb's Book
Turned away in disgust like you can't look
I'm scared as hell that you could pull the rug
Out from under me as soon as you pull the plug
I believed with my tongue and confessed
I saw you face to face, you wasn't impressed
That's why I walk like I'm covered in debt
It's like permanent rest ain't something I get
And I still ain't figured it out
How my brother's on a death bed withering down
With or without thoughts, just a pitiful sound
And you watched us beg like ridiculous clowns
See, I don't care if this switcher is sound
And I'm live, but it's pump
And they're spitting the rounds
Face first, white knuckles digging the ground
Like everybody's got a plan until they hid in the mouth
'Cause momma said Gold Streets
And daddy said that the table was set
And then we'd know peace
But it's feeling like a slow creep
To a day that you stayed upon like you don't know me
But you know me
I'm nine years old and slowly
Feel reaper's cold grippers on me
On the operator table in a cold heat
Momma's so scared that she holds me
I can't do this tiptoe tight-rope in limbo
Lifetime flies right out the window
Now I'm begging you to make it so simple
Affair with a faith getting notice when the wind blows
So tell me you'd take me
Keep me in the Lamb's Book, never erase me
If you love me, tell me you'd take me
Across the River Styx safely
Lyrics submitted by SamuelTorres
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