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.
Some days feel so heavy
They come when I'm not quite ready
I get to feelin' useless
But I can see right through this
I'm gonna let the song in my head ring
It feels like the world is collapsing
But I already know it's gonna happen
I'm gonna hold on tighter
Yes, I'm a lover, but I'm also a fighter
The song in my head keeps me clappin'
'Cause I've got a song, and it must be sung
Every day's a war, and it must be won
Whenever I feel like I'm comin' undone
The song in my head keeps me marching on
The world's full of bad news bearers
Talkin' heads talkin' 'bout terror
Sometimes I feel so useless
Like nothing I could do would ever improve it
But I could make the worlds little better
You tell me that you're worried 'bout tomorrow
You talk like all the time you've got is borrowed
Like you're livin' on credit
But you keep singin'. Honey, you can bet it's
Gonna sing it through tomorrow
With a song, and it must be sung
Every day's a war, and it must be won
Whenever I feel like I'm comin' undone
The song in my head keeps me marching
With a song, and it must be sung
Every day's a war, and it must be won
Whenever I feel like I'm comin' undone
The song in my head keeps me marching on
(Hmm)...(Ooh)...(Hmm)
They come when I'm not quite ready
I get to feelin' useless
But I can see right through this
I'm gonna let the song in my head ring
It feels like the world is collapsing
But I already know it's gonna happen
I'm gonna hold on tighter
Yes, I'm a lover, but I'm also a fighter
The song in my head keeps me clappin'
'Cause I've got a song, and it must be sung
Every day's a war, and it must be won
Whenever I feel like I'm comin' undone
The song in my head keeps me marching on
The world's full of bad news bearers
Talkin' heads talkin' 'bout terror
Sometimes I feel so useless
Like nothing I could do would ever improve it
But I could make the worlds little better
You tell me that you're worried 'bout tomorrow
You talk like all the time you've got is borrowed
Like you're livin' on credit
But you keep singin'. Honey, you can bet it's
Gonna sing it through tomorrow
With a song, and it must be sung
Every day's a war, and it must be won
Whenever I feel like I'm comin' undone
The song in my head keeps me marching
With a song, and it must be sung
Every day's a war, and it must be won
Whenever I feel like I'm comin' undone
The song in my head keeps me marching on
(Hmm)...(Ooh)...(Hmm)
Lyrics submitted by Broon31
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.