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.
People don't know much
Need a whiskey crutch
To think of something new
Hey you watching me
Lookin' through a screen
I'm here in front of you
Sometimes the days, they feel so long
Yeah, we all live under the same sun
So I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again
'Cause I don't wanna be like them
I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again, and again
People piss you off
Some you say you love
Those you call a friend
Walking through a crowd
Then you look around
See there's no one left
We live and then we die as one
Yeah, we all live under the same sun
So I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again
'Cause I don't wanna be like them
I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again, and again
I left my heart in Amsterdam
Where I could dream and nights were long
I left my heart in Amsterdam
I hit my head against the wall
Over, over, over
Again and again and then over
Over, over
Again and again and then over
Over, over
Again and again and then over
Over, over
So I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again
'Cause I don't wanna be like them
I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again
And again, and again
Oh, I left my heart in Amsterdam
I left my heart in Amsterdam
Oh, I left my heart in Amsterdam
I really need that feeling back, yeah
Need a whiskey crutch
To think of something new
Hey you watching me
Lookin' through a screen
I'm here in front of you
Sometimes the days, they feel so long
Yeah, we all live under the same sun
So I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again
'Cause I don't wanna be like them
I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again, and again
People piss you off
Some you say you love
Those you call a friend
Walking through a crowd
Then you look around
See there's no one left
We live and then we die as one
Yeah, we all live under the same sun
So I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again
'Cause I don't wanna be like them
I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again, and again
I left my heart in Amsterdam
Where I could dream and nights were long
I left my heart in Amsterdam
I hit my head against the wall
Over, over, over
Again and again and then over
Over, over
Again and again and then over
Over, over
Again and again and then over
Over, over
So I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again, and again
'Cause I don't wanna be like them
I hit my head up against the wall
Over and over and over and over again
And again, and again
Oh, I left my heart in Amsterdam
I left my heart in Amsterdam
Oh, I left my heart in Amsterdam
I really need that feeling back, yeah
Lyrics submitted by BlueDiamondx3
Amsterdam Lyrics as written by Dominic Craik Conor Mason
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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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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.
It's a very straightforward song, with a bit of a meaning that could be more broad.
"Hey you watching me, lookin' through a screen"
It's hard to say what the singer is talking about here, but it's very likely directly addressing the listener. Maybe trying to get anyone listening to empathize strongly with what it is he's really feeling. Especially with "yeah we all live under the same sun", which reinforce the point that the singer wants people to not just listen but feel the conflicting feelings.
The singer has an emotional attachment to a place, to the memories he made there, and likely to the people that he met there.
"I left my heart in Amsterdam"
He says it so frequently, so passionately, because it's a place that he felt very 'at home' with.
"I hit my head up against the wall, over and over,"
He's not just sad or depressed about missing Amsterdam, he's livid and miserable. There's something about his life in that moment that makes him wish he could be in a place that made him feel peace and joy. Especially in the way the singer repeats himself "over and over and over again" in such a manner.
It's fair to say this is a song that could be very relatable for people who long for different places in general. It's a song about missing a place and time in one's life, something that they can never entirely get back.