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.
My mother said that I was holy
My father said that I would burn
My mother said I was an angel
My father said that I would turn
So I believed these words and I turned on myself
'Cause maybe he's right, maybe I'm worthless
Or maybe he's wrong and my mother was right
I got a killer in me to give me purpose
Oh, I can feel a holy war
I can feel a holy war within
No, I can't take a holy war
No, I can't take a holy war again
Is this what you wanted?
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
You just keep wanting more
With your blood and your whore
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
It's a beautiful tragedy
You wanna be sick like me
'Cause I can bring a little hell
I was told that I was nothing
Yeah, I was told that I was so pure
And I was told that I was dirty
Yeah, I was told I was the cure
I ask myself, am I God or shit?
Am I the high, the low? I'm fucking worth it
And I ask myself, am I love or hate?
You are the reason I have and why I can't quit
Oh, I can feel a holy war
Yeah, I can feel a holy war within
No, I can't take a holy war
No, I can't take a holy war again
Is this what you wanted?
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
You just keep wanting more
With your blood and your whore
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
It's a beautiful tragedy
You wanna be sick like me
'Cause I can bring a little hell
In between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
Is this what you wanted?
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
You just keep wanting more
With your blood and your whore
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
It's a beautiful tragedy
You wanna be sick like me
'Cause I can bring a little hell
In between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
In between, in between
I'm in between, in between
My father said that I would burn
My mother said I was an angel
My father said that I would turn
So I believed these words and I turned on myself
'Cause maybe he's right, maybe I'm worthless
Or maybe he's wrong and my mother was right
I got a killer in me to give me purpose
Oh, I can feel a holy war
I can feel a holy war within
No, I can't take a holy war
No, I can't take a holy war again
Is this what you wanted?
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
You just keep wanting more
With your blood and your whore
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
It's a beautiful tragedy
You wanna be sick like me
'Cause I can bring a little hell
I was told that I was nothing
Yeah, I was told that I was so pure
And I was told that I was dirty
Yeah, I was told I was the cure
I ask myself, am I God or shit?
Am I the high, the low? I'm fucking worth it
And I ask myself, am I love or hate?
You are the reason I have and why I can't quit
Oh, I can feel a holy war
Yeah, I can feel a holy war within
No, I can't take a holy war
No, I can't take a holy war again
Is this what you wanted?
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
You just keep wanting more
With your blood and your whore
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
It's a beautiful tragedy
You wanna be sick like me
'Cause I can bring a little hell
In between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
Is this what you wanted?
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
You just keep wanting more
With your blood and your whore
I'm gonna bring a little hell
I'm gonna bring a little heaven
It's a beautiful tragedy
You wanna be sick like me
'Cause I can bring a little hell
In between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
I'm in between, in between
In between hell and heaven
In between, in between
I'm in between, in between
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
The In-Between Lyrics as written by Maria Brink
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this is about the war inside some of us to declare what side of religion we end up on. Sometimes the instincts people feel lead them to the dark outer stretches & sometimes there's shame associated with that and I think this song is embracing that in whatever path you choose, it's okay to be feel emboldened.