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.
Take my hand and look me in the eye
There's still time left
Cut these chords and kid run for your life
Maybe you're broken, maybe you're shattered
With no reasons left to try
But you still have so much, so much worth saving
That you have left on the inside
I know you feel like you are worthless, that your day has come
The misery eats you alive until you come undone
You feel like there is nowhere left to call your home tonight
You are not alone, this is our time, and I am by your side
My friend this is do or die
Hey kid, can you hear me?
Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away
You have every reason left to stay alive
All this hell you've lived and seen
Drown it all in gasoline
Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been
The past is just lessons learned, light it up and let it burn
Never thought that it would come to this
Who will save you?
Fading fast, now you are cancerous
I know you feel hopeless at the end of your rope now
The fear is eating you alive
So I'll be your reason, I'll be your shelter
I will not let you say goodbye
Have you no reason to forget your pain and swear you'll stay
If you kiss it all goodbye, my friend, the world will be a darker place
I know you're scared to death but this is not the time to hide
You were meant for so much more, I won't let you leave this world behind
What will it take to survive
Hey kid, can you hear me?
Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away
You have every reason left to stay alive
All this hell you've lived and seen
Drown it all in gasoline
Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been
The past is just lessons learned, light it up and let it burn
You will remember the day
You burn it all to the ground
I know you've heard this before
But you've gotta be strong now
This is not the end
Hey kid, can you hear me?
Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away
You have every reason left to stay alive
All this hell you've lived and seen
Drown it all in gasoline
Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been
The past is just lessons learned, light it up, let it burn
Let it burn
(Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away)
(You have every reason left to stay alive)
Let it burn
(All this hell you've lived and seen)
(Drown it all in gasoline)
(Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been)
The past is just lessons learned, light it up and let it burn
There's still time left
Cut these chords and kid run for your life
Maybe you're broken, maybe you're shattered
With no reasons left to try
But you still have so much, so much worth saving
That you have left on the inside
I know you feel like you are worthless, that your day has come
The misery eats you alive until you come undone
You feel like there is nowhere left to call your home tonight
You are not alone, this is our time, and I am by your side
My friend this is do or die
Hey kid, can you hear me?
Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away
You have every reason left to stay alive
All this hell you've lived and seen
Drown it all in gasoline
Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been
The past is just lessons learned, light it up and let it burn
Never thought that it would come to this
Who will save you?
Fading fast, now you are cancerous
I know you feel hopeless at the end of your rope now
The fear is eating you alive
So I'll be your reason, I'll be your shelter
I will not let you say goodbye
Have you no reason to forget your pain and swear you'll stay
If you kiss it all goodbye, my friend, the world will be a darker place
I know you're scared to death but this is not the time to hide
You were meant for so much more, I won't let you leave this world behind
What will it take to survive
Hey kid, can you hear me?
Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away
You have every reason left to stay alive
All this hell you've lived and seen
Drown it all in gasoline
Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been
The past is just lessons learned, light it up and let it burn
You will remember the day
You burn it all to the ground
I know you've heard this before
But you've gotta be strong now
This is not the end
Hey kid, can you hear me?
Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away
You have every reason left to stay alive
All this hell you've lived and seen
Drown it all in gasoline
Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been
The past is just lessons learned, light it up, let it burn
Let it burn
(Don't you dare pull the trigger, throw it all away)
(You have every reason left to stay alive)
Let it burn
(All this hell you've lived and seen)
(Drown it all in gasoline)
(Then light a match, pull the pin, you are not who you've been)
The past is just lessons learned, light it up and let it burn
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
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Light Up The Sky
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Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Just A Little Lovin'
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Dusty Springfield
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"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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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.
This song is about how in November 2016 the bands frontman Jake Segura tried to take his own life, while in the hospital bed afterwards he wrote the lyrics to this song on a napkin handed to him by a nurse. The song is a letter to himself (whom he addresses in the lyrics as “kid”), but also a message to anyone who has attempted or considered suicide, a plea for them to recognize their personal worth, move past their suffering and find something beautiful. In a sense, douse their past troubles in gasoline, light it on fire, and let it burn. This song is from the point of view of someone who has been there. Segura considers the role of the band beyond a rock performer and as a pathway to bringing the message of fighting the stigma of mental illness as weakness and encourage people to get help and work through their problems.