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.
Whenever I run
Whenever I run to you lost one
It's never done
Just hanging on
The past has let me be
Returning as a dream
Shattered as belief
If you have to go don't say goodbye
If you have to go don't you cry
If you have to go I will get by
Someday I'll follow you and see you on the other side
But for the grace of love
I'd will the meaning of
Heaven from above
Your picture out of time
Left aching in my mind
Shadows kept alive
If you have to go don't say goodbye
If you have to go don't you cry
If you have to go I will get by
I will follow you and see you on the other side
But for the grace of love
I'd will the meaning of
Heaven from above
Long horses we are born
Creatures more than torn
Mourning our way home
Whenever I run to you lost one
It's never done
Just hanging on
The past has let me be
Returning as a dream
Shattered as belief
If you have to go don't say goodbye
If you have to go don't you cry
If you have to go I will get by
Someday I'll follow you and see you on the other side
But for the grace of love
I'd will the meaning of
Heaven from above
Your picture out of time
Left aching in my mind
Shadows kept alive
If you have to go don't say goodbye
If you have to go don't you cry
If you have to go I will get by
I will follow you and see you on the other side
But for the grace of love
I'd will the meaning of
Heaven from above
Long horses we are born
Creatures more than torn
Mourning our way home
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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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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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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.
Every SP album seems to have that one stand-out track that just sits above the rest of the album and just knows that it is pure genius. This song really is perfectly beautiful. If you aren't emotionally affected by For Martha then there is something very wrong with you. I want to live inside of it.