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.
No hears a word I say
And my prayers are never answered
But you'll never see the pain inside of me
Stabbing me over and over and over
I trusted you and I loved you
And you spit back in my face
How could you do this to me?
When will you stop trying to hurt me?
I've walked a minefield for you
A career in hell with you
I have made it through the things
Others would surely die just watching
And the oath I take on this day
Is to know that you will be repaid
One day the the sun will die and the night will crawl
Until then, until I see your world implode
I wish you death and suffering
Misery to spare
Time to release your pain
Face the last enemy
I am the last thing you will know
The last thing you will see
I see your death surrounding me
I know you, yes I do
I know you
When no words are spoken and please are ignored
Your tears go unnoticed, will you say enough?
When prayers are unanswered and your calls are unheard
The pain cuts right through you, have you seen enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgement has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
When you give everything and the feeling is gone
All the giving is fake, did you fake enough?
When you take everything and you stay too long
When there's nothing left, did you take enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgment has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
And my prayers are never answered
But you'll never see the pain inside of me
Stabbing me over and over and over
I trusted you and I loved you
And you spit back in my face
How could you do this to me?
When will you stop trying to hurt me?
I've walked a minefield for you
A career in hell with you
I have made it through the things
Others would surely die just watching
And the oath I take on this day
Is to know that you will be repaid
One day the the sun will die and the night will crawl
Until then, until I see your world implode
I wish you death and suffering
Misery to spare
Time to release your pain
Face the last enemy
I am the last thing you will know
The last thing you will see
I see your death surrounding me
I know you, yes I do
I know you
When no words are spoken and please are ignored
Your tears go unnoticed, will you say enough?
When prayers are unanswered and your calls are unheard
The pain cuts right through you, have you seen enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgement has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
When you give everything and the feeling is gone
All the giving is fake, did you fake enough?
When you take everything and you stay too long
When there's nothing left, did you take enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgment has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
Lyrics submitted by elmoz, edited by Tunisian0rock0fan
When Lyrics as written by Dave Mustaine
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Taken off of Wikipedia: Mustaine also dedicated the song "When" to all the nay-sayers on Megadeth's internet message board who spoke ill of him and the band after their recent attempts at commercial success (or, a "big fuck you to all the wishy-washy fans out there".) The main riff and structure of "When" is reminiscent of "Am I Evil?" by Diamond Head, which Mustaine has said was intentional, as a homage to Diamond Head and the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement