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.
Five lovely lessons learned today
Coating my throat with the dust of a new day
As the saint pray their lonely way
And their deadweight lays the passion to waste
Maybe if I sew my heart on my sleeve
They'll drop the bomb on me and I'll wake up
I can only fix so much in my sleep
I can only drink so much from this empty cup
I know I must not think bad thoughts
I'm always beaten to the punch
I'm holding aces high and low
And in between I'm trying to break my fall
Give me a piece of what you've got
I'll make it new with much less thought
It's symbolic and full of trash
Lofty endearments whispered under your breath
Five lessons remembered from yesterday
Easing my mind and seizing each new day
Beyond and back and I'm still the same
Kicked over some old trash but I still waste
Coating my throat with the dust of a new day
As the saint pray their lonely way
And their deadweight lays the passion to waste
Maybe if I sew my heart on my sleeve
They'll drop the bomb on me and I'll wake up
I can only fix so much in my sleep
I can only drink so much from this empty cup
I know I must not think bad thoughts
I'm always beaten to the punch
I'm holding aces high and low
And in between I'm trying to break my fall
Give me a piece of what you've got
I'll make it new with much less thought
It's symbolic and full of trash
Lofty endearments whispered under your breath
Five lessons remembered from yesterday
Easing my mind and seizing each new day
Beyond and back and I'm still the same
Kicked over some old trash but I still waste
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
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I think it might have something to do with school... I mean, five lessons... I think it's about the guy's potential being asleep and school trying to help but not really doing anything.
uuuuum no....i dont think so, you dont learn stuff ONLY in school sillie...try life lessons...i highly doubt swingin utters would write about falling asleep in class.? but those are my thoughts...dont mean to be rude. byeeee
A song can have a different meaning to anyone. The band could've have meant anything when they wrote it but how you interpret it could be totally different. In class we did a poetry assignment, alot of people had different thoughts on what it meant, the same is with a punk rock song.
i definatly agree this song is not about school... "i can only drink so much from this empty cup"? theres only so much you can do but u learn anyway well something like that.. i just think its about life knowledge..i think everyone learns different things and thinks differently about everything..different perspectives ..and nobody can really describe their own thoughts completely.. "kicked over some old trash but i still waste" nobody could understand in the very way he meant it...but everyone can make their assumptions and learn something from the little thoughts running through their head when they read and think about that.
Hm...in this song, yea, he's talking about life-lessons. It seems like he's talking about love. He's comparing himself to saints, whom must live without wives (I think). To him, saints waste their passions by not using them to love like they should. He thinks he's alike. He might be lonely or something, cuz he considers himself to be asleep. So if he sews his heart on his sleeve (and morally for saints, that's wrong so they'd tell on him and drop the bomb on him) something will hit him hard enough to wake him up. Like, make him realize how stupid he's been living like a saint. Saints are restricted so he can only fix so much while he's asleep. And he sees living as a saint as drinking from an empty cup. Waste of your time. (not literally. Just how saints do the love thing). The next lines "I know I shouldn't think bad thoughts..." He feels there's alot of pressure on him. He's learning a life-lesson, I guess. So he's gotten wiser now. He can take someone's thoughts and make them new with half the effort. Maybe he's learned how to use time wisely. And he can see through phony love attempts. "Lofty endearments (full of trash). He's learned to let go some. Ease his mind, seizing each new day. Seizing love but wisely. "Beyond and back...etc..." He's not dead yet, so he's probably got more life lessons to learn before then. That was hard...but that was my jumbled take on this song.
hmmmmmmmmmm.. well put! i like that idea! altho i think its more general than that. i think hes trying to say he wants to be more open in life: "Maybe if I sew my heart on my sleeve" and that theres so many things that get in your way: "And in between I'm trying to break my fall".<br /> <br /> i think the punk aspect adds to the fact that it sounds more general but i do like your theory!