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.
This is a crisis I knew had to come
Destroying the balance I'd kept
Doubting, unsettling, and turning around
Wondering what will come next
Is this the role that you wanted to live?
I was foolish to ask for so much
Without the protection and infancy's guard
It all falls apart at first touch
Watching the reel as it comes to a close
Brutally taking its time
People who change for no reason at all
It's happening all of the time
Can I go on with this train of events?
Disturbing and purging my mind
Back out of my duties, when all's said and done
I know that I'll lose every time
Moving along in our God-given ways
Safety is sat by the fire
Sanctuary from these feverish smiles
Left with a mark on the door
Is this the gift that I wanted to give?
Forgive and forget's what they teach
Or pass through the deserts and wastelands once more
And watch as they drop by the beach
This is the crisis I knew had to come
Destroying the balance I'd kept
Turning around to the next set of lives
Wondering what will come next
Destroying the balance I'd kept
Doubting, unsettling, and turning around
Wondering what will come next
Is this the role that you wanted to live?
I was foolish to ask for so much
Without the protection and infancy's guard
It all falls apart at first touch
Watching the reel as it comes to a close
Brutally taking its time
People who change for no reason at all
It's happening all of the time
Can I go on with this train of events?
Disturbing and purging my mind
Back out of my duties, when all's said and done
I know that I'll lose every time
Moving along in our God-given ways
Safety is sat by the fire
Sanctuary from these feverish smiles
Left with a mark on the door
Is this the gift that I wanted to give?
Forgive and forget's what they teach
Or pass through the deserts and wastelands once more
And watch as they drop by the beach
This is the crisis I knew had to come
Destroying the balance I'd kept
Turning around to the next set of lives
Wondering what will come next
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It's a very ambiguous song, it could have both positive and negative meanings. He could be talking about going through some sort of catharsis before he changes his life for the better, but I'm more inclined to believe the passover he's talking about is indeed death. He's reluctant about whether he should go on with it as he knows he has "duties" (a wife and a child). To kill himself would be liberating but it would also mean he'd bebacking out. To stay would only bring him more suffering, so either way he loses: "Can I go on with this train of events? Disturbing and purging my mind Back out of my duties, when all's said and done I know that I'll lose every time"
He was determined to end his life, but then the crisis came which made him doubt. It's like a discussion between the two parts of his personality, the determined one and the hesitating one. The first one asks: "Is this the role that you wanted to live? " And the second one replies: "Can I go on with this train of events?"
We know which won. Even if we didn't know anything about how he died, it would be obvious from the way the song ends.
Pain, guilt and death are the wastelands he has to cross before he could finally feel free to go through the "next set of lives".