He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
High above your atmosphere
Do they all still cheer for who they think we are
And once more past the sun again
Feelings sinking in I think we've gone to far
And why did you fly did you burn
Can't you learn from my mistakes
I have made them so I know
Bored just one more cup of tea
All the stars and me they'll teach me how to shine
'Cause life it's so much colder here
I'll absorb your fears and bury them inside
And why did you fly did you burn
Can't you learn from my mistakes
I have made them so I know
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
Things we found so lovely
Turn so ugly
I've grown nakeder day by day
It's quite disarming I find it alarming
When everybody's listening
Why did you fly did you burn
Can't you learn from what we've learned
I can't see you anymore
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
Do they all still cheer for who they think we are
And once more past the sun again
Feelings sinking in I think we've gone to far
And why did you fly did you burn
Can't you learn from my mistakes
I have made them so I know
Bored just one more cup of tea
All the stars and me they'll teach me how to shine
'Cause life it's so much colder here
I'll absorb your fears and bury them inside
And why did you fly did you burn
Can't you learn from my mistakes
I have made them so I know
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
Things we found so lovely
Turn so ugly
I've grown nakeder day by day
It's quite disarming I find it alarming
When everybody's listening
Why did you fly did you burn
Can't you learn from what we've learned
I can't see you anymore
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
You're too close to the sun
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
Corpse I Fell In Love With
Gadjits, The
Gadjits, The
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
I think the guy in the song is trying to warn the other person to be careful. Hes done what the person has done and is warning them that its bad. The person he is singing about takes the form of Icarus and the guy singing the form of Icarus's father. Icarus was warned not to fly too close to the sun but he did and his wings burned. You can read it en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icarus_%28mythology%29