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.
On the outskirts of expansion
Looking out from blueprint peak
The flow is flooding of urban setters
Panning through rivers running dry
Numbers roll on in
Smiling a lottery grin
A sadness blurs the eye
It's just a matter of time before they're moving on
It's just a matter of time before they're moving on
Doesn't take much time for plans to go wrong
And chase another ghost of a chance
In the shadows of chain-store ghost towns
Where no one walks the streets at night
A silent nation hooked on medication
Stares into a blue flickering light
The young drift off alone
And the old are whisked away
And prospects keep looking up
But the line's getting longer on the lost highway
The line's getting longer on the superstition highway
Doesn't take much time for plans to go astray
And chase another ghost of a chance
They say deep down inside,
Lie properties of a healing kind
If so it'd better come around soon
And do a little bit of service and repair
Do a little bit of service and repair
Do a little more service and repair
Doesn't take much time for plans to change
And offer up another chance
For a little bit more service and repair
Do a little bit of service and repair
Doesn't take much time for plans to change
And offer up another chance
At sewing the dream better suited for both soul and soil
Looking out from blueprint peak
The flow is flooding of urban setters
Panning through rivers running dry
Numbers roll on in
Smiling a lottery grin
A sadness blurs the eye
It's just a matter of time before they're moving on
It's just a matter of time before they're moving on
Doesn't take much time for plans to go wrong
And chase another ghost of a chance
In the shadows of chain-store ghost towns
Where no one walks the streets at night
A silent nation hooked on medication
Stares into a blue flickering light
The young drift off alone
And the old are whisked away
And prospects keep looking up
But the line's getting longer on the lost highway
The line's getting longer on the superstition highway
Doesn't take much time for plans to go astray
And chase another ghost of a chance
They say deep down inside,
Lie properties of a healing kind
If so it'd better come around soon
And do a little bit of service and repair
Do a little bit of service and repair
Do a little more service and repair
Doesn't take much time for plans to change
And offer up another chance
For a little bit more service and repair
Do a little bit of service and repair
Doesn't take much time for plans to change
And offer up another chance
At sewing the dream better suited for both soul and soil
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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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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
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Good song from a good band.