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.
I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel
if I woke up tomorrow and you were almost healed
If you could use your hands what would you use them for?
Would it be to strangle me?
Or just try to ignore,
The fact that they don't care.
Why they stop and stare why they put you in that
dusty metal chair Everyday is hard,
Hard for you to survive,
While we maintain this materialistic paradise.
Hold down, why don't you just lay awake and wash all over me.
I can hear you synchronize
I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel
If I woke up tomorrow and you were almost healed
If you could use your hands
What would you use them for?
Would it be to strangle me?
Or just try to ignore
The fact that they dont' care why they stop and stare,
Why they put you in that dusty dirty chair,
And everyday is hard
Hard for you to survive,
While we maintain this materialistic paradox.
I get high off you
I see the wave I'm calling
I hear the way you're falling
And I can see the things that you cannot do for
It just carries me away
and I see the wave I'm falling,
I hear the way you're calling,
and I can see the weight that's carried all on you
I see the wave I'm calling
I hear the wday you're falling
and I can carry all but just enough for you
I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel
If the world came crawling down on me
if I woke up tomorrow and you were almost healed
If you could use your hands what would you use them for?
Would it be to strangle me?
Or just try to ignore,
The fact that they don't care.
Why they stop and stare why they put you in that
dusty metal chair Everyday is hard,
Hard for you to survive,
While we maintain this materialistic paradise.
Hold down, why don't you just lay awake and wash all over me.
I can hear you synchronize
I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel
If I woke up tomorrow and you were almost healed
If you could use your hands
What would you use them for?
Would it be to strangle me?
Or just try to ignore
The fact that they dont' care why they stop and stare,
Why they put you in that dusty dirty chair,
And everyday is hard
Hard for you to survive,
While we maintain this materialistic paradox.
I get high off you
I see the wave I'm calling
I hear the way you're falling
And I can see the things that you cannot do for
It just carries me away
and I see the wave I'm falling,
I hear the way you're calling,
and I can see the weight that's carried all on you
I see the wave I'm calling
I hear the wday you're falling
and I can carry all but just enough for you
I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel
If the world came crawling down on me
Lyrics submitted by deviantd
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I love this song. It reminds me of the struggles two people can have. That sometimes you do what's right, sometimes you do what's wrong, and that sometimes, no matter what you do, it just doesn't matter.
This is my favorite song ever!
It's hard for me to say what this song is about. I think it's about status. Some people are well off and obsessed with their posessions ("While we maintain this materialistic paradise") whereas some people are poor and struggle to survive ("Everyday is hard, Hard for you to survive"). The people who are well off often don't consider those who aren't ("The fact that they don't care"). I think this song is about someone who actually does care for someone who is poor and wonders what it would be like in that type of situation ("I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel. If the world came crawling down on me.")
Just wanted to let ya know that these lyrics are off a bit. Ya must have a demo version. I just got some Fingertight samplers in the mail and the lyrics are a bit different to anyone who cares. Fingertight rocks. Cant wait for the album which hits stores this month.
Email me at Southpaw2G2 if you are interested in getting a Fingertight sampler while i have em.
anybody see these guys live? They're great... I saw em open for trust company. very intense.
Alright, seeing as how these lyrics are clearly OFF... The first time I heard this song was at one of Fingertight's shows a few months ago when they were touring with Chevelle. I nearly cried because it reminded me so much of some of the things I was dealing with in my life at the time. But I'm happy to say it's one of my favorite songs now. ^_^
I am not for sure what this song is about and i am a little intoxicated right now but i think it is about the lead singer being in an accident with whoever he is writing about. in this accident he paralyized the guy and he feels responsible for the whole thing. he can "see it in his eyes" that the guy knows it is his fault. he wonders that if the guy could use his paralyized hands whether he would strangle him for doing this or not? i love this song. this is just my take on it. "The dusty dirty chair" is just another reference to the paralyized friend.
To me this song seems to be about a person who has caused his friend to be partially if not completely paralyzed. There's nothing anyone can really do to help him so they just stop and stare and put him out of the way while they tend to the materialistic lives. He feels guilty and wonders why he can't carry his victim through life as he knows his victim would for him. It's a tragic song really, he can only do so much, and he can't make it right, so he'll always be burdened with knowing what he has done.
Actually, when I figured out the true meaning of this song it was kind of strange. This song is about a date gone bad. I thought it was more deep than that, but I love Fingertight still. They're the best! Too bad they broke up. :(
Just to clear things up, there are two main versions of Guilt. The one titled just "Guilt" is from a demo tracks mix called Meantime Between Failures which was released about 3 years before In The Name of Progress. "Guilt (Hold Down)" is the more popular version which is on In The Name of Progress and also released as a single.