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.
A movement is accomplished in six stages
And the seventh brings return
The seven is the number of the young light
It forms when darkness is increased by one
Change returns success
Going and coming without error
Action brings good fortune
Sunset
The time is with the month of winter solstice
When the change is due to come
Thunder in the other course of heaven
Things cannot be destroyed once and for all
Change returns success
Going and coming without error
Action brings good fortune
Sunset, sunrise
A movement is accomplished in six stages
And the seventh brings return
The seven is the number of the young light
It forms when darkness is increased by one
Change returns success
Going and coming without error
Action brings good fortune
Sunset, sunrise, sunrise, sunset
And the seventh brings return
The seven is the number of the young light
It forms when darkness is increased by one
Change returns success
Going and coming without error
Action brings good fortune
Sunset
The time is with the month of winter solstice
When the change is due to come
Thunder in the other course of heaven
Things cannot be destroyed once and for all
Change returns success
Going and coming without error
Action brings good fortune
Sunset, sunrise
A movement is accomplished in six stages
And the seventh brings return
The seven is the number of the young light
It forms when darkness is increased by one
Change returns success
Going and coming without error
Action brings good fortune
Sunset, sunrise, sunrise, sunset
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Chapter 24 Lyrics as written by Syd Barrett
Lyrics © T.R.O. INC.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
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This song is about Chapter 24 of the I-ching. FU - The Great return.
This is about the 4 kingdoms of mankind, and how they are all destroyed by a great catyclysm.
There is a cycle called the great return, and we are in the 5th kingdom of mankind. According to the mayans it ends in dec 21st 2012 by earthquake on the winter solstic :) (this is also why stone henge marks the solstice and other monuments.)
The time is when the month of winter solstice, when the change is due to come.
After the 5th kingdom is the 6th which is considered to be the great darkness.
"the seven is the number of the young light it forms when darkness isn't creased by one"
That lyric is incorrect.. it should be...
"the seven is the number of the young light it forms when darkness is increased by one"
Darkness (6) is increased by 1... = 7... 7 is the young light... when everything returns to 1 (the day the lord rests) Genesis is a copy of Fu... said in a different way.
After that... (just as in genesis the lord rests) and it returns to the beginning of the cycle.
This is a cycle of the solstice, the precession and the great solar year.
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I think this is probably exactly right. I was getting the same religious, mystical, apocalyptic vibes with it too.
how interesting! i loved this song and thought it a standout on the record before i thought it was anything more than some free form ruminations on personal philosophy by Syd, it's very interesting to know that he drew inspiration from the I-ching. One of his best melodies i'd say, such a way with the key change he had. The vocal inflection on the word 'heaven' is transcendent.
This is chapter 24 of the Tao... or the I-Ching... I forgot which. Either way, it's a religious book that Syd found facinating... and he decided to make a song about it.
these lyrics are not by syd barrett , they are literary taken from i-tjing, credits to the translater ! i-tjing is an oracle book ( ancient chinese) that predicts the future. chapter 24 is about ...well : read the lyrics, thats what it says and a informed reader / fortune teller can make an answer for a question from that , example : question: is my wife faithful and loving me, when the coins or sticks that fall point to chapter 24 then the meaning will be something like: you wife will RETURN to you always, this is a simple example it goes way deeper than that but thats the basics
@MsManomen Better to say 'ancient chinese that purports to predict the future. One cannot predict the future because there are too many variables, each being able to make a significant change. That is why astrology is the longest running con trick on earth.
@MsManomen No, 'it' does not predict the future. No-one can actually do that because there are too many variables along the way. What you mean is that it is supposed to predict the future. Many charlatans do that.
I adore this song. It's metaphysical references.
Yeah In the I-Ching, Hexagram 24 essentially means "returning" and in this song "return" seems a key factor... also heres a thought for everyone .. the numbers 6 and 7 are mentioned... times them together.. its 24 backwards.. lol hey maybe im looking too much into this
I think it has reference to the book mentioned... but i also beleive its a prediction to what Syd was going to go through, probably already going through it.
the young light proceeded to darkness, and absense. The change would return success, and i think Syd's return of success happened around the age of 24... thats just my review.
Love it
Isn't it "it forms when darkness is increased by one"?
''The time is with the month of Winter solstice, when the change is due to come." This line has always intrigued me, because it could shed some light on the whole December 21st the world is ending rumor. "The time is with the month of Winter solstice," December 21st is actually the day of the Winter solstice, and December is always the month of this event. "when the change is due to come." This 'change' can mean a lot of things. Maybe it could be a change in our way of living, or an Apocalypse-like event could happen or maybe even - going along with the rumor - the end of the world. One thing I do know is the song was based off the Chinese text, I Ching.