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.
Where were you when I was burned and broken
While the days slipped by from my window watching
And where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless
'Cause the things you say and the things you do surround me
While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words
Dying to believe in what you heard
I was staring straight into the shining sun
Lost in thought and lost in time
While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted
Outside the rain fell dark and slow
While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime
I took a heavenly ride through our silence
I knew the moment had arrived
For killing the past and coming back to life
I took a heavenly ride through our silence
I knew the waiting had begun
Headed straight into the shining sun
While the days slipped by from my window watching
And where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless
'Cause the things you say and the things you do surround me
While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words
Dying to believe in what you heard
I was staring straight into the shining sun
Lost in thought and lost in time
While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted
Outside the rain fell dark and slow
While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime
I took a heavenly ride through our silence
I knew the moment had arrived
For killing the past and coming back to life
I took a heavenly ride through our silence
I knew the waiting had begun
Headed straight into the shining sun
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Coming Back to Life Lyrics as written by David Jon Gilmour
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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hey I agree with the comments that the 'new' Pink Floyd kicks major ass...
did anybody have a gut feeling the first time you heard it, when the song begins with the guitar intro, that this song is going to be amazing, and when Mr. Gilmour starts singing, with the amazing voice of his, that this is not a song, this cannot be of this world, it accompanied a high, much better than a drug high, and you know that you have heard something that beyond the consciousness of regular music.
anyways, I might have ended up sounding a bit silly here, but thats what a 'Floyd high' does to me, so keep listening... and keep loving David Gilmour...
@laila_slayer I have that feeling EVERY time I hear this masterpiece.
Im living with the consequences of a huge mistake I made 6 years ago which saw me spend 6 months as a guest of Her Majesty. Whilst my parents have forgiven me, and I've by all accounts succeeded since this time, I've got a great job, and am doing really well... Not a day goes by that I don't think about what I did, and how bleeding stupid it was.
I remember saying at the time, that I would move on from that time, but I would never forgive myself. And to this day, I am unable to forgive myself. I have cut myself off from friends, despite them standing by me - because I am too ashamed of what I did.
I hope that some day, at some point in the future, I shall be able to bury my demons that I live with day to day, and forgive myself. It wasn't a serious crime, but it was stupid. As I say, I've moved on from Prison. Great job, new house, still got awesome friends and am doing fantastically well - my Mum the other month said she was so proud of me for getting back on my feet. The first time in my life she's said she was proud of me - it choked me up, and I cried.
I just wish that I could say I was proud of myself again.
Perhaps one day, someday I too will kneow the moment has arrived for killing the past and coming back to life.
I pray for that day.
today is that day, I don't know you but after reading this and sensing your regret, for what it's worth, I am proud of you.
@joe1982_york
@joe1982_york
I live with it too my friend. I spent 5 straight years from my window watching. Today I am not the same man, and have come to appreciate that through those mistakes I made, I have grown. I am a husband, a father, and I am free to live in the shining sun.
@joe1982_york Six months? Though a mere hour spent incarcerated is more than enough, your offence couldn\'t have been all that heinous. There are but two entities capable of unadulterated forgiveness; ourselves and God. Keep praying, my friend. \r\n\r\n:o)
After listening to several interviews, I have came to the conclusion that this song is a testimonial to the shame Gilmour has borne over not doing more for Syd while he was still alive experiencing increasing delusion. It seems to portray the band's lack of help, from Syd's point of view. " Where were you when I was burned and broken While the days slipped by from my window watching Where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless Because the things you say and the things you do surround me While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words dying to believe in what you heard I was staring straight into the shining sun". Someone else's words... Roger Waters. Very sad stuff here.
@pylon <br /> <br /> Hard post. <br /> <br /> (+1 mate.)<br />
Very, very hard post! @pylon
@pylon I agree wholeheartedly. Roger Waters is the enemy of love and spiritual transcendence and the band's best days were before and after his "leading role"
As with most Pink Floyd albums, being the finest purveyors of the concept album, this song should be taken in context of the themes running throughout. It's a physical/spiritual/political journey from:
Silence, Depression, Despair, Loss, Separation (both inner between mind and soul, The Berlin Wall and a specific relationship) to Finding a Voice, Joy, Hope, Rediscovery, Re-unification (of inner self and East/West)
The hopeful tone in this song comes from the point where he takes a purposeful step out of Plato's cave 'into the shining sun' in a quest for real meaning, in the hope that it is there to be found.
I think the Berlin Wall/Iron Curtain reference is justified later on in the album in the song High Hopes which seems to be a nostalgic reminiscence of life before the wall fell: 'The grass was greener, the lights were brighter'. Speak to any former East German or watch the film 'Goodbye Lenin' and you will see what I mean...
beautiful song!
Yes it is beautiful!☺
I love this song. There is a video on Youtube that someone put it to pictures from space and it brings it to life. ;)
Let me guess. You made the video:) I'll have to check it out tomorrow.
Nope! :) I'll send you the url.
You should put the link here. It's really good. Thanks again.
This song along with every song on the album has a central theme of communication. David Gilmore did say that this album was not referencing Roger Waters in any way, solthough it would be fitting, this song is not talking about Roger Waters.
This song in my opinion sounds a lot like betrayal and a rebirthing in a sense. At the beginning, the song says: "Where were you when I was burned and broken While the days slipped by from my window watching Where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless Because the things you say and the things you do surround me"
This to me says something about a bad relationship where one person was living in the aftermath of someone's or a friend's lies and actions and because of what the friend had done, he felt betrayed and alone.
The song than says: "While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words dying to believe in what you heard I was staring straight into the shining sun"
This to me is talking about that friend being mislead by someone else and believing whatever they were told and in their absence, he started to see that the relationship could not be saved AKA seeing the light of a bad relationship and this "light" was as bright and blinding as the sun.
"Lost in thought and lost in time While the seeds of live and the seeds of change were planted"
This is talking about deep thought and reflection that comes when someone is considering making a major life change because he had seen that the relationship could not be salvaged and the desire to move on was now present.
"Outside the rain fell dark and slow While I pondered on this dangerous but Irresistable pas-time I took a heavenly ride through our silence I knew the moment had arrived For killing the past and coming back to life"
This is talking about committing to the change. While the "rain fell dark and slow" outside. He sat and reflected on the danger of "risking" this relationship for his own happiness. "I took a heavenly ride through our silence" I took the time that we were apart to ponder this relationship "For killing the past and coming back to life" in order to let go of the past and come back to life or live again.
"I took a heavenly ride through our silence I knew the waiting had begun And I headed straight..into the shining sun"
"And I headed straight..into the shining sun" move forward with his life and bright future.
Amen, but did you really need to write a friggin' book ;)
Good year, BTW. Reminds me of something....ummmmm...ummmmmm...SPIRIT of 1976, I suppose. Yes, I suppose:)
Pretty much exactly my thoughts. The only line I don't have an exact meaning pinned down for is "I knew the waiting had begun". I could either interpret this as him waiting until the relationship completely decays to break it off, or he intends to end it immediately, and it refers to waiting for him to get his life back together.
David was going through a bad time personally when he wrote this song...I believe he had been injured in a racing accident....his marriage was falling apart...his dangerous and irresistible pastime was using a lot of cocaine...his second wife Polly helped him stop :) Roger was trying to stop the Floyd from using the name....anyways I believe this beautiful song is about his wife.....all this pain created a great piece of music...:)
To me, is about a depressed guy who was left by his girlfriend and finally commits suicide
"Where were you when I was burned and broken While the days slipped by from my window watching And where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless Because the things you say and the things you do surround me "
¿Where were you when I was dying alone while remembering the things you did and said?
"While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words Dying to believe in what you heard I was staring straight into the shining sun Lost in thought and lost in time"
While you were hanging around with another guy who is trying to seduce you with his words. I was lost thinking and looking to the light at the end of the tunnel*
"While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted Outside the rain fell dark and slow While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime I took a heavenly ride through our silence"
While our time was ending, and the other guy's time was about to start, I was depressed, thinking about the distance that now separate us, and irresistibly wanting to commit suicide.
I knew the moment had arrived For killing the past and coming back to life I took a heavenly ride through our silence I knew the waiting had begun And headed straight into the shining sun
I knew the moment had arrived, the moment to bury our history and start over again, I thought about our actual (non existing) relation, and realized that I just had to wait. I had commited suicide, and was already dying and heading to the light at the end of the tunnel.
*Many songwriters refer to the sun as the death or heaven, like the light at the end of the tunnel.
I love this song, whenever I'm mad or something like that, I listin to this song and it calms me down.