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.
Once upon a time they called me the bleeder
Well swimmin' up this river with sentimental fever
But this ain't my first ride, it ain't my last try
Just got to keep movin' on
If they catch me ever they'll throw me back forever
I guess I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
They say you're only sad and lonely
And no one is impressed
I sent it off in a letter, I need somethin' better
Than a nail and a hammer to put me back together
But this ain't my first ride, it ain't my last try
Just got to keep a-movin on
Got to keep this together, maybe next time is never
I guess I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
They say you're only sad and lonely
And no one is impressed
Sometimes I must confess, I do feel a little over dressed
Sometimes it's hard to tell the wishing from the well
Where you threw the penny and where it fell
I guess I should I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
I guess I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
They say you're only sad and lonely
And no one is impressed
Well swimmin' up this river with sentimental fever
But this ain't my first ride, it ain't my last try
Just got to keep movin' on
If they catch me ever they'll throw me back forever
I guess I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
They say you're only sad and lonely
And no one is impressed
I sent it off in a letter, I need somethin' better
Than a nail and a hammer to put me back together
But this ain't my first ride, it ain't my last try
Just got to keep a-movin on
Got to keep this together, maybe next time is never
I guess I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
They say you're only sad and lonely
And no one is impressed
Sometimes I must confess, I do feel a little over dressed
Sometimes it's hard to tell the wishing from the well
Where you threw the penny and where it fell
I guess I should I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
I guess I should be ashamed
But I forget to be vain
Well I did the best I could I guess
But everything just bleeds
They say you're only sad and lonely
And no one is impressed
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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
The guy reminds himself that maybe they used to call him a bleeder but that is past tense. He's lived with this kind of emotional turmoil in the past but he's gotten through it and in the song it seems he's had some kind of upset where he needs to remind himself of this and reaffirm his perspective. The idea that this can be dealt with and he knows he will get through this is repeated - this aint my first ride, it aint my last try - He reminds himself he will get through this and there will be more chances, and that he's 'Just got to keep movin' on'. In the lines 'I sent it off in a letter, I need somethin' better' and 'Got to keep this together, maybe next time is never' it eludes to the seriousness and depth of this emotional turmoil from what he's experienced in the past.
He depicts himself as a fugitive on the run, but I think this is metaphorical, He reveals he's always struggled emotionally 'swimming up this river with sentimental fever' and he feels that he's a failure in the estimation of society or some group of people in it, and was judged as a failure by others - 'they called me the bleeder'. The 'nail and a hammer' brings up the idea of being forced to be a certain way. He feels that he's a prisoner of the standards and expectations of society and how he is judged by this. He also "confesses" that he never really felt up to those standards, and how its difficult to try to be someone you're not.
In the song he is repeatedly reassuring himself in order to comfort himself that whatever this latest failure that he did the best he could. In the line 'I guess I should be ashamed but I forget to be vain' he is mocking society for its corrupted standards. Where he says 'only sad and lonely' is tong-in-cheek as he continues mocking society for its lack of compassion - 'no one is impressed'.