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.
How miserable I am
I feel like a fruit-picker who arrived here
After the harvest
There's nothing here at all
Nothing at all here that could placate my hunger
The godly people are all gone
There's not one honest soul left alive
Here on the planet
We're all murderers and thieves
Setting traps here for even our brothers
And both of our hands are equally skilled
At doing evil, equally skilled
At bribing the judges, equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of our hands
Both of our hands
The day of justice comes
And is even now swiftly arriving
Don't trust anyone at all
Not your best friend or even your wife
For the son hates the father
The daughter despises even her mother
Look, your enemies arrive
Right in the room of your very household
And both of their hands are equally skilled
At doing evil, equally skilled
At bribing the judges, equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of their hands
Both of their hands
No, don't gloat over me
Though I fall, though I fall
I will rise again
Though I sit here in darkness
The Lord, the Lord alone
He will be my light
I will be patient as the Lord
Punishes me for the wrongs I've done
Against Him
After that, He'll take my case
Bringing me to light and the justice
For all I have suffered
And both of His hands
Are equally skilled
At ruining evil, equally skilled
At judging the judges, equally skilled
Administering justice
Both of His hands
Both of His hands
Are equally skilled
At showing me mercy, equally skilled
At loving the loveless, equally skilled
Administering justice
Both of His hands
Both of His hands
I feel like a fruit-picker who arrived here
After the harvest
There's nothing here at all
Nothing at all here that could placate my hunger
The godly people are all gone
There's not one honest soul left alive
Here on the planet
We're all murderers and thieves
Setting traps here for even our brothers
And both of our hands are equally skilled
At doing evil, equally skilled
At bribing the judges, equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of our hands
Both of our hands
The day of justice comes
And is even now swiftly arriving
Don't trust anyone at all
Not your best friend or even your wife
For the son hates the father
The daughter despises even her mother
Look, your enemies arrive
Right in the room of your very household
And both of their hands are equally skilled
At doing evil, equally skilled
At bribing the judges, equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of their hands
Both of their hands
No, don't gloat over me
Though I fall, though I fall
I will rise again
Though I sit here in darkness
The Lord, the Lord alone
He will be my light
I will be patient as the Lord
Punishes me for the wrongs I've done
Against Him
After that, He'll take my case
Bringing me to light and the justice
For all I have suffered
And both of His hands
Are equally skilled
At ruining evil, equally skilled
At judging the judges, equally skilled
Administering justice
Both of His hands
Both of His hands
Are equally skilled
At showing me mercy, equally skilled
At loving the loveless, equally skilled
Administering justice
Both of His hands
Both of His hands
Lyrics submitted by Loona3
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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This song is directly out of Micah 7, check it out
Jon pretty much writes the aches of his heart here. He feels like he is the only one who truly wants God and feels like He's not even there "I feel like a fruitpicker who arrived after the harvest" (not in a bragging sense, but in a prayerful and desperation sense). Throughout the song he sings about the perverted justice in the world, even among brothers and sisters in Christ "The godly people are all gone". In the end of the song, Jon closes with reassurance that God will judge fairly in the end "And both of His hands are equally skilled".
Hi!
Its important to know that this song is paraphrasing Micah, an Old Testament prophet. Under the New Covenant, Christians don't receive punishment from the Lord. Instead, Christ bore that punishment for you. Looking ahead to Christ, Isaiah in ch 53 says
Trouble in this life is a consequence of the fallen nature of the world. Nevertheless, God graciously brings things that are good for us out of those tough circumstances if we look to see it. On this topic, I urge you to watch Louie Giglio's "Hope" DVD.
With love, Steve
Steve, that's a dangerous generalization to make, and made thus is wrong. We aren't damned under the new covenant no matter how much we sin, however there is evidence of temporal punishment for believers (cf 1 Corinthians 10-11) who sin.
Uh... Where's the rest of the song? lol... Here's the rest: At perverting justice Both of our hands Both of our hands
The day of justice comes And is even now swiftly arriving
Don't trust anyone at all Not your best friend or even your wife For the son hates the father The daughter despises even her mother
Look! Your enemies are right Right in the room of your very household
And both of their hands are equally skilled Are equally skilled
No, don't gloat over me For though I fall, though I fall I will rise again Though I sit here in the darkness The Lord, the Lord alone He will be my light I will be patient as the Lord punishes me for the wrongs I've done against Him After that He'll take my case Bringing me to the light and to justice For all that I have suffered
And both of His hands are equally skilled Are equally skilled
What a beautiful song....
i think the title explains it all. that man is equally skilled to do great things and terrible things. we can praise god and just as "equally skilled"ly do horrible things
Wow, I hadn't noticed that, johnielsen08, thanks for bringing it up. After checking it out, yeah, its pretty much straight from the Bible, Micah 7:1-9. Great song!
I love the line near the end where he says "I will be patient as the Lord punishes me for the wrongs I've done against him", recognizing that we will all sit in the judgement seat to face the wrath of our God we've all wronged. Which by itself is incredibly depressing and terrifying. But then he follows "After that he'll take my case, bringing me to light and justice for all I have suffered". So then God (Or Jesus) becomes our advocate, bringing justice to all the injustice we've suffered in life. Which is so much more uplifting and hopeful! That who should be our judge now become our advocate! And every tear we've cried in life has not been in vain!
I just love that part. It makes me so hopeful, puts things in perspective a bit.
Jon Foreman is a GENIUS when it comes to songwriting!!!! This is an AWESOME song!!! My favorite part is the chorus... so nicely said!
here's ALL the lyrics
How miserable I am I feel like a fruit-picker who arrived here After the harvest There's nothing here at all Nothing at all here that could placate my hunger The godly people are all gone There's not one honest soul left alive Here on the planet We're all murderers and thieves Setting traps here for even our brothers
And both of our hands are equally skilled At doing evil, equally skilled At bribing the judges, equally skilled At perverting justice Both of our hands Both of our hands
The day of justice comes And is even now swiftly arriving Don't trust anyone at all Not your best friend or even your wife For the son hates the father The daughter despises even her mother Look, your enemies arrive Right in the room of your very household
And both of their hands are equally skilled At doing evil, equally skilled At bribing the judges, equally skilled At perverting justice Both of their hands Both of their hands
No, don't gloat over me Though I fall, though I fall I will rise again Though I sit here in darkness The Lord, the Lord alone He will be my light I will be patient as the Lord Punishes me for the wrongs I've done Against Him After that, He'll take my case Bringing me to light and the justice For all I have suffered
And both of His hands Are equally skilled At ruining evil, equally skilled At judging the judges, equally skilled Administering justice Both of His hands
Both of His hands Are equally skilled At showing me mercy, equally skilled At loving the loveless, equally skilled Administering justice Both of His hands Both of His hands