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.
Exactly where should I begin,
Forgive me father I have sinned,
Been caught perpetuating wrongs,
I screamed in accusation,
And yet convinced that still I can,
Somehow be better than I am,
If I could only bring myself,
To step in one direction.
But all this progress that I've made,
Has left me bitter and afraid,
I bolt the doors and let the
Trappings of my life surround me,
And hope to God nobody calls,
But trust the scratching in the walls,
To be my comfort and my shelter
From the world around me.
Ignore the whisper on the wind,
Forgive me father I have sinned,
I swear right now I'd cling
To anything you'd care to show me,
To save me from improper thoughts,
That modern miracle of sorts,
Against a tide of advertising,
And survival only.
Poor condition has been set,
And every new potential threat,
Must be eradicated from
the face of all that's sacred,
Not just anger for the cause,
I'll be hysterically yours,
And deaf to any reason,
Evidence or explanation.
So tell me what have I become?
A middle finger to the sun?
I traded fireworks for love
and I was left with nothing,
But paper shards and empty shells,
A burst of sulphur blown to hell,
It might just be that all this
history has taught me something.
So I'm taking lessons from the past,
They won't build anything to last,
But engineered to fall apart,
The day the warranty expires,
So keep the wheels turning round,
Keep our flag pinned to the ground,
Just don't look back and don't look down,
In fact try not to look at all.
You'll see opinion dressed as fact,
See definitions inexact,
And explain away the darkest days,
As misinterpretation,
This dumbing down it's so uncouth,
Like there's one single fucking truth,
I couldn't bear that right and wrong,
Could be so uncomplicated.
And swagger dripping from the stage,
Curse the impatience of the age,
It all takes time, and time is money,
Money talks, and talk is cheap,
Cheapest road to lead the way,
From seed to forest in a day,
And by the time the sun is set,
There's only dirt and matchwood.
So could it be the end is nigh,
The time for idly standing by,
Is now upon us,
Everybody look for some distraction,
Throw my patience to the wind,
Forgive me father all my sins,
Feel like they're woven,
Double stitched into the fabric of the World.
Forgive me father I have sinned,
Been caught perpetuating wrongs,
I screamed in accusation,
And yet convinced that still I can,
Somehow be better than I am,
If I could only bring myself,
To step in one direction.
But all this progress that I've made,
Has left me bitter and afraid,
I bolt the doors and let the
Trappings of my life surround me,
And hope to God nobody calls,
But trust the scratching in the walls,
To be my comfort and my shelter
From the world around me.
Ignore the whisper on the wind,
Forgive me father I have sinned,
I swear right now I'd cling
To anything you'd care to show me,
To save me from improper thoughts,
That modern miracle of sorts,
Against a tide of advertising,
And survival only.
Poor condition has been set,
And every new potential threat,
Must be eradicated from
the face of all that's sacred,
Not just anger for the cause,
I'll be hysterically yours,
And deaf to any reason,
Evidence or explanation.
So tell me what have I become?
A middle finger to the sun?
I traded fireworks for love
and I was left with nothing,
But paper shards and empty shells,
A burst of sulphur blown to hell,
It might just be that all this
history has taught me something.
So I'm taking lessons from the past,
They won't build anything to last,
But engineered to fall apart,
The day the warranty expires,
So keep the wheels turning round,
Keep our flag pinned to the ground,
Just don't look back and don't look down,
In fact try not to look at all.
You'll see opinion dressed as fact,
See definitions inexact,
And explain away the darkest days,
As misinterpretation,
This dumbing down it's so uncouth,
Like there's one single fucking truth,
I couldn't bear that right and wrong,
Could be so uncomplicated.
And swagger dripping from the stage,
Curse the impatience of the age,
It all takes time, and time is money,
Money talks, and talk is cheap,
Cheapest road to lead the way,
From seed to forest in a day,
And by the time the sun is set,
There's only dirt and matchwood.
So could it be the end is nigh,
The time for idly standing by,
Is now upon us,
Everybody look for some distraction,
Throw my patience to the wind,
Forgive me father all my sins,
Feel like they're woven,
Double stitched into the fabric of the World.
Lyrics submitted by goonerfan
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someone being negative would say this is completely the same as State of the Union in lyrical style and composition... but dammit i do not care! What a fantastic song, I love it when he's all acerbic.
This song is proper hardcore. But what is it about?
Song is fantastic - and while I like the studio version of it. No clue what the song is REALLY about, but when I heard it, I sort of saw it like this... The song as a knock at commercialism and our modern dependence on the "extras" in life. David sees that he is become too enthralled with superficial things and has is trying to swear them off. But he is a product of a different generation who has grown accustomed to these types of things and it isn't easy giving it up. Ultimately he recognizes (just like most people) that we are hurting ourselves and the Earth, but we still seem to act inspite of this knowledge. OR The world's intollerance to each other and their inability to curb their anger and wage war. David has been guilty of this too (personally speaking) and sees that it isn't easy, but what is happening on the larger scale seems to defy his logic and that there is little that anyone seems to be doing or can do at this point.
He said a few words by means of introduction before he performed it when I saw him last (his most-recent Bristol gig); about how the media and current political climate is all geared towards creating 'panic' and his own confusion as to how much of it is genuinely worth our fear and how much of it is designed to enable the government to erode civil liberties.
From the lyrics though, I agree it does seem to be a real mish-mash of broader grievances with society that he has. Great polemic, even if we can't be sure what it's about! xD
Also, purely for bragging rights, I got to play along with him on A Short Song About Shoes that night by strumming a Washboard! Giggity :D
I think this is more exact
I screamed in accusation (verse 1)
And by the time sun is set (last verse)
I screamed in accusation
And deaf to any reason Evidence or explanation
And by the time sun is set
fixed
The Song is simply about the downhill of SOCIETY/PEOPLE.