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.
Life is hard
And so am I
You'd better give me something
So I don't die
Novocaine for the soul
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Life is white
And I am black
Jesus and his lawyer
Are coming back
Oh my darling
Will you be here
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Guess who's living here with the great undead
This paint by numbers life is fucking with my head, once again
Life is good
And I feel great
'Cause mother says I was
A great mistake
Novocaine for the soul
You'd better give me something to fill the hole
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
And so am I
You'd better give me something
So I don't die
Novocaine for the soul
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Life is white
And I am black
Jesus and his lawyer
Are coming back
Oh my darling
Will you be here
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Guess who's living here with the great undead
This paint by numbers life is fucking with my head, once again
Life is good
And I feel great
'Cause mother says I was
A great mistake
Novocaine for the soul
You'd better give me something to fill the hole
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Before I sputter out
Lyrics submitted by Don Jerone
Novocaine for the Soul Lyrics as written by Mark O. Everett Mark Goldenberg
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Just A Little Lovin'
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Sara, just because it contains the words "hole" and "hard" does not mean it's meant to be taken in a sexual way. To interpret this song as something sexual makes the rest of the lyrics make no sense. He's obviously talking about the dreary life he leads, and when he says "you better get me something to fill the hole", he's saying he needs something meaningful in his life that he can enjoy/care about, not that he needs a dick up his ass.
You're completely right about the bigger meaning of the song, but I think the first line ("life is hard, and so am I") IS deliberately sexual. Maybe he craves sex with some attractive girl to fill that void, to escape his mind-numbingly boring life.<br /> <br /> You probably won't read this though, seeing as how you posted your message over 9 years ago.
Okay, this song is about two different things. The funny part is, everyone has said one end or the other, but not both. Some people said it's about escapism essentially, finding a cause to make life worthwhile, and that is true. Chocolatesundae thinks its about drugs; that is also correct. Its about using some substance(almost any would fit applicably in context) to get by everyday without feeling like you're 'going through the motions' as E alludes to "This paint-by-numbers life." If you'd ever experienced such a shitty existence, you know how true the lyrics are. When you're coming down a.k.a. "sputtering out" and you're barely functioning, can't cope with any of it, might as well be a vegetable. But as long as you've got your drug of choice, you're fine, life is all of a sudden great, you can do this one more day. When you run out and come down, it's very 'gotta get it somewhere, anywhere, give it to me right fucking now' just to make your day bearable. You DO feel empty, antisocial, apathetic, and hollow. Like the way he describes the feeling is perfect, being "the great undead". He's very cynically addressing how the high gives him an artificial, saccharin happiness in the last verse.
this song reminds me about drugs. cocaine, in fact. just liek novocaine, it makes you reeeeeeeeallly fucking numb. the top of your teeth and your feelings. he needs something to fill the hole. novocaine for the soul, i believe, is a metaphor for drugs.
I think Novocaine for the soul is a reference to Prozac.
i always thought it was strictly about numbing the sould, killing off all morals, dignity and conscious thought and allowing yourself to hit bottom, diverting all pain and becoming emotionless, which surely stands next to godlyness as there can be no pain, or happiness i suppose but personally i always thought that was overrated, i think its about living for someone else, not caring about your own thoughts and feelings but just surviving for the sake of a loved one
this is a great song, I'm surprised there's no comments here... I remember they used to play this all the time on the radio back in the day...
Yeah i know its is a great song, so chill
Novocain is a local anaesthetic by the way.;...##''// just incase anyone was wondering., which kinda makes this song self explanatory
I was under the impression that this was about sex or masturbation...pleasure to numb the soul. Seems to go with the "life is hard and so am I" and "before I sputter out" bits.
@Locando That's exactly what I think too and I think most people are looking too much into it.
"Life is hard and so am I" isn't meant to be sexual. hard as in nothing effects him. and "sputtering out" means running out of gas, kinda. I don't think it's about anything sexual at all.
... but a great song nonetheless