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.
All dressed in uniforms so fine
They drank and killed to pass the time
Wearing the shame of all their crimes
With measured steps, they walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They carried pictures of their wives
And numbered tags to prove their lives
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
Full of a glory never seen
They made it through the whole machine
To never question anymore
Hypnotic trance they never saw
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
Walked in line
Walked in line
They drank and killed to pass the time
Wearing the shame of all their crimes
With measured steps, they walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They carried pictures of their wives
And numbered tags to prove their lives
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
Full of a glory never seen
They made it through the whole machine
To never question anymore
Hypnotic trance they never saw
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
They walked in line
Walked in line
Walked in line
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Yes, clearly it's about the army dehumanising soldiers so they cease to think for themselves, but at the same time they are normal people, they may have committed atrocities but they still love their wives. I'm not sure though it's specifically about the Nazis, it could just as easily be US troops in Vietnam or British troops in any part of the empire.
@ntwjones 13 years late, but I read an article where Ian Curtis said it was about East Germans in Mozabique.
Ian was like soooo much ahead of his time. He's a total genius. Even today you can relate to these lyrics so easily. There's always a war, or a fight or smthng like that, because some people are so greedy, evil, dumb...etc. And the ones who actually fight, the ones who actually get hurt or die are usually ordinary people who love their wives, people who will usually feel bad for the bad things they've had to do, they have to live with that burden(the thought that you've killed a person.. for me.. it gives me the creeps.. it must be awful). And this song brings it out perfectly. Well, atleast for me it does.
Nazi soldiers. this one should be obvious. They walked in line, they were just following orders. Ian wrote a lot about Germany and Nazi history, hence the name of the band itself.
Nazi soldiers. this one should be obvious. They walked in line, they were just following orders. Ian wrote a lot about Germany and Nazi history, hence the name of the band itself.
Yeah. good song.
I wonder if they walked in line.
yep, pretty much. however, i always thought it was "to prove their lives." not just because it rhymes with wives, but because dog tags are used to identify the dead - the only thing differentiating them from their fellow soldiers.
and i LOVE the way the drums sort of sound like a marching drum at times. brilliant.
@MrWillow
Are you somehow implying that German soldiers were the only soldiers killing people and that the things they were doing were something unique and never seen before?
There's no brainwashing in doing your duty as a soldier you stupid pacifist fucks.
After reading comments it appears that people think "They walked in line"` lyric somehow excuses those people, like "they were just following orders". In fact I think Curtis blames them for doing that and despises people he describes here.
BTW, are we sure it's "Full of a glory" and "For love of glory"?
OK, I know that Joy Division had a bit of a nazi fixation going on, but to me the last verses (the ones with start off with "Full of a glory never seen") make this more about rebelliousness, about how normal, conformist people ("squares") have "walked in line" throughout human history, unlike Ian and his punky gang.
This is a general thread of lyricism that ran through Curtis' songs, especially the punkier ones (duh I guess), It also think that he sang a lot about the hardships and disillusionment that came from choosing the lesser trodden path ("Colony" and "Sound of Music" come to mind)...all this obviously from the point of view of a depressive, Ian was one of the greatest lyricist at portraying that disease...
Maybe he was also drawing a parallel between said "squares" and the nazi brigades he was obsessed with? A bit immature perhaps, but remember, Joy Division was post-PUNK, they were huge Sex Pistols fans and they were way punkier than most people think, a lot of the time sounding like a slowed down, sludgy punk band, playing to rowdy audiences full of skinheads and the like...