Walking On A Thin Line
Huey Lewis / The News Lyrics
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I curse the dark and I pray for light
And sometimes, the light's no consolation
Blinded by a memory
Afraid of what it might do to me
And the tears and the sweat only mock my desperation
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
The one you find so easy to ignore
Walking on a thin line
Straight off the front line
Labeled as freaks, loose on the streets of the city
Walking on a thin line
Angry all the time
Take a look at my face, see what it's doing to me
Taught me how to shoot to kill
A specialist with a deadly skill
A skill I needed to have to be a survivor
It's over now or so they say
Well, sometimes, it don't work out that way
'Cause your never the same when you've been under fire
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
The one you find so easy to ignore
Is that what I was fighting for?
Walking on a thin line
Straight off the front line
Labeled as freaks loose on the streets of the city
Walking on a thin line
Angry all the time
Take a look at my face, see what it's doing to me
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
The one you find so easy to ignore
Is that what I was fighting for, no
Walking on a thin line
Straight off the front line
Labeled as freaks loose on the streets of the city
Walking on a thin line
Angry all the time
Take a look at my face, see what it's doing to me
Walking on a thin line
Walking on a thin line
Walking on a thin line
The song "Walking on a Thin Line" by Huey Lewis and The News is a commentary about the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War and returned home to an indifferent society. The lyrics suggest that many of these soldiers now suffer from a variety of emotional problems, including memory loss and post-traumatic stress disorder. The singer describes himself as a "boy next door," someone who could easily be forgotten or marginalized, even though he has literally fought to defend his country. He also suggests that society has labeled these soldiers as "freaks" who are "loose on the streets of the city," indicating that they are considered a danger to others.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Walking on a thin line," which can be interpreted in a few different ways. It could refer to the soldiers themselves, who are now walking a "thin line" between sanity and insanity due to the trauma they've endured. It could also refer to their return to society, where they face a precarious situation in terms of adjusting to civilian life. Furthermore, the phrase could also refer to the tightrope that soldiers have to walk in combat, where one misstep could mean death.
Overall, the song is a poignant commentary on the effects of war on individuals and society as a whole. It suggests that soldiers who fight for their country often return home to a society that doesn't fully understand or appreciate their sacrifices.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes in my bed at night
There are times when I lay awake at night
I curse the dark and I pray for light
I wish for light because the dark is so frustrating
And sometimes, the light's no consolation
But sometimes even light can't bring consolation or comfort
Blinded by a memory
I am so overwhelmed by a past memory
Afraid of what it might do to me
I am scared of the effects this past memory might have on me
And the tears and the sweat only mock my desperation
My tears and sweat only remind me of how desperate and helpless I feel
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
Do you recognize me? I am just an ordinary person
The one you find so easy to ignore
I'm the one whom you often overlook or pay no attention to
Is that what I was fighting for?
Did I risk everything and fight for this kind of life?
Walking on a thin line
I am in a precarious situation where the slightest misstep could lead to disaster
Straight off the front line
I just came from the war, still grappling with the effects of it
Labeled as freaks, loose on the streets of the city
We, returning soldiers, are stigmatized, and left alone to fend for ourselves
Angry all the time
I am constantly feeling rage and anger
Take a look at my face, see what it's doing to me
Look at my face, it shows how much the war and life has taken its toll on me
Taught me how to shoot to kill
The war taught me how to use guns to kill men
A specialist with a deadly skill
I am now an expert in using these deadly weapons
A skill I needed to have to be a survivor
The only way I would have survived the war was by developing this skill
It's over now or so they say
The war is officially over, but we still carry its horrors with us
Well, sometimes, it don't work out that way
However, things don't always work out the way they are supposed to
'Cause your never the same when you've been under fire
The trauma of being in the war fundamentally changes you and you are never the same person you used to be
Walking on a thin line
I am still in a precarious situation where every move could lead to disaster
Straight off the front line
I am still grappling with the effects of the war, trying to make sense of it all
Labeled as freaks loose on the streets of the city
Even though we fought for our country, now we are seen as social outcasts, left to fend for ourselves
Angry all the time
The trauma has left me feeling incessantly angry
Take a look at my face, see what it's doing to me
My face clearly shows the toll the war and life has taken on me
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
I am just an ordinary person, the one you would least suspect to have gone through such experiences
The one you find so easy to ignore
I'm the one who you barely notice or pay attention to
Is that what I was fighting for, no
This is not what I fought for, this kind of life that has left me feeling so lost and forgotten
Walking on a thin line
I am still in a very delicate situation, one with very little room for error
Walking on a thin line
My life is in a constant state of uncertainty, not knowing what the next day holds
Walking on a thin line
I feel as though I am constantly walking a tightrope, trying not to fall off
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDRE PESSIS, KEVIN WELLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tony Berezowski
Lryics:
Sometimes in my bed at night
I curse the dark and I pray for the light
And sometimes, the light's no consolation
Blinded by the memory
Afraid of what it might do to me
And the tears and the sweat
Only mock my desperation
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
The one you find so easy to ignore
Is that what I was fightin' for
Walking on a thin line
Straight off the front line, labeled as freaks
Loose on the streets of the city
Walking on a thin line
Angry all the time
Take a look at my face
See what it's doing to me
Taught me how to shoot to kill
A specialist with a deadly skill
A skill I needed to have to be a survivor
It's over now or so they say
Well, sometimes, it don't work out that way
'Cause you're never the same
When you've been under fire, no
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
The one you find so easy to ignore
Is that what I was fightin' for
Walking on a thin line
Straight off the front line, labeled as freaks
Loose on the streets of the city
Walking on a thin line
Angry all the time
Take a look at my face
See what it's done to me
Don't you know me I'm the boy next door
The one you find so easy to ignore
Is that what I was fightin' for, no
Walking on a thin line
Straight off the front line, labeled as freaks
Loose on the streets of the city
Walking on a thin line
Angry all the time
Take a look at my face
See what it's doing to me
Walking on a thin line
Walking on a thin line
Walking on a thin line
Patrick Bateman
"Walking on a Thin Line," and no one, not even Bruce Springsteen, has written as devastatingly about the plight of the Vietnam vet in modern society. This song, though written by outsiders, shows a social awareness that was new to the band and proved to anyone who ever doubted it that the band, apart from its blues background, had a heart
Seasia
Oh my god! It even has a watermark...
Isis sucks
But he has thousands of likes disheartening and uplifting
クラン F-741
Don't forget to return those videotapes Bateman.
Rich Yeshua
Totally agree. Huey and the boys were better than springsteen ever was imho.
Kyle Workman
I've always said this is the best of the Vietnam Era songs.
Kelly Lasaponara
As a multiple trauma survivor, THIS SONG,.....is my ROCKY🌹🙏
T H A N K. Y O U. for this magical
HEALING
John Rodriguez
I remember hearing this song when I came back from Iraq. I remember crying and my young son didn't understand why. Now he's in the Marines and just came back from Syria. We were driving to dairy queen and the song came on again. He just looked at me and said "Dad, I get it now." I pulled over and we both cried! Truth is id go back over there right now if I were physically able to. I miss my bros!!! Some came home, some came home in caskets. I love every one of them. 🇺🇸
rob walbridge
Thank you both for your service.
Dave Waughtal
Thank you for sharing that amazing story. Thank you for your and your son’s service too.