7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)

Album: From Under The Cork Tree (2005)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a guy who is feeling desperate enough that he would date, or have sex with anyone. Hence the lyric, "I'm sleeping my way out of this one, with anyone who'll lie down." Here's more lyric interpretation:

    "I'll be stuck fixated on one star, when the world is crashing down." - one girl is all he'll focus on, no matter what, until he gets her.

    "I keep telling myself, I keep telling myself, I'm not the desperate type, but you've got me looking in through blinds." - Furthers that fact that he's very desperate.

    "Sitting out dances on the wall, trying to forget everything that isn't you. I'm not going home alone 'cause I don't do too well on my own" - This is meant to tell the listener that he can't quit thinking about one girl. So much so that he can't even dance, or party. And his mind is set on getting this girl, because he's not going home alone.

    "The only thing worse than not knowing is you thinking that I don't know I'm having another episode. I just need a stronger dose" - This tells the listener that the girl likes him, but she doesn't know that he likes her, or so he thinks. Then he realizes it's all in his head, he's just having another episode, so he needs a stronger dose of medication. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Ryan - Columbus, OH
  • In February 2005, Fall Out Boy bass player and primary lyricist Pete Wentz tried to kill himself by overdosing on the anxiety drug Ativan, which explains the subtitle "Atavan Halen" (The phrase is also a play on "Van Halen"). Wentz told Rolling Stone magazine that he has a fascination with the suicides of Elliott Smith and Ian Curtis, and was quoted as saying, "I was isolating myself further and further, and the more I isolated myself, the more isolated I'd feel. I wasn't sleeping. I just wanted my head to shut off, like, I just wanted to completely stop thinking about anything at all. It's so hard to think about and understand. I'm not making an argument for being a disturbed genius; I was a confused kid. I felt like I was Pete Wentz for everybody else, and I didn't have Pete Wentz to turn to." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Sara - Austin, TX
  • Brendon Urie, lead singer of Panic At The Disco, alternates singing the line "I keep telling myself, I keep telling myself, I'm not the desperate type, but you've got me looking in through blinds" with Patrick Stump. Panic At The Disco was signed to Fall Out Boy bass player Pete Wentz' Decaydance record label. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Allison - Wheeling, WV

Comments: 20

  • Cat from United Statesif you take enough with ALCOHOL you COULD die, its a pretty safe drug though. Its only that effect of life loss, when mixed with other drugs or Alcohol, so yeah I guess if you're going the Ativan death route rather then death by pie, make sure you do your shots with them.
  • Amanda from Evansville, In"I felt like I was Pete Wentz for everybody else, and I didn't have Pete Wentz to turn to."

    Everyone needs their own Pete Wentz, and it is sad that he didn't have anyone to turn to.
  • Brian from East Lansing, MiI didn't see anyone correctly mention the 'Van Halen' reference in the title, so I apologize if I missed it, but here's the reasoning...The chord progression used throughout the song is the same used in many Van Halen songs. To me, the intro to "Panama" is the most clear example of this! Enjoy
  • Jon from Mishawaka, Inbahaha ted from NY, you just made my day. tomorrow im going to try to kill myself by eating to much pie
  • Brittany from Townsville, Australiafollowing Ted of NY city Pete Wentz just wanted to have a hours sleep (He must of gotten tired so he slipped out the back to get some sleep (other words - to stupid to know when dead or not)(Just needs to get over him self)
  • Ted from New York City, Nywhat kind of little girl tries to kill himself by taking Ativan? Can you even do that? I looked up one story and it said some kid tried and he just woke up an hour later, so 100 percent of the people i know about who tried this failed. Pete's lying. He wasn't trying to kill himself. That's like trying to "kill yourself" by holding your breath or eating too much pie.
  • O. from Nowheresville, United KingdomActually, I think it could be interpreted as being about both a girl and Pete's attempted suicide. You could hear it either way.

    The lyrics are written to sound as if the song was about a girl, yet Pete wrote it about his attempted suicide. The song is pretty much a metaphor.

    But as with all music, the listener should take what they want from the song, so it could be interpreted either way.
  • Brandi from Muncie, InAlso, while this may be a play on words the word "van" means "of" and "Halen" means "hall of light." Whether intentional or not, there are several ways to interpret the name of this song.
  • Kaydee from Newark, NjRyan, you're a tad off. This is my interpretation of the lyrics you picked.

    "I'm sleeping my way out of this one, with anyone who'll lie down." -Means he's going to go to "sleep" for the last time, as in death.

    "I'll be stuck fixated on one star, when the world is crashing down." -He's stopped knowingi- and even caring- about what's going on around him. The world could end and he wouldn't even notice because he's so wrapped up in his depression.

    "I keep telling myself, I keep telling myself, I'm not the desperate type, but you've got me looking in through blinds." -By saying he isn't the desperate type, he means he isn't the type to commit suicide, but he's slowly letting go of that.

    "Sitting out dances on the wall, trying to forget everything that isn't you. I'm not going home alone 'cause I don't do too well on my own" -He's sitting out dances because he just doesn't feel like doing anything anymore, he's lost the joy in life. He doesn't do to well on his own because if he's left alone for too long he's afraid he'll go through with suicide.

    "The only thing worse than not knowing is you thinking that I don't know I'm having another episode. I just need a stronger dose" -He needs a stronger dose of medication, yes. But what he thinks he needs is enough to kill himself.

    Um, I know this isn't exactly spot on. So, if anyone's got a better/more accurate interpretation of them, please post it.
  • Jenna from Nova Scotia, CanadaDont know if you know but the songs about Petes suicide attempt.which has to do with ativan but not much.pretty morbid song if you analyze it like i did.(lots of spare time!!)patrick
    stump(h) 4 life!!!!!!
  • Jess from Knoxville, TnRyan - Columbus, OH.

    I strongly disagree with your -ahem- 'facts' about the song. This song has NOTHING to do with a 'girl'. This song was written about Pete Wentz's suicide attempt by taking Ativan. Hence the (Atavan Halen) in the song title. He wasn't worried about some stupid girl.

    He has a mental problem. Why else would he overdose? Anyway, mental problem or not, he overdoes on the sleeping medication because he was frustrated with thinking about everything. He wanted his mind to shut off. No, no, this song has nothing to do with getting a girl.

    You might want to read a little deeper into Pete's past experiences, dude. I'm not one to read up on people so much, but I did to understand WHY Pete had wrote this song. He wrote it about his attempt. Not about some stupid girl.

    GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.
  • Panic&falloutluvr from Arlington, Txpete did overdose and that's what the songs about not that some of you didn't know that
    *courtney .A. arlington tx*
  • Natalie from Chiago, IlThis song is really beautiful. I have to say that I know alot of people who relate to this song.
  • Ashley from Ft. Lauderdale, FlPete wasn't addicted to sleeping pills, he overdosed on Ativan, an anti-anxiety medication.
  • Hailey from Orlando, Flwooooowwww you guys. the only person that was right was jamie. the song is about petes attempted suicide by over dosing on ativan. seriously, read betwene the lines.
  • Kimberleigh from Hoston, Txi love this song and fall out boy but macy there is nothing wrong with the backstreet boys and i know you liked them at one point in your life because every girl has
  • Macy from New Albany, Into paul from MI. We can easily listen to FALL OUT BOY. there an awesome band and everybody knows it. They have great songs that u could ait around all day and listen 2. What kind of music do u listen 2? Let me guess Backstreet Boys?
  • Tiffany from Los Angeles, Cato paul from MI, why the hell are you on this page anyway? this song isn't even a single.

    and for the song meaning, it's about Pete Wentz's experience with the drug Ativan, hence why the full song title is 7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen). he overdosed on Ativan in a Best Buy parking lot.

    "I'm having another episode, I just need a stronger dose"
  • Ivana from Belgrade, SerbiaIt's a good song,especially because backing vocals are sang by Brendon Urie of Panic!At The Disco and he has a great voice!!!!! And his cute too...
  • Jaime from Chino, Caok well ur a lil off on the song meaning. Its about Pete's dependence on meds, mainly sleeping pills. He is a pretty deep guy and likes to use this little tierary device call a metaphore. He never leaves the meaning on the surface so learn to look a lil deeper and read btwn the lines.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.