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.
Find yourself in the gutter in a lonely part of town
Where death waits in the darkness with a weapon to cut some stranger down
Sleeping with an empty bottle, he's a sad and an empty hearted man
All he needs is a job, and a little respect, so he can get out while he can
We always need to hear both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
A neighborhood peace is shattered it's the middle of the night
Young faces hide in the shadows
While they watch their mother and father fight
He says she's been unfaithful, she says her love for him has gone
And the brother shrugs to his sister and says
Looks like it's just us from now on'
We always need to hear both sides of the story
We need to hear both sides of the story
And the lights are all on, the world is watching now
People looking for truth, we must not fail them now
Be sure, before we close our eyes
Don't walk away from here
'Til you hear both sides, no no no
Here we are all gathered in what seems to be the centre of the storm
Neighbours once friendly now stand each side of the line that has been drawn
They've been fighting here for years, but now there's killing on the streets
While small coffins are lined up sadly, now united in defeat
Oh, we always need to hear both sides of the story
When the lights are all on, the world is watching now
People looking for truth, we must not fail them now
Be sure, before we close our eyes
Don't walk away from here
'Til you see both sides, no no no no
White man turns the corner, finds himself within a different world
Ghetto kid grabs his shoulder, throws him up against the wall
He says 'would you respect me if I didn't have this gun
'Cause without it, I don't get it, and that's why I carry one'
We always need to hear We always need to hear both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Oh, both sides of the story
Yes both sides of the story
Oh, both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides, both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story, yeah
Both sides of the story
Both sides, both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Must hear both sides of the story
Where death waits in the darkness with a weapon to cut some stranger down
Sleeping with an empty bottle, he's a sad and an empty hearted man
All he needs is a job, and a little respect, so he can get out while he can
We always need to hear both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
A neighborhood peace is shattered it's the middle of the night
Young faces hide in the shadows
While they watch their mother and father fight
He says she's been unfaithful, she says her love for him has gone
And the brother shrugs to his sister and says
Looks like it's just us from now on'
We always need to hear both sides of the story
We need to hear both sides of the story
And the lights are all on, the world is watching now
People looking for truth, we must not fail them now
Be sure, before we close our eyes
Don't walk away from here
'Til you hear both sides, no no no
Here we are all gathered in what seems to be the centre of the storm
Neighbours once friendly now stand each side of the line that has been drawn
They've been fighting here for years, but now there's killing on the streets
While small coffins are lined up sadly, now united in defeat
Oh, we always need to hear both sides of the story
When the lights are all on, the world is watching now
People looking for truth, we must not fail them now
Be sure, before we close our eyes
Don't walk away from here
'Til you see both sides, no no no no
White man turns the corner, finds himself within a different world
Ghetto kid grabs his shoulder, throws him up against the wall
He says 'would you respect me if I didn't have this gun
'Cause without it, I don't get it, and that's why I carry one'
We always need to hear We always need to hear both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Oh, both sides of the story
Yes both sides of the story
Oh, both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides, both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story, yeah
Both sides of the story
Both sides, both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Both sides of the story
Must hear both sides of the story
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Both Sides Of The Story Lyrics as written by Phillip David Charles Collins
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Great message about how we often fail to realize the experiences of others who we just blow aside and ignore. I think Phil is asking everyone to pause, take a step back, and put ourselves in the shoes of the target of our criticism, racism and hatred. We need to see both sides of the story before we judge.
On a side note, the line: "while small coffins are lined up sadly, now united in defeat" chillingly reminds me of 9/11 and how the country came together after such a defeat at the hands of terrorism. Obviosuly Phil wrote this song long before 9/11 but I thought I would just throw that out there.