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.
Why try? I'm that guy
Holden Caulfield from "Catcher In The Rye"
Put away 'cause he wasn't all there
Like a jigsaw puzzle you might compare
Me to him not a liver but wurst
Been much better off as a still birth
Big let down unparalleled
Like the last episode of "Seinfeld"
Or Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross"
Pepsi Challenge took it lost
Just fizzed out with my wires crossed
Buttons pushed but never went off
Like Martha I will self-destruct
The names Dunnstock it's not Dumptruck
Just cursed as fuck with no such luck
My future plans include not much
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be
Most likely to suck
want to be a Ghostbuster
First black President owner of "Hustler"
Got shot down like Larry Flint
Felt like shit like a bowel movement
Have you seen my will to live?
Because I seem to have lost it
Lovelife? No but Mom thinks I'm handsome
Couldn't get off if I held a pimp for ransom
Feel like Jimmy Stewart no one sees my Harvey
Toxic Shock Syndrome gets more girls than me
Like Pee Wee Herman spermin' I can
See the future in the palm of my hand
Psychic Friends Network loser
Large phone bill in my very near future
Dealt nothing and bluffing hard
Playing poker with a joker and some Uno cards
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Holden Caulfield from "Catcher In The Rye"
Put away 'cause he wasn't all there
Like a jigsaw puzzle you might compare
Me to him not a liver but wurst
Been much better off as a still birth
Big let down unparalleled
Like the last episode of "Seinfeld"
Or Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross"
Pepsi Challenge took it lost
Just fizzed out with my wires crossed
Buttons pushed but never went off
Like Martha I will self-destruct
The names Dunnstock it's not Dumptruck
Just cursed as fuck with no such luck
My future plans include not much
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be
Most likely to suck
want to be a Ghostbuster
First black President owner of "Hustler"
Got shot down like Larry Flint
Felt like shit like a bowel movement
Have you seen my will to live?
Because I seem to have lost it
Lovelife? No but Mom thinks I'm handsome
Couldn't get off if I held a pimp for ransom
Feel like Jimmy Stewart no one sees my Harvey
Toxic Shock Syndrome gets more girls than me
Like Pee Wee Herman spermin' I can
See the future in the palm of my hand
Psychic Friends Network loser
Large phone bill in my very near future
Dealt nothing and bluffing hard
Playing poker with a joker and some Uno cards
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be never gonna be
Nothin' more than me
Always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be always gonna be
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
Most likely to suck
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
...and I haven't seen the last episode of "Seinfeld"