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.
And she came to look for me
Sold me name and innocence
Took my key
And told me to follow her
Down from Igor with her bangles and her reference
One from the church from the valley of the --
Well she wanted a haven and a place to hide
So I gave her an alibi took her inside but ...
(chorus)
A rock and a hard place await for for me
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Everything I ever did right or wrong
Hid out of sight where I belong,
Belong...
And I didn't have the heart to tell her why
And there wasn't a part of me that
Didn't want to say goodbye but...
Cause and effect go hand in hand and
The devil may care but I don't mind
And I thought she'd never quite understand
So I left her there that night
But will she find me?
I don't think so, no
When you go, you go alone
And I'm gone ...
Far away (x4)
And I didn't have the heart to tell her why
And there wasn't a part of me that
Didn't want to say goodbye but :
chorus (repeat to fade out)
Sold me name and innocence
Took my key
And told me to follow her
Down from Igor with her bangles and her reference
One from the church from the valley of the --
Well she wanted a haven and a place to hide
So I gave her an alibi took her inside but ...
(chorus)
A rock and a hard place await for for me
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Everything I ever did right or wrong
Hid out of sight where I belong,
Belong...
And I didn't have the heart to tell her why
And there wasn't a part of me that
Didn't want to say goodbye but...
Cause and effect go hand in hand and
The devil may care but I don't mind
And I thought she'd never quite understand
So I left her there that night
But will she find me?
I don't think so, no
When you go, you go alone
And I'm gone ...
Far away (x4)
And I didn't have the heart to tell her why
And there wasn't a part of me that
Didn't want to say goodbye but :
chorus (repeat to fade out)
Lyrics submitted by AbgruendeDerSeele
A Rock And A Hard Place Lyrics as written by Wayne Hussey Andrew Eldritch
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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(Like many of Andrews songs this is again a sad LOVE SONG about his long lost love from years ago...)
And she came to look for me Sold me name and innocence (Love found him he did not go looking for it... but it hurt HIM in the end) Took my key And told me to follow her Down from igor with her bangles and her reference (she swept his heart away) One from the church from the valley of the Well she wanted a haven and a place to hide (she was pure and innocent from a well off or middle class family with a solid religious background.. looking for a solid family to start... he was however not as pure or innocent as she was) So I gave her an alibi took her inside but (They started to share their own feelings and thoughts of themselves and life during this relationship. he was too honest with her)
A rock and a hard place await for for me Between the devil and the deep blue sea (He was asked a difficult question like have you done PROSTITUTION. .. he was too honest here as he thought he needed to be when in LOVE. ...a parallel is drawn here between him and her... him the devil and she being clean like the deep blue sea. .. now they suddenly seem so far apart and different in their own thoughts and beliefs) Everything I ever did right or wrong Hid out of sight where I belong, belong (His confession was far too wrong for her to understand or accept..)
And I didn't have the heart to tell her Why And there wasn't a part of me that Didn't want to say goodbye but (break up is hard. .. they broke up due to this passed action it became too of a big thing to actually deal with- A Rock in a Hard Place)
Cause and effect go hand in hand (he admits to his wrongs but the effects are already done) The devil may care but I don't mind (this action was of the devils work - and the devil did win but he still did not care as he justified his actions already) and I Thought she'd never quite understand so I Left her there that night but will she Find me? I don't think so, no When you go, you go alone
(He was hoping to mend this love relationship. .. but It was not to be she never returned... she was too pure and innocent for his past. . different and difficult life) And I'm gone............. far away [x4]
(Far away - too far apart to mend)
And I didn't have the heart to tell Why (His action was of lust... young lust of sex... he justified his actions... she was too pure to understand this type of man's action) And there wasn't a part of me that Didn't want to say goodbye but...
(Andrew regrets his actions in this song... he lost this love)
This song has taught us not to be too honest. ... expecially when you do not go looking for it in the first place... the devil will bring up the past and hurt you with your own truths when you least expecting it..
@Dude555 this really got me thinking, this song and When You Don't See Me are two sides of the same coin. He's gone from too much honesty ruining the relationship to completely being a different person around the person he's in a relationship with. "What the eye see won't break the heart, You can make believe when were apart<br /> But when you leave I disappear". Learned from his mistakes a little too much it seems