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.
If I ever write this letter
The pages I could write
But I don't know where to send it
You have vanished
Heaven knows where you live
Heaven only knows
If I ever write this letter
Bitter words it would contain
Just and unrequited lover
Wishing she had never
Spoken your name
Had never known your name
But if I ever write this letter
The truth it would reveal
Knowing you brought me pleasure
How I'll often treasure
Moments that we knew
The precious, the few
The pages I could write
But I don't know where to send it
You have vanished
Heaven knows where you live
Heaven only knows
If I ever write this letter
Bitter words it would contain
Just and unrequited lover
Wishing she had never
Spoken your name
Had never known your name
But if I ever write this letter
The truth it would reveal
Knowing you brought me pleasure
How I'll often treasure
Moments that we knew
The precious, the few
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by HappyFandom
The Letter Lyrics as written by Natalie A Merchant
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.”
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This song out of all the songs on Tigerlily pulled me in the most. I loved the whole feeling of that album. Natalie's voice is so haunting and the whole album kind of pulled me in though most of the songs I don't connect to the messages or stories directly. The album had a kind of negative effect on me though - made me melancholy. However, I was very drawn to it. This song though I loved. The simplicity, and no chorus, just three simple verses of regret, reluctant gratitude, and a helplessness at not being able to reconnect. I think it is interesting that this type of situation is so much rarer now due to our global connectivity. We can usually check up on friends and past "lovers" even if not connecting with them directly (Facebook, twitter...)We can "find them" there most of the time.