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.
She said she wanted to end it
She said that she has been to the edge
She told me not to worry
She said that she is okay now
Have I heard the whole story
She didn't tell me a lot of things before
Does she still hate to wake up
Does she still think she's better off dead
Whatever it is that drives you crazy
I hope that it goes away
Whatever it is that makes you happy
I hope that you find it soon
She wouldn't tell me about it
She wouldn't tell me until the news was old
What if she had done it
Where would I be right now
As you think about your mother
Remember that you will meet her again somehow
But think about your father
You are all that he has left now
I've never seen anythingn my life so bad
Though it happens everywhere
She almost lost her chance to get where she belongs
I wish I could have been there
I hope that she will stay here
This nightmare will disappear
She said that she has been to the edge
She told me not to worry
She said that she is okay now
Have I heard the whole story
She didn't tell me a lot of things before
Does she still hate to wake up
Does she still think she's better off dead
Whatever it is that drives you crazy
I hope that it goes away
Whatever it is that makes you happy
I hope that you find it soon
She wouldn't tell me about it
She wouldn't tell me until the news was old
What if she had done it
Where would I be right now
As you think about your mother
Remember that you will meet her again somehow
But think about your father
You are all that he has left now
I've never seen anythingn my life so bad
Though it happens everywhere
She almost lost her chance to get where she belongs
I wish I could have been there
I hope that she will stay here
This nightmare will disappear
Lyrics submitted by peng_1
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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.
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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my bad. There's a line that reads "I've never seen anythingn my life so bad." It should say "...anything in.." I hope it makes more sense now
this song was written by a local band from Marshfield, MA called Penguin. Lyrics were written by Jack Byrne
you can edit the lyrics
how?