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.
Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?
What goes on in that place in the dark?
Well, I used to know a girl and I could have sworn
That her name was Veronica
Oh well, she used to have a carefree mind of her own
And a delicate look in her eye
These days I'm afraid she's not even sure
If her name is Veronica
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those
Who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Veronica (Veronica)
Do the days drag by? Did the favors wane?
Did he roam down the town all the while?
Will you wake from your dream with a wolf at the door
Reaching out for Veronica
Well, it was all of sixty-five years ago
When the world was the street where she lived
And a young man sailed on a ship in the sea
With a picture of Veronica
On the Empress of India
And as she closed her eyes upon the world
And picked upon the bones of last week's news
She spoke his name out loud again
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those
Who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Veronica (Veronica)
Veronica sits in her favorite chair
She sits very quiet and still
And they call her a name that they never get right
And if they don't then nobody else will
But she used to have a carefree mind of her own
With a devilish look in her eye
Saying, "You can call me anything you like
But my name is Veronica"
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those
Who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Oh (oh) Veronica
What goes on in that place in the dark?
Well, I used to know a girl and I could have sworn
That her name was Veronica
Oh well, she used to have a carefree mind of her own
And a delicate look in her eye
These days I'm afraid she's not even sure
If her name is Veronica
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those
Who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Veronica (Veronica)
Do the days drag by? Did the favors wane?
Did he roam down the town all the while?
Will you wake from your dream with a wolf at the door
Reaching out for Veronica
Well, it was all of sixty-five years ago
When the world was the street where she lived
And a young man sailed on a ship in the sea
With a picture of Veronica
On the Empress of India
And as she closed her eyes upon the world
And picked upon the bones of last week's news
She spoke his name out loud again
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those
Who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Veronica (Veronica)
Veronica sits in her favorite chair
She sits very quiet and still
And they call her a name that they never get right
And if they don't then nobody else will
But she used to have a carefree mind of her own
With a devilish look in her eye
Saying, "You can call me anything you like
But my name is Veronica"
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those
Who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Oh (oh) Veronica
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My real name is Veronica. This song came out when I was a teenager, so you can imagine (in addition to hearing "how's Archie and the Gang") EVERYONE sang it to me! But I was just so happy that a song actually had my unique name! Parts of this song remind me of me. I'm not a grandma and I don't have alzheimer's (which unfortunately runs in my family), but there are some lines that are so me. "Devilish look in her eye", totally me. "They call her a name they never get right"...I can't tell you how many times someone can't pronounce my name, or called me Victoria, Vivian, Valerie, etc. In fact, my screen name, "brunicas" is actually a nickname I earned when I was a baby because someone misheard my name and thought my parents had named me brunicas! LOL. The line "you can call me anything you like, but my name is Veronica" is another line that reminds me of me. I have about 44 (at last count) nicknames. Everyone loves to make up some sort of nickname out of my real name. "She used to have a carefree mind of her own"...well, I have a pretty carefree mind (odd for a Taurus).