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.
Who can it be knocking at my door?
Go 'way, don't come 'round here no more
Can't you see that it's late at night?
I'm very tired, and I'm not feeling right
All I wish is to be alone
Stay away, don't you invade my home
Best off if you hang outside
Don't come in, I'll only run and hide
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be knocking at my door?
Make no sound, tip-toe across the floor
If he hears, he'll knock all day
I'll be trapped, and here I'll have to stay
I've done no harm, I keep to myself
There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health
I like it here with my childhood friend
Here they come, those feelings again
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Is it the man come to take me away?
Why do they follow me?
It's not the future that I can see
It's just my fantasy
Yeah
Who? Who? Who?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Oh, oh, oh
Who can it be now?
Oh we oh
Who can it, who can it
Oh, who can it be now?
Oh, we, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Go 'way, don't come 'round here no more
Can't you see that it's late at night?
I'm very tired, and I'm not feeling right
All I wish is to be alone
Stay away, don't you invade my home
Best off if you hang outside
Don't come in, I'll only run and hide
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be knocking at my door?
Make no sound, tip-toe across the floor
If he hears, he'll knock all day
I'll be trapped, and here I'll have to stay
I've done no harm, I keep to myself
There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health
I like it here with my childhood friend
Here they come, those feelings again
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Is it the man come to take me away?
Why do they follow me?
It's not the future that I can see
It's just my fantasy
Yeah
Who? Who? Who?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?
Oh, oh, oh
Who can it be now?
Oh we oh
Who can it, who can it
Oh, who can it be now?
Oh, we, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
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More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
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.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
I don't think it's about masturbation, like whymighti proposes, but paranoid schizophrenia sounds about right; perhaps the "It's not the future that I can see,/It's just my fantasy" is not self-directed, instead being another person speaking of the narrator's delusional behavior. It could also be self-reassurance or denial, which would go well with "There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health." Bouts of par. schiz. would fit, as would manic-depressive attacks. Then again, it could be about just a very shy man with reclusive tendencies or a bad past relationship.
i was thinking what you said but with anthropohobia fear of people thrown in.
I always thought this was about mental illness. I'm surprised more other people have not thought so. The narrator sounds paranoid (is it the man come to take me away, why do they follow me, I'll be trapped) and anxious. He's aware that something is wrong with him (I'm not feeling right; here they come, those feelings again) but is trying to deny it (there's nothing wrong with my state of mental health.) He is having delusions but again, is denying it -- as apparent by one of the strangest lines, "it's not the future that I can see, it's just my fantasy." Obviously he has been feeling like he can see the future, but now he's trying to convince himself or others that he's normal. Then there's that weird line about being "here with my childhood friend" when he's actually alone.
PS - Colin Hay's solo acoustic version is great; much better than the original.
It's when those adult trick or treaters come by my house and it's well into the bar hours. They don't want the Milky Ways, they want chicken wings. Unbelievable!!
sounds like a mix of anthropohobia -the fear of people-, constant paranoia, and schizophrenia and possibly full blown insanity. i say anthropophobia because it says "don't come in i'll only run and hide" meaning he is so scared of people his resort is to hide. i say paranoia because when it says "don't you invade my home," it is displaying he is paranoid of people breaking in. schizophrenia because he is hallucinating a "childhood friend" but he is all alone. finally "Is it the man come to take me away? Why do they follow me?" gives the impression (to me at least) that someone from a mental ward has came to take him in.
so basically a mad man trying to avoid being taken into a mental ward.
This song is about a guy wishing to not be bugged by people for a little while so he can relax. I really think it's no deeper than that.
I think that this song is about someone who knows he is a little strange, but wants to live his life on his terms and wants everyone else to stop trying to change him and leave him alone. Live and let live.
This would appear to be a normal, "I want to be left alone" kind of song, but its much deeper.
The following make it an 'abnormal' situation:
1) Nothing wrong with my state of mental health. 2) I like it here with my childhood friend (he is alone)
Children have 'imaginary friends', can this be his insanity?
No it cannot be, because whatever he is doing is illegal: Is it "the man" come to take me away".
1) Its not my furture that I can see (the consequenses) 2) Its just my fantasy (the consuming fire of the now)
Drugs? Porn? The list goes on... Something he 'felt' as a child...
I like this analogy. I think this song in part has to do with something I mentioned in another song about him. He's paranoid. He's afraid that someone's out to get him and he doesn't want to answer the door for fear he'll be taken away for something he did or because they are going to lock him away. "nothing wrong with my state of mental health...Is it the man come to take me away" the man in this case could be workers from a psychiatric clinic coming to take him away because they may believe him to be unstable.
About a person struggling with paranoid schizophrenia: he know's he's not right in the head, but he moves in an out of sanity and can't help it.
The tension between sanity and insanity is what makes this song.
When the song came out, Colin Hay said it was about the bill collectors that used to come to his (and his buddy's) apartment to collect. They would hide and pretend that they weren't home to buy themselves some time.
Masturbation... <scoff>
This song is a result of clear dementia which was due inproper misuse of drogs and alcohol.
Colin Hay is still one smashing bloke though and he has been clean for a long time now (just listen to the song "I wish I was still drinking).
Still... this song is still jolly damn good.