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.
I wanted to be with you alone
And talk about the weather
But traditions I can trace against the child in your face
Won't escape my attention
You keep your distance with a system of touch
And gentle persuasion
I'm lost in admiration, could I need you this much?
Oh, you're wasting my time
You're just, just, just wasting time
Something happens and I'm head over heels
I never find out 'til I'm head over heels
Something happens and I'm head over heels
Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart
Don't, don't, don't throw it away
Throw it away
Throw it away
I made a fire, I'm watching it burn (yeah)
I thought of your future
With one foot in the past, now just how long will it last?
No, no, no, have you no ambition? (Mmm, what's the matter with my?)
My mother and my brothers used to breathe in clean air
(Nothing ever changes when you're acting your age)
And dreaming I'm a doctor (nothing gets done when you feel like a baby)
It's hard to be a man when there's a gun in your hand
(Nothing ever changes when you're acting your age) oh, I feel so
Something happens and I'm head over heels
I never find out 'til I'm head over heels
Something happens and I'm head over heels
Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart
Don't, don't, don't throw it away
And this my four-leaf clover
I'm on the line, one open mind
This is my four-leaf clover
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la) in my mind's eye
(La, la, la, la, la) one little boy, one little man
(La, la, la, la, la)
Funny how time flies
And talk about the weather
But traditions I can trace against the child in your face
Won't escape my attention
You keep your distance with a system of touch
And gentle persuasion
I'm lost in admiration, could I need you this much?
Oh, you're wasting my time
You're just, just, just wasting time
Something happens and I'm head over heels
I never find out 'til I'm head over heels
Something happens and I'm head over heels
Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart
Don't, don't, don't throw it away
Throw it away
Throw it away
I made a fire, I'm watching it burn (yeah)
I thought of your future
With one foot in the past, now just how long will it last?
No, no, no, have you no ambition? (Mmm, what's the matter with my?)
My mother and my brothers used to breathe in clean air
(Nothing ever changes when you're acting your age)
And dreaming I'm a doctor (nothing gets done when you feel like a baby)
It's hard to be a man when there's a gun in your hand
(Nothing ever changes when you're acting your age) oh, I feel so
Something happens and I'm head over heels
I never find out 'til I'm head over heels
Something happens and I'm head over heels
Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart
Don't, don't, don't throw it away
And this my four-leaf clover
I'm on the line, one open mind
This is my four-leaf clover
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la)
(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la) in my mind's eye
(La, la, la, la, la) one little boy, one little man
(La, la, la, la, la)
Funny how time flies
Lyrics submitted by numb, edited by rockoperajon, Scribbles92
Head Over Heels Lyrics as written by Roland Orzabal Curt Smith
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm sick of seeing posts about Donnie Darko. Yeah sure, it was a great movie, now shut up and talk about the song.
I think this song is about how little we know about ourselves, he is confused about why he even falls for the person, I'm sure we've all had those confused feelings for someone at some point. He doesn't say why he becomes head over heels, because it just happens, it's intuitive. I can't really account for the 2nd verse talking about "gun in your hand", but whenever I hear it, I keep thinking he says "knot in your heart", which also makes more sense considering he's talking about being head over heels in love. It would make more sense because there is confusion as to why he likes the girl in the first place, for she has "no ambition".
It's murky, he doesn't understand why he likes her so much, yet he wants to see where it will lead, and it seems as though she's just going to throw it away because she’s not interested, or doesn't care etc. It's about the whole "guy likes girl" but "girl doesn’t like guy" dilemma (or vice-versa). The “four-leaf clover” is him putting it all down to luck, just hoping that it works out, even though they are so different.
That's my say
yeah i agree...it;s different to all other love songs and all that, you know "i love you so much be with me" crap. it;s just saying "look i love you get over it". he;s just thinking about it instead of whining about it like the majority of love songs
@Schr4nz <br /> this song <br /> was in <br /> DONNIE DARKO
Hi thanks for your take on the lyrics. I think the \'in love\' part you\'ve got but as another fellow has mentioned, I think it\'s really about him realizing he winds up in dysfunctional relationships.\r\n\r\nIf we take that as the premise, then it also explains his gun metaphor. To be a man (in the broad sense) you need to stand up for yourself. Standing up for yourself means, at some level, a conflict of ideas (yours and theirs) and you need to assert yourself. The \'gun in your hand\' is the unpredictable, the uncontrolled reaction waiting to go off. Aggression and behavioural problems are likely lurking if he grew up in a dysfunctional family.\r\n\r\nJust a final comment on the \'acting your age\' part, this is referring to the overt control he exerts over the way he acts and his personal issues. He\'s that used to compartmentalizing his life and emotions that it disrupts his entire life when he falls \'head over heels\' and he loses that control.\r\n \r\nJust a comment about the \'my four leaf clover\' part. I\'ve always thought he was singing about him actually writing the song. That is, a reference to him recognizing he winds up in these sorts of relationships and calling it out in the words of the song. He doesn\'t quite know what to do about it so that\'s what song writers do. Now he has done so, he\'s \'on the line\' with \'an open mind\' as to how to deal with it further.\r\nI hope that\'s helpful and thanks for taking your contribution seriously. Thanks.
@Schr4nz I think he's referring to her having the gun in her hand. She has the power in the relationship. It's hard to be a man and stand up for himself when she holds all the power.
@Schr4nz “Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand” this is a famous line from Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird". I think he does not have enough courage himself even though in his mind he is trying to persuade her... he himself is to afraid to act.