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 you really want to hear about it"
another lonely seaside town
where the seasons closed it down.
but if you close your eyes
you can almost hear the sounds of crowds gone by.
another year you'll all be here
falling in love and watching sunsets and sunrises.
it'll be grand and just what you planned
'til tomorrow comes and you've said your last goodbyes.
he says he'll write, but he won't write
and you will waste your time
so stay the fuck home and greet everyone with goodbye.
on this lonely winter's day
while all the crowds were still away
I realized the attraction
to temporary miles and holidays.
boardwalk dreams all boarded up
another souvenir made to be broken.
chasing the sun isn't my kind of fun.
I'd rather sit and catch snowflakes on my tongue.
when summers gone I won't be sad
as you cling on to all the good times that you've had
'cause being alone isn't really all that bad.
don't ever tell anyone anything
or else you'll wind up missing everybody.
don't ever tell anyone anything.
another lonely seaside town
where the seasons closed it down.
but if you close your eyes
you can almost hear the sounds of crowds gone by.
another year you'll all be here
falling in love and watching sunsets and sunrises.
it'll be grand and just what you planned
'til tomorrow comes and you've said your last goodbyes.
he says he'll write, but he won't write
and you will waste your time
so stay the fuck home and greet everyone with goodbye.
on this lonely winter's day
while all the crowds were still away
I realized the attraction
to temporary miles and holidays.
boardwalk dreams all boarded up
another souvenir made to be broken.
chasing the sun isn't my kind of fun.
I'd rather sit and catch snowflakes on my tongue.
when summers gone I won't be sad
as you cling on to all the good times that you've had
'cause being alone isn't really all that bad.
don't ever tell anyone anything
or else you'll wind up missing everybody.
don't ever tell anyone anything.
Lyrics submitted by oofus
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Great version of a great song,
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This is what I think to be one of the most awesomest songs I've ever heard in my life. It just says that when your world is crowded with people and strangers, it kinda sucks.
did anyone else notice that "if you really want to hear about it" is the first line of the book 'The Catcher in the Rye' by JD Salinger, and the line "don't ever tell anyone anything or else you'll wind up missing everybody" is the same as the last line from the book (give or take a word or two). The Ataris are educated punks!!! what's hte significance or these lines? anybody?
this is an awesome song, not only because it's by the ataris, but because the song seems to be somewhat based on my favorite book "The Catcher In the Rye" by JD Salinger. I think the last three lines in the song/book mean that once you tell someone something, you have a connection with them, and if you have to someday leave them, you're gonna miss them alot more. I don't know, that's just what i got from it, i could be wrong. whatever the significance of those lines, it's still a beautiful song!
dude this iz a GR8 song...i donno y evrys talking about "The Catcher In The Rye"bt whatever...haha, anywayz, this iz1 of the *Ataris best songs 2 my knowledge..Itz on "End Is Forever" which iz also a GR8 CD so if U dont hav it GO GET IT 4 shits sake!.....ExCxFxU!
ha! i just had a revelation. i was just listening to this song and that last line reminded me of something... we just got done reading catcher in my lit class, and it's an amazing book. and yes, i do realize that somebody has already mentioned it.
but it really does make a lot of sense. it's all about solitude and loneliness. "another year you'll all be here/falling in love and watching sunsets and sunrises./it'll be grand and just what you planned/'til tomorrow comes and you've said your last goodbyes./he says he'll write, but he won't write/and you will waste your time/so stay the fuck home and greet everyone with goodbye." he knows that society's fucked up and it's pointless to be so shallow.
holden caulfield is my hero...
so i'm not crazy! it's good to know other people picked up on the "catcher in the rye" reference. i agree with krystina that the lyrics in the song coincide with holden caulfield's views on life and society. this song has become my bitterness anthem, haha. i like it because it does have that cynical tone, but with a slight hope that it'll all be okay, "'cause being alone isn't really all that bad". another amazing song by the ataris.
I agree with you guys i guess, but when i first heard it, what stuck in my mind was a "festival"like no the beach, and as he says "if you close your eyes you can almost hear the sound of crowds gone by" Then another year you will be here etc etc"at the festival, and people will fall in love and make friends but then lose contact of them, i dont know,i sort it used that as a metaphor for life etc
i love the connection to catcher in the rye. i think waht he means is its easier to blcok out memories and try to get rid of them, but onceyou tell someone them, you remember them, and it makesyou miss it.
i guess maybe Kris feels kinda linked to Holden in some way, maybe he experienced the same depression, alienation etc. Its kinda llike, hes bitter about not being one of the people having fun but being alone isnt really all that bad
its kinda like he's saying, he'd rather be alone and not deal with seperation than be surrounded by people who'll eventually move on..just like Holden