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.
It's amazing the look in your eyes
Like you could save me
But you won't even try
Then you tell me again
How everything will be alright
If I told you that I'm sorry
Would you tell me you were wrong?
Or would you hold me down forever
If I came to you for answers
I saw pictures in my head
And I swear I saw you opening up again
And I would be heavenly if baby you'd just rescue me now
While I'm surrounded, you spill
All alive and brand new
And I'll forget about you long enough
To forget why I need to
I saw pictures in my head
And I swear I saw you opening up again
And I would be heavenly if baby you'd just rescue me now
The days are drifting away from me
I still wake up burning through everything
It's all I know
Somebody save me now
I saw pictures in my head
And I swear I saw you opening up again
And I would be heavenly if baby you'd just rescue me now
Like you could save me
But you won't even try
Then you tell me again
How everything will be alright
If I told you that I'm sorry
Would you tell me you were wrong?
Or would you hold me down forever
If I came to you for answers
I saw pictures in my head
And I swear I saw you opening up again
And I would be heavenly if baby you'd just rescue me now
While I'm surrounded, you spill
All alive and brand new
And I'll forget about you long enough
To forget why I need to
I saw pictures in my head
And I swear I saw you opening up again
And I would be heavenly if baby you'd just rescue me now
The days are drifting away from me
I still wake up burning through everything
It's all I know
Somebody save me now
I saw pictures in my head
And I swear I saw you opening up again
And I would be heavenly if baby you'd just rescue me now
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I have an interesting take on this song - it happened to me. Line by line, everything. This is what it meant to me:
And it's amazing With the look in your eyes Like you could save me But you won't even try And then you tell me again How everything will be alright
[[[[ I was in love with a boy who was my best friend at the time. It was a point in my life where I was kind of going nowhere, but he was there for me. He knew I liked him, and he knew he could 'save' me, but he wouldn't. I specifically remember one Valentine's Day where he said to me "You'll find someone, and then you'll understand, and then it'll be all right. ]]]
And if I told you That I'm sorry Would you tell me that you were wrong Or would you hold me down forever If I came to your for answers
[[[ I told him pretty early in our friendship that I liked him, and it was stupid. He said he couldn't date me, we were just friends. I constantly wondered what would've happened if I had waited... if I told him I was sorry, would he admit that he was wrong? Or if I came to him for answers, would it ruin everything and make it all awkward? Would he get angry? ]]]
And I saw Pictures in my head And I swear I saw you opening up, again
[[[ All of my daydreams were about him. We shot pictures together, and I could always recall some of our works in my head. But really, i just saw what our life would be like, all the time. And every time I would be with him I would be convinced that he was opening up to me ]]]
And I'm surrounded You spill All alive and brand new And I'll forget about you long enough To forget why I need to
[[[ When we were together, I was surrounded by the one I loved and completey euphoric. When he was around me, he'd be this whole new person and get all excited about the things we had in common that nobody else undesrtood. And when I was with him, I wasn't thinking "Oh i like him so much i just want to be with him!" like I did when we were apart, I was just happy. I forgot about him not liking me, i forgot why i needed to forget him. ]]]
And I saw Pictures in my head And I swear I saw you opening up again Cause I would be heavenly if Baby you'd just rescue me now
[[[ I would've been euphoric if he would have rescued me. ]]]
The days are Drifting away from me I still wake up Burning through everything now
[[[ I felt like I was just sitting by idling while the boy i loved got away from me. I kept saying "Today, I'll make a move." and then not do anything. And then I would wake up in the morning and burn through it all and realize where i went wrong and how to fix it that day... and it would just all start again. ]]]
And I saw Pictures in my head And I swear I saw you opening up again I would be heavenly if Baby you'd just rescue me now Pictures in my head I saw you opening up again Cause I would be heavenly if Baby you'd just rescue me now
So, in my opinion, this song is about unrequited love.