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.
All the boys voices cracking
Oh, the moaning half-tones
Come summertime, we're all the same age here
All the tension and the terror
Thin limbed gorgeous green eyes smiling
And I'm going straight to Hell
All the possibility and promise just
Weighs on me so heavily
And I
Try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing, please
Darling, all of these awkward
Jump start, stalling conversations
Mean much more to me than anything
And it comes down to me and you, and
Whether we're supposed to or not, we still will
We're so much better off, than them
All the possibility and promise just
Weighs on me so heavily
And I
Try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing, please
A look, a laugh, a smile
A second passes by and I regret it
Words just aren't right
Sometimes I just can't explain
All the ways you devastate me
Always on my mind
I
Try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing
I try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing, please
Oh, the moaning half-tones
Come summertime, we're all the same age here
All the tension and the terror
Thin limbed gorgeous green eyes smiling
And I'm going straight to Hell
All the possibility and promise just
Weighs on me so heavily
And I
Try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing, please
Darling, all of these awkward
Jump start, stalling conversations
Mean much more to me than anything
And it comes down to me and you, and
Whether we're supposed to or not, we still will
We're so much better off, than them
All the possibility and promise just
Weighs on me so heavily
And I
Try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing, please
A look, a laugh, a smile
A second passes by and I regret it
Words just aren't right
Sometimes I just can't explain
All the ways you devastate me
Always on my mind
I
Try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing
I try, but I'm not convincing
Your lips, they pout and twist, and
I die trying just to keep myself from kissing you
You take in everything with
A certainty I envy
It's somehow all I need just keep me guessing, please
Lyrics submitted by almostmanda
The Tension and the Terror Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Great version of a great song,
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I think this could actually be about cheating on someone. "it comes down to me and you and whether we're supposed to or not, we still will" Which implies that he and this girl did mess around. So i think that line negates the good friends theory of them wanting to get together but how it would ruin things. "A second passes by and I regret it" Could be him regretting that he cheated on his girlfriend. Also the fact that he cheated would be legit reasoning for the "I'm going straight to hell." line.
That is how i see it. YOu don't have to agree. so yeah.