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'm going away forever
I'm going away forever
Never coming back this way
Never coming back to this place
What I need is a heaven
What I really need is a heaven
A place to go where I can really be
A place to go where I can really be
Where I can really be
Dreaming my life away counts for nothing
Dreaming my life away counts for nothing
But nothing ever is the end
No nothing ever is the end
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me yeh
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me yeh
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me yeh
It's sure been a full life for me yeeaah
It's sure been a full life for me
I'm going away forever
Never coming back this way
Never coming back to this place
What I need is a heaven
What I really need is a heaven
A place to go where I can really be
A place to go where I can really be
Where I can really be
Dreaming my life away counts for nothing
Dreaming my life away counts for nothing
But nothing ever is the end
No nothing ever is the end
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me yeh
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me yeh
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me
It's sure been a full life for me baby
It's sure been a full life for me yeh
It's sure been a full life for me yeeaah
It's sure been a full life for me
Lyrics submitted by OLPfanboy69
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My interpretation. I hope it helps:
He imagines and reflects on his death and becomes totally aware of the fact that he will never be able to return ("I'm going away forever") - at least not in this human form with his personality etc ("Never coming back this way").
The verse around the line "What I need is a heaven" depicts his longing for salvation. "Dreaming my life away counts for nothing" is this urge in him that makes him want to awaken from illusion. He then sees that death doesn't mean a total end, but rather is just a dropping of this human body ("But nothing ever is the end").
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