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 think about how it might have been
We'd spend our days travelin'
It's not that I don't understand you
It's not that I don't want to be with you
But you only wanted me
The way you wanted me
So, I will head out alone and hope for the best
And we can hang our heads down as we skip the goodbyes
You can tell the world what you want them to hear
I've got nothing left to lose, my dear
So, I'm up for the little white lies
But you and I know the reason why
I'm gone, and you're still there
I'll buy a magazine searching for your face
From coast to coast, or whatever I find my place
I'll track you on the radio
And I'll sign your list in a different name
But as close as I come to you
It's not the same
So, I will head out alone and hope for the best
We can pat ourselves on the back and say that we tried
And if one of us makes it big
We can spill our regrets
And talk about how the love never dies
But you and I know the reason why
I'm gone, and you're still there
So, steal the show
And do your best to cover the tracks that I have left
I wish you well and hope you find whatever you're looking for
The way I might've changed my mind
But you only showed me the door
So, I will head out alone and hope for the best
We can pat ourselves on the back and say that we tried
And if one of us makes it big
We can spill our regrets
And talk about how the love never dies
But you and I know the reason why
We'd spend our days travelin'
It's not that I don't understand you
It's not that I don't want to be with you
But you only wanted me
The way you wanted me
So, I will head out alone and hope for the best
And we can hang our heads down as we skip the goodbyes
You can tell the world what you want them to hear
I've got nothing left to lose, my dear
So, I'm up for the little white lies
But you and I know the reason why
I'm gone, and you're still there
I'll buy a magazine searching for your face
From coast to coast, or whatever I find my place
I'll track you on the radio
And I'll sign your list in a different name
But as close as I come to you
It's not the same
So, I will head out alone and hope for the best
We can pat ourselves on the back and say that we tried
And if one of us makes it big
We can spill our regrets
And talk about how the love never dies
But you and I know the reason why
I'm gone, and you're still there
So, steal the show
And do your best to cover the tracks that I have left
I wish you well and hope you find whatever you're looking for
The way I might've changed my mind
But you only showed me the door
So, I will head out alone and hope for the best
We can pat ourselves on the back and say that we tried
And if one of us makes it big
We can spill our regrets
And talk about how the love never dies
But you and I know the reason why
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This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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yea it was...towards the end.
It's definitely a band-breakup song. "Do your best to cover the tracks that I have left" is a cheeky play on words -- the band can keep playing her stuff, but it's just not the same (think Tony Fredianelli playing Kevin Cadogan's guitar parts).
I agree with most of the things people have said but I think this song is about Rachael's ex-boyfriend James. They were in a band together in Chicago called Bumpus but Rachael ended up leaving because she was under-appreciated and she wanted to try some songs that were very different from the material the band usually played. From my understanding, they made fun of her for it. They didn't like her "sentimental" music and wanted her to keep doing their kind of music. Anyway, she and James broke up and Rachael went solo.
So in reference to the song, they used to travel on the road while touring and could have continued to do so if they had stayed together. After breaking up, she used to look for him in magazines and would listen to them on the radio. Now James is the the lead singer (they used to sing together) so he'll steal the show and try to go back and cover the song tracks that featured Rachael. If either of them made it big, they could talk about their failed romance fondly.
So while the song can be interpreted many different ways because Rachael made it open ended and threw in a lot of double meanings, this song to me is ultimately about the demise of her relationship with James.
Amazing song
was this song just on the oc?
This song hits me right in the gut, and I can relate to it better than any of the others on her album (which are all wonderful). It's about two people who were in love, but the guy only wanted to be with her at his convenience. And while he's off "making it big", no matter how famous he gets, only the two of them will know what really went wrong in their relationship.
Moral of the story: Don't get involved with male musicians.
Rachael Yamagata did an interview for Woman Rock and had this to say about this song:
"Every now and then you’re on stage and your mind wanders and you can think of it from their eyes or you find a different meaning, like “Reason Why.” I wrote it kind of about this group dynamic, a business relationship really. Everyone thinks it’s a love song, so every now and then I’ll play it and dedicate it to somebody."
"I might've changed my mind but you only showed me the door,"
what this means to me when i listen to it is this:
it makes me think the narrator is talking about a guy / girl she has a relationship with, who acts as if s/he cares so much about her and their relationship, and things mess up and she's saying she's going to leave him/her, and the person acts upset... but in the end, when she lets the person see that she'd really consider staying, all s/he does is show her the door rather than really try to fix things.
it's like leaving, walking down the hallway, and then turning back around and saying "hey, if things change, I'd stay..." only to see the person closing the door behind you. it's a bad feeling, watching someone forget you exist, and proving everything they ever said to you was actually a lie. =P
it's grade A top choice song... no lie.
ooo featured in the last kiss soundtrack. great choice.