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.
You breathed infinity into my world
And time was lost up in a cloud and in a whirl.
We dug a hole in the cool grey earth and lay there for the night.
Then you said, "wait for me we'll fly the wind,
We'll grow old and you'll be stronger without him" but oh,
Now my world is at your feet. I was lost and I was found,
But I was alive and now I've drowned.
So now I will be waiting for the world to hear my song
So they can tell me I was wrong...
But they weren't there beneath your stare,
And they weren't stripped 'till they were bare of
Any bindings from the world outside that room.
And they weren't taken by the hand
And led through fields of naked land
Where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away
So I couldn't say "no".
You sighed and I was lost in you, weeks could've past for all I knew.
You were there blanket of the over-world and so I couldn't say,
I wouldn't say "no". But they all said, "you're too young to even know,
Just don't let it grow and you'll be stronger without him"
But oh, now, my world is at your feet. I was lost and I was found,
But I was alive and now I've drowned.
So now I will be waiting for the world to hear my song
So they can tell me I was wrong
But they weren't there beneath your stare,
And they weren't stripped 'till they were bare
Of any bindings from the world outside that room.
And they weren't taken by the hand and led through fields
Of naked land where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away
But they weren't there beneath your stare,
And they weren't stripped 'till they were bare
Of any bindings from the world outside that room.
And they weren't taken by the hand and led through fields
Of naked land where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away
So I couldn't say "no".
And time was lost up in a cloud and in a whirl.
We dug a hole in the cool grey earth and lay there for the night.
Then you said, "wait for me we'll fly the wind,
We'll grow old and you'll be stronger without him" but oh,
Now my world is at your feet. I was lost and I was found,
But I was alive and now I've drowned.
So now I will be waiting for the world to hear my song
So they can tell me I was wrong...
But they weren't there beneath your stare,
And they weren't stripped 'till they were bare of
Any bindings from the world outside that room.
And they weren't taken by the hand
And led through fields of naked land
Where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away
So I couldn't say "no".
You sighed and I was lost in you, weeks could've past for all I knew.
You were there blanket of the over-world and so I couldn't say,
I wouldn't say "no". But they all said, "you're too young to even know,
Just don't let it grow and you'll be stronger without him"
But oh, now, my world is at your feet. I was lost and I was found,
But I was alive and now I've drowned.
So now I will be waiting for the world to hear my song
So they can tell me I was wrong
But they weren't there beneath your stare,
And they weren't stripped 'till they were bare
Of any bindings from the world outside that room.
And they weren't taken by the hand and led through fields
Of naked land where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away
But they weren't there beneath your stare,
And they weren't stripped 'till they were bare
Of any bindings from the world outside that room.
And they weren't taken by the hand and led through fields
Of naked land where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away
So I couldn't say "no".
Lyrics submitted by AgathaKavka
They Weren't There Lyrics as written by Melissa Higgins
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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ok... When I first heard this song I simply enjoyed it's melody.. and I really love this song or I wouldn't have analyzed it. Just an opinion, but as you read into the lyrics a bit more it sounds like she's speaking to both a male and female.
"You breathed infinity into my world and time was lost up in a cloud and in a whirl. We dug a hole in the cool grey earth and lay there for the night."
-As someone mentioned in a previous post, seeing her in concert, she refers to having a a 1-night stand with "someone" -
In the next few verses she talks about someone telling her "you'll grow stronger without him" .. sounds like something a female friend would say to another female friend or a family member to another family member to "comfort/nurture" them.
"I'll be waiting for the world to hear my song... so they can tell me I was wrong"
-knowing society doesn't look too favorably on homosexuality-
"But they weren't there beneath your stare, and they weren't stripped 'till they were bare of any bindings from the world outside that room."
-she's trying to say that she's not homosexual, and that she did deeply love someone (a man), outside that room... but within the room, no one will understand what she went through... maybe an "exception to the rule"? -
"of naked land where any pre-conceived ideas were blown away..."
-there's the kicker, to me. "Pre-conceived ideas"? I can see how this could pertain to a man's intentions (involving sex and whatnot)... but even more plausible, given the delicacy of the song (melody & longing lyrics), could easily be seen as pre-conceived ideas about what she did with someone that was within "that room"... Whoever it was, they relieved her mind about the man she was deeply hurt by and longing for, and at that point, gender was no longer a factor.-
"you're too young to even know, just don't let it grow and you'll be stronger without him"
-People are telling her she's too young to even know what she wants, don't grow in love again (whether it be with a man, but especially not with another female - because then the world "they can tell" her she "was wrong")-
Finally, the struggle.
"so I couldn't say "no"."
-She is obviously fighting/struggling... yes, this one could relate to sex as well, but considering the previous lines, I think it pertains to her decision. She is telling the world, since they weren't there to experience what she felt within that room... they wouldn't understand.. she "couldn't say, wouldn't say no." even though, in her mind she knew that society would view it as something of a Taboo, something not looked favorably upon. Whoever it was, this new love, would change her mind and effect her in such a way that in her painful state, how could she "say no"?-
This song could easily be abouta bunch of things, as many people mentioned: new love, sex, or curiousity. Given the weight, and harsh judgement she relates to the 3rd party ("They"), however, leads me to believe that the song is primarily fitting of someone who was bi-curious explaining how she had an experience with someone of the same gender, not expecting it, in an attempt to heal the wounds caused by the man she was in love with.