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.
If you're gonna get up
You might as well get up with me
If you're going downtown
I might as well be on your way
And I sit all night, I sit still all night
I won't tell one soul, I won't tell one soul
I just can't get it straight you see and, oh well
That distraction inside of me, oh well
I just can't get it straight you see and, oh well
If it's fine by you, I am fine by you
I won't tell one soul, I won't tell one soul
If you're going downtown
Take me with you, I don't care
If I'm gonna get up, I'll just admit it
I only get up for you
If I'm going to get up, I'll just admit it
I only get up for you
And I sit all night, I sit still all night
I won't tell one soul, I won't tell one soul
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
And I sit all night (if you're going downtown)
I sit still all night (if you're going downtown)
I won't tell one soul (if you're going downtown)
I won't tell one soul
You might as well get up with me
If you're going downtown
I might as well be on your way
And I sit all night, I sit still all night
I won't tell one soul, I won't tell one soul
I just can't get it straight you see and, oh well
That distraction inside of me, oh well
I just can't get it straight you see and, oh well
If it's fine by you, I am fine by you
I won't tell one soul, I won't tell one soul
If you're going downtown
Take me with you, I don't care
If I'm gonna get up, I'll just admit it
I only get up for you
If I'm going to get up, I'll just admit it
I only get up for you
And I sit all night, I sit still all night
I won't tell one soul, I won't tell one soul
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
If you're going downtown, if you're going downtown
Yeah we can, yeah we can
And I sit all night (if you're going downtown)
I sit still all night (if you're going downtown)
I won't tell one soul (if you're going downtown)
I won't tell one soul
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I agree with werechick. And this is an amazing song to fall asleep to.
i adore this song to the max. <3
also some of the lyrics are missing
"if you're going downtown, you're leaving..."
and hmmm i don't know if this song is actually about going downtown...lol
I'm really not sure what this means but I really love it. it's really nice and kinda...what's the word...eerie or haunting. I dunno it just has this dreamy quality. Maybe 'downtown,' just means away in general. I dunno but it is missing that line...and it's repeated several times too. Oh well...still a great song!
Probably a secret one night stand. "I won't tell one soul" and that whole thing about leaving when you wake up.
This has slid nicely into my favorite five songs. I really wish I'd known about Tegan and Sara when they were still a small band performing here in Calgary.
umm.. i don't see anyone saying that this song is about a guy? quit trying to be offended.
i think u might be right bored-to-life.. though when i first heard it i thought the song was about keeping the secret of the relationship cause the other person wasnt sure about it... anyway i might be wrong
from an interview: ''Sara moved to Montreal about six months into our last record. She went there, didn't know anybody there, it was like middle of winter, minus gazillion, and she's stuck in this big old apartment with no furniture and she sent me all these really sad pictures of just like her bed on the floor and her computer. And she wrote songs like "Downtown" when she first moved there. She had a crush on someone and they were in another relationship and she said she kinda felt like a stalker when she'd see them out and about. I know that that song and "Walking With A Ghost" were sorta themed around the idea of wanting to be with somebody you couldn't be with. I can just picture her sitting in her big open window staring out at the ice and snow and wishing that person was there. And I don't know, it makes me depressed. Actually, most of her songs on the record can make me feel depressed. ''
ya know when you hear a song and you immediately relate it to something going on with you right now.. this is one of those songs for me.
for me, i think of it like this...
you really like someone but it's not out in the open. everytime you're with them you're thinking "what do i do? what do i say?".
"if you're gunna get up i'll just admit i only get up for you" it's like you know that if they move you wanna move with them. you just love being with them and in a way you like it that no one really knows "i won't tell one soul" - you're own secret.
and as far as what burn out said ... similarly to you i think that it's all about it being a secret. but a secret that even the person you like doesn't know about. and that is why the girls sing it almost casually "if you're gonna get up you might as well get up with me"
by saying 'might as well' it sounds that it's just an excuse to be with them - although later on in the song the reality behind 'going downtown' starts to emerge.
So yeah, just my interpretation :]