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.
Hush now, don't explain
I know you ain't staying
I'm glad you're back
Don't explain
Quiet, don't explain
You've mixed with some dame
Skip that lipstick
Don't explain
You know that I love you
And what love endures
Nothing rates above you
When I'm so completely yours
Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
Right and wrong don't matter
When you're with me, sweet
Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours, love
Don't explain
You know that I love you
And what love endures
Nothing rates above you
When I'm so completely yours
Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
But, right and wrong don't matter
When you're with me, sweet
Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours, love
Don't explain
I know you ain't staying
I'm glad you're back
Don't explain
Quiet, don't explain
You've mixed with some dame
Skip that lipstick
Don't explain
You know that I love you
And what love endures
Nothing rates above you
When I'm so completely yours
Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
Right and wrong don't matter
When you're with me, sweet
Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours, love
Don't explain
You know that I love you
And what love endures
Nothing rates above you
When I'm so completely yours
Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
But, right and wrong don't matter
When you're with me, sweet
Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours, love
Don't explain
Lyrics submitted by planetearth, edited by leont78
Don't Explain Lyrics as written by Billie Holiday Arthur Jr. Herzog
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
The Persona is very clearly talking about her husband...or boyfriend...whoever she's "seeing" and he is very obviously cheating on her.
It's her saying "I know you're cheating on me. Don't explain it to me. You're with me right now and that's all that matters. I have you right now, and I'm always yours."
Yes. This is one of those songs where she positively invites being victimised.
She's repressing her feelings of him cheating. She knows he's cheating buts that's all she wants to know. She doesn't want to know who with or how long. Sad. Most of her songs are basically about men walking all over her but she'd rather feel some love than being all alone.