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 got a lot to learn before I let you go
There's things you need to see and things you need to know
They say we won't make it
What do they know?
They say we can't do it
But I got to know
[chorus:]
Is it getting better?
Is it getting worse?
Was it ever worth it?
Was it just a curse?
Is it getting better now? (x2)
You've got a lot to do before I let you stay
There's things you need to see and things you need to say
They say we won't make it
What do they know?
They say we can't do it
But I got to know
[chorus]
you always talk too much, too little, too late,
too much, too little, too late
for me to figure out (x2)
I still can't figure out
[chorus]
There's things you need to see and things you need to know
They say we won't make it
What do they know?
They say we can't do it
But I got to know
[chorus:]
Is it getting better?
Is it getting worse?
Was it ever worth it?
Was it just a curse?
Is it getting better now? (x2)
You've got a lot to do before I let you stay
There's things you need to see and things you need to say
They say we won't make it
What do they know?
They say we can't do it
But I got to know
[chorus]
you always talk too much, too little, too late,
too much, too little, too late
for me to figure out (x2)
I still can't figure out
[chorus]
Lyrics submitted by e311dgar
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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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,
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
In the first lyrics are about her leaving him and him telling her that she needs see and know some things before she walks out of his life. The Chorus is the main point of the song, their relationship is so rocky that they can't tell wether they are getting better or worse with each other. He just wants to find out wether them getting together was worth the time, or if it was just a plagueing curse on him. He wants to make it work and see this through hence why, "but I've got to know". The fact that everyone in their life is telling them they can't make it makes him want to see this whole thing through regardless. All through his vain attempts to make it work he keeps asking himself and her "Is it better now?" as he really can't see this from his own perspective at the time.
The last part of "talk too much too little too late" Is the fact that she obviously says the things needed to be said at a time when the meaning of the words is lost after the event. It causes him to be confused and can't figure out the situation.
The song is basically about the downfall of a relationship (more specifically the point in it right before it goes downhill and ends bitterly) and the vain attempts to make things work out of the residual feelings one or both parties may have. [/end 2 cents]