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're walking taller than you should
The air is thin around your beautiful head
You're saying things with your mouth to me
That I don't recognize, you're aware of yourself lately
Redefining yourself, designing yourself
You haven't looked at me forever
Got a diagram of your associations
A strategy, you're weighing your options
What would you trade me for?
You're measuring me lately
And I can tell and I can tell I'm losing weight
You're measuring me lately, you're dressing me
Do not tell me I've changed
You're just raising your standards
Do not give me away
I am the same, I am the same
Have you found him?
Have you told him everything?
Does he say he feels bad about all this?
You've shown tenderness for me
Tenderness for me, to him
Do not tell me I've changed
You're just raising your standards
Do not give me away
I am the same, I am the same
The air is thin around your beautiful head
You're saying things with your mouth to me
That I don't recognize, you're aware of yourself lately
Redefining yourself, designing yourself
You haven't looked at me forever
Got a diagram of your associations
A strategy, you're weighing your options
What would you trade me for?
You're measuring me lately
And I can tell and I can tell I'm losing weight
You're measuring me lately, you're dressing me
Do not tell me I've changed
You're just raising your standards
Do not give me away
I am the same, I am the same
Have you found him?
Have you told him everything?
Does he say he feels bad about all this?
You've shown tenderness for me
Tenderness for me, to him
Do not tell me I've changed
You're just raising your standards
Do not give me away
I am the same, I am the same
Lyrics submitted by yourtwowinters
Beautiful Head Lyrics as written by Matthew D. Berninger Aaron Dessner
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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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I love the cynicism and insecurity of the lyrics juxtaposed with the light and bouncy music.
"You're saying things with your mouth to me That I don't recognize You're aware of yourself lately
Got a diagram of your associations A strategy You're weighing your options"
It seems like maybe his partner is becoming successful in her career. He's seeing an ambitious side of her that he hasn't seen before and it intimidates him.
"You're measuring me lately And I can tell And I can tell I'm losing weight"
Love that lyric. Blaming your failures on someone else's successes.
"Have you found him? Have you told him everything? Does he say he feels bad about all this?"
Because he doesn't feel good enough for her anymore, he automatically assumes that she too has decided he isn't good enough and is now cheating on him with someone more her caliber.
"Do not tell me I've changed You're just raising your standards Do not give me away I am the same I am the same"
It's about having the mindset that change in a person is always bad, when the truth is probably that she's just growing up and he doesn't want to. There's something desparate and sad about the repeating of "I am the same" He feels like he's getting left behind.
@ Heardithere<br /> <br /> Oddly enough I would have agreed with that interpretation a few years ago, but it's not always true that change in a person is a good thing. I believe that the song refers to success which has gone to the "beautiful head" - what was once good enough is not anymore - because of an inflated sense of worth from something external.
I agree he seems insecure, but I think Berninger is pointing out how relationships are sometimes treated as "what's the best I can do?" Of course relationships should hold an intrinsic value moreso than a practical value. He's mocking the selfishness people exhibit when ditching friends or lovers that the deem no longer up to their standards.
Great song - it's from their left titled album. You can download this at emusic.com for super cheap.
To me this song is obviously about getting that feeling that the girlfriend wants to get rid of you. A few great lines in this one such as "You've been measuring me lately, and I can tell I've been loosing weight"
love it at the beginning of this song when the bass first comes in, i can't get enough of it.
not good lyrics- great lyrics
i'm just hearing this for the first time! i love it. the subtly in lyrics like these are what makes matt so great--"You've shown tenderness for me, Tenderness for me, To him"
My favorite line:
"Do not tell me I've changed; You're just raising your standards"
This band is brilliant.
I can't get enough of them. This track is freakin' brilliant! I love these lyrics.
DO NOT TELL ME I'VE CHANGED
good lyrics and all..but i can't find this song anywhere?
midwestproduct: insound has the free mp3 of 'beautiful head'. just click on 'free mp3s', search for 'the national', and it'll show right up.
matt's voice sounds so gritty and world-weary in this song. i'm really looking forward to when i get this album next month!