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.
And you asked me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'Cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And designer love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
So take these words and sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
I need some place simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child who saved this world
And there's ten million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them
So take these words and sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
Tonight's the night the world begins again
I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
So take these words and sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'Cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And designer love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
So take these words and sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
I need some place simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child who saved this world
And there's ten million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them
So take these words and sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
Tonight's the night the world begins again
I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
So take these words and sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
Lyrics submitted by wheaties409
Better Days Lyrics as written by John Rzeznik
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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c'mon man, can't you see the message in this? Call it cheesy but i dont think so... its not just all about "finding better days" and wanting the more meaningful things in life.
surely it concerns christmas --- hence the line "you asked me what i want this year"... and call me a jesus freak but this song, seems uncannily involved in the birth of christ---- "tonight's the night the world begins again"
christ came to free mankind and save him from his sins hence the "'Cause everyone is forgiven now"
and Christ did come to forgive... and he was born on earth on christmas as a child, hence the "the one poor child who saved this world"
it never really occured to me that johnny could be religious but hey, who knows...
and dont diss 'give a little bit' man! i love it..... the ggd have simply escalated from where they came from... and they continue to just that.
Actually I have read that he grew up in a Catholic household. So he has some kind of knowledge of God. Maybe he is letting that out a little bit. There are some lines from other songs on this album that point to a possibility of John talking about something "more", "Feel the Silence", "Without You Here", "Can't Let It Go".
"I don't care if they label me a Jesus Freak/cause there ain't no disguising the truth"<br /> Anyway, I'm only here because I heard a Christian singer version on Air1 (The best Christian radio ever, mixes up the Power of RAWK with a little CCM love) Anyway, so after the radio guy said, "you might of heard it before, I had to know the original artist. So now I'm here and I find that it wasn't written by a Christian artist and am taken by surprise, because of the lyric content is so spiritually strong that it surprises me. It obviously has to be about Christ, if you get the whole "Christmas" feeling though, because of the line "And the one poor child who saved this world." You could argue about the whole faith, forgiven, and peace stuff, but I only know of one child who came on that one day to save this world. So yah, I love it when bands that have no relation to Christianity write songs like this, because it shows that they are searching and starving for the truth that's in Christ alone.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
It wasn't about Katrina. It was written and released months before it ever happened.
Got it everyone?
This made me laugh. I love how people keep ignoring this fact. Thank you for posting this.
i think when he sang "And the one poor child who saved this world And there's ten million more who probably could If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them" i think he was talking about kids who have grown up to do amazing things, despite the odds, and if we helped and prayed for the 10 million other, the ten million who didn't make it, or need help making it, then our world will be better.
i think it is about begining a new year. it does not have to be new year's eve. it can be today. it does not have to be something so grand. because one child could have started it and noone would have known, but for that one person, it was the time the worl begun again.
I submitted the completed version of the lyrics, but I couldn't tell if he was saying "boxes" or "boxers" in the second stanza so I went with boxes.
Anyway, the release of this single took me by complete surprise. They haven't gone back to the good years of "A Boy Named Goo" and "Superstar Carwash," but it's also not as bad as "Give a Little Bit". shudders Yeah, it's anoher cheesy ballad, but I can definitley sense some enormous amounts of maturity that I've never heard in Johnny before. This could be good lyrically, but it could also be bad musically. Hopefully, Robby will have plenty of old-Goo-style, hard-guitar songs for us on the new album. It could make for an interesting balance or a scattered, disconnected mess. We'll just have to wait and see.
Damn! I wanted to be the one to submit the lyrics! =P
I first heard this a couple weeks ago from a clip you could download on their site. Should've just bought the song..
Yeah, it's definitely boxes, as in presents. I think the whole song is about the holidays and the giving of gifts: "And you asked me what I want this year". That's like when somebody asks someone they love what they want for Christmas or whatever. And then he replies that he just wants "a chance that maybe we'll find better days". Yeah, pretty cheesy.
He's saying he doesn't want any ordinary gifts on a holiday that's so commercially-driven ("empty things"), rather the chance to find better days; "I wish everyone was loved tonight / and we somehow stopped this endless fight" is probably talking about all the fighting that is constantly going on around the world (political partisanship, religious differences, national pride, et cetera). "cause everyone is forgiven now / cause tonight's the night the world begins again" is most likely saying the new year is coming and everyone can start again with a clean slate. Now that I think about it, this is kind of a strange song to release in September. :\
Man, I can't wait for a new Goo Goo Dolls album, though. It's been too long. I thought they'd called it quits till a couple months ago. And hopefully Robby will be given a little more lovin'. It's not all about John, though I have to admit I like mosty of his songs more.
And yeah, Give A Little Bit is awful. They really couldn't find a better song to cover?
this song is so inspirational...in a world where all you desire is peace and comfort for ALL people, its glad to have talented people who actually have something meaningful to say. hes talking about world peace. forgetting old traditions and suggesting that unity and tolerance should become the new tradition...and you know what...like other generations, we have the oppurtunity to set a revolution in progress...and unlike several others, we are going to do it...bye peace love goo
this is probably the goo goo doll's most mainstreamed song yet ...it seems that Rzeznik has matured even more in his lyrics... it's hard to believe that the same guy that was begging someone "don't beat my ass with a baseball bat"...has matured to someone who wishes "everyone was loved tonight and we somehow stopped this endless fight"...to this day i haven't heard a song by the goos that i haven't liked, whether it be punk or mainstream (which i can say about few other bands)... overall an excellent, and moving, song
Well,I haven´t got the chance to listen the whole new music yet.I just heard a sample of it on the goo`s web site,anyway,I think they really rock!!GGDs are not very famous here in Brazil,despite de tremendous success with the balad "Iris",but even though I simply became an addicted to their songs..It´s also very hard to find GGDs cds here,most of them we have to buy by internet.That´s a shame!! can´t see the time to the new cd release... best wishes from Brazil,peace,love Goo.
I agree with you man, Peace out!