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.
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
When will you learn?
When will you learn all by yourself?
Run away; It's the only way for you to stay alive.
(I'm not moving if you paid me.
That's the shit that's going to make me curl up inside and die.)
That's not the way to be talking, if you want to stay alive.
(That's a chance that I'm taking.
It's the only way to make me satisfied with my life.)
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Don't let the enemy in;
His solution is not the only end.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
When will you learn, the world is on your side?
Taking the world on,
Taking the world on by yourself.
It's a battle you finally won,
When you saw the struggle shared by everyone.
Just like you, I am. Just like you, I am.
(That's impossible, look at where you're from.
Look at all the battles I lost.
Look at all the battles I won.)
I understand, I do. I understand like you're supposed to.
(That's impossible; How are you supposed to?
There's a million ways, second chances,
Wrong impressions, second glances.)
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Don't let the enemy in;
His solution is not the only end.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Taking the world on,
taking the world on by yourself.
When will you learn, the world is on your side?
Taking the world on,
Taking the world on by yourself.
It's a battle you finally won,
When you saw the struggle shared by everyone.
I'm calling for...
I'm calling for...
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Don't let the enemy in;
His solution is not the only end.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Taking the world on by yourself.
When will you learn?
When will you learn all by yourself?
Run away; It's the only way for you to stay alive.
(I'm not moving if you paid me.
That's the shit that's going to make me curl up inside and die.)
That's not the way to be talking, if you want to stay alive.
(That's a chance that I'm taking.
It's the only way to make me satisfied with my life.)
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Don't let the enemy in;
His solution is not the only end.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
When will you learn, the world is on your side?
Taking the world on,
Taking the world on by yourself.
It's a battle you finally won,
When you saw the struggle shared by everyone.
Just like you, I am. Just like you, I am.
(That's impossible, look at where you're from.
Look at all the battles I lost.
Look at all the battles I won.)
I understand, I do. I understand like you're supposed to.
(That's impossible; How are you supposed to?
There's a million ways, second chances,
Wrong impressions, second glances.)
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Don't let the enemy in;
His solution is not the only end.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Taking the world on,
taking the world on by yourself.
When will you learn, the world is on your side?
Taking the world on,
Taking the world on by yourself.
It's a battle you finally won,
When you saw the struggle shared by everyone.
I'm calling for...
I'm calling for...
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
Taking the world,
Taking the world on by yourself.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Don't let the enemy in;
His solution is not the only end.
Code Red.
Calling for Code Red.
Lyrics submitted by TranceRufus
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I'm not sure what the song specifically addresses, but it seems like they're talking about one of those people who has that "the world sucks" attitudes, and thinks they don't need anyone's help, when they really do. That's where the "taking the world on by yourself" bit comes in.
The "Just Like You" section is where the people trying to help say "we're not your enemies, we care about you, listen to us, etc." And in the chorus, where it says "his solution is not the only end," they mean everybody that contributes to the "world sucks" belief. That's what all the whispered stuff in the song is.
I took the song as someone who is fighting for a good cause and is continually bombarded with oposition. The way that the lyric "I understand, I do. I understand like you're supposed to. (That's impossible; How are you supposed to? There's a million ways, second chances, Wrong impressions, second glances.) It says that he is talking to someone so set and ignorant in their ways and he knows there are other way to go in life.
I agree with foxhaze about someone going against the world. But instead of the just like you section being people trying to help the person, i think its someone who knows what hes going through and is telling him that there is no point to fighting the world because you only think that you have won but you havent