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.
Please sit down, just talk to me
We'll see if we can talk this through
I've tried so hard to understand it
Just tell me something that's close to the truth
I'd rather you were cruel than kind
Is all that I'm demanding
I've given up on peace of mind
For the open wound of understanding
You can't be here and someplace else
If your mind is in that other place
You're trying to convince yourself
But you're lying in my face
I've listened 'til my head would spin
I don't want half of anything
The sand sits in the hourglass
Time slips through our fingers fast
Your counterfeits deceived me
If you can't love me this way
Then you must leave me
Tell me how it came to this
Just don't think to spare me this
Perhaps the truth can set us free
From the half truths ensnaring you and me
This black hole of intensity
Collapses on its density
And sucks me to a darker place
That hides behind a broken face
Keep up appearances as they say
And all those reasons you might stay
Ring hollow in my mind today
I've listened 'til my head would spin
I don't want half of anything
I don't want half of anything
The fields are sown with seeds of doubt
The wine is warm, you spit it out
This drinking won't relieve me
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
Then you must leave me
The patterns in the distant stars
Our fates upon a loom
The changes in the temperature
When you walked into a room
The smell of your perfume
The taste of your skin
All those bitter reminders
Of the failed state I'm in
How do I breathe now, how do I inhale?
I'm a diver on the seabed, my oxygen's failed
How do I wake up, how do I sleep?
How do I laugh now, I can't even weep?
Where do I run to, where do I hide?
An insect preserved in formaldehyde
Yesterday's paper, its pages curled
How can I live in this broken world?
Keep up appearances as they say
But all those reasons you might stay
Ring hollow in my mind today
I've listened 'til my head would spin
I don't want half of anything
I don't want half of anything
The sand, it falls in the hour glass
And time slips through our fingers fast
And nothing that you say relieves me
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
Then you must leave me
We'll see if we can talk this through
I've tried so hard to understand it
Just tell me something that's close to the truth
I'd rather you were cruel than kind
Is all that I'm demanding
I've given up on peace of mind
For the open wound of understanding
You can't be here and someplace else
If your mind is in that other place
You're trying to convince yourself
But you're lying in my face
I've listened 'til my head would spin
I don't want half of anything
The sand sits in the hourglass
Time slips through our fingers fast
Your counterfeits deceived me
If you can't love me this way
Then you must leave me
Tell me how it came to this
Just don't think to spare me this
Perhaps the truth can set us free
From the half truths ensnaring you and me
This black hole of intensity
Collapses on its density
And sucks me to a darker place
That hides behind a broken face
Keep up appearances as they say
And all those reasons you might stay
Ring hollow in my mind today
I've listened 'til my head would spin
I don't want half of anything
I don't want half of anything
The fields are sown with seeds of doubt
The wine is warm, you spit it out
This drinking won't relieve me
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
Then you must leave me
The patterns in the distant stars
Our fates upon a loom
The changes in the temperature
When you walked into a room
The smell of your perfume
The taste of your skin
All those bitter reminders
Of the failed state I'm in
How do I breathe now, how do I inhale?
I'm a diver on the seabed, my oxygen's failed
How do I wake up, how do I sleep?
How do I laugh now, I can't even weep?
Where do I run to, where do I hide?
An insect preserved in formaldehyde
Yesterday's paper, its pages curled
How can I live in this broken world?
Keep up appearances as they say
But all those reasons you might stay
Ring hollow in my mind today
I've listened 'til my head would spin
I don't want half of anything
I don't want half of anything
The sand, it falls in the hour glass
And time slips through our fingers fast
And nothing that you say relieves me
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
If you can't love me this way
Then you must leave me
Lyrics submitted by sillybunny
If You Can't Love Me Lyrics as written by Dominic Miller Gordon Sumner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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