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.
Whoa, my eyes
Whoa, closing slowly
Don't you try to take me down
Don't you try to take me over
Won't you try to break me?
The complexities moving in
And I feel that I do not have the strength
Tragedies plaguing me solemnly
It's affecting my will
But wait, now that I've found you
Situations from dark now change to gray
Disregarding my absence of memories
It's perpetually blinding me of sanity
And just when I'm giving in
As I try to scale these walls
Jericho falls around me
And I feel that I've strayed too long
And darkness is fading in
And darkness is real
Whoa, my eyes
Whoa, closing slowly, I try
Fate seems to recreate
I just cannot escape
Something holds me down and makes me act
A way I can't explain
Even now I can feel it coming over me, choking me
As I'm falling behind
You can say you know me
But you have no clue what my dreams could show you
And darkness is fading in
And darkness is real
Whoa, my eyes
Whoa, closing slowly, I try
I can't, can't win
Tell me what you see
I feel something deep inside me
I feel deep inside
I feel something deep inside me
And I can't let this go, whoa
I feel something deep inside me
And I can't let this go, whoa
Lie, as I try to steer clear
And I try to stay sober
This is taking me over
And my dreams complicate it
I just cannot let this go
I tried so many times to tell you
I just I cannot let this go
I just cannot win
I see you
I see you, you falling away
I see you, you
You killing me softly
I see you, you falling away
I see you, you, you
Don't take what's in front of me
Open eyes can see I have everything
Tell you, don't take what's in front of me
Tell you, don't take what's in me
Lies, which one lied?
When I feel this come away
Way that's why I try, lie
I see you coming my way
Dreams may fall more everyday
But I see you looking my way
And I've tried just to separate dreams from reality
Try to satisfy this wanting
Try to stay righteous, try to stay sober
But then I can't win
And I know you
And I know you
And I know you
Lie
Whoa, closing slowly
Don't you try to take me down
Don't you try to take me over
Won't you try to break me?
The complexities moving in
And I feel that I do not have the strength
Tragedies plaguing me solemnly
It's affecting my will
But wait, now that I've found you
Situations from dark now change to gray
Disregarding my absence of memories
It's perpetually blinding me of sanity
And just when I'm giving in
As I try to scale these walls
Jericho falls around me
And I feel that I've strayed too long
And darkness is fading in
And darkness is real
Whoa, my eyes
Whoa, closing slowly, I try
Fate seems to recreate
I just cannot escape
Something holds me down and makes me act
A way I can't explain
Even now I can feel it coming over me, choking me
As I'm falling behind
You can say you know me
But you have no clue what my dreams could show you
And darkness is fading in
And darkness is real
Whoa, my eyes
Whoa, closing slowly, I try
I can't, can't win
Tell me what you see
I feel something deep inside me
I feel deep inside
I feel something deep inside me
And I can't let this go, whoa
I feel something deep inside me
And I can't let this go, whoa
Lie, as I try to steer clear
And I try to stay sober
This is taking me over
And my dreams complicate it
I just cannot let this go
I tried so many times to tell you
I just I cannot let this go
I just cannot win
I see you
I see you, you falling away
I see you, you
You killing me softly
I see you, you falling away
I see you, you, you
Don't take what's in front of me
Open eyes can see I have everything
Tell you, don't take what's in front of me
Tell you, don't take what's in me
Lies, which one lied?
When I feel this come away
Way that's why I try, lie
I see you coming my way
Dreams may fall more everyday
But I see you looking my way
And I've tried just to separate dreams from reality
Try to satisfy this wanting
Try to stay righteous, try to stay sober
But then I can't win
And I know you
And I know you
And I know you
Lie
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