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 talk a lot about nothing at all
Watch t.v. shows about nothing at all
Think a lot about nothing at all
Listen to songs about nothing at all
You have no feelings
I think you are an alien being
You won't let me in
I think you are an alien being
You write the laws about nothing at all
Make 3d films about nothing at all
Stage happenings about nothing at all
Sound and light shows about nothing at all
You complain about nothing at all
Go insane about nothing at all
Watch t.v. shows about nothing at all
Think a lot about nothing at all
Listen to songs about nothing at all
You have no feelings
I think you are an alien being
You won't let me in
I think you are an alien being
You write the laws about nothing at all
Make 3d films about nothing at all
Stage happenings about nothing at all
Sound and light shows about nothing at all
You complain about nothing at all
Go insane about nothing at all
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
To me, this song is about being in love with someone who's giving up. It's a cruel, true message saying "if you don't believe in love, you believe in nothing at all". It reminds me of the MF song 'The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure':
"We don't know anything, You don't know anything, I don't know anything, About love.
But we are nothing, You are nothing, I am nothing, Without love."
This song is about highlighting all of the things love affects in people's lives. It's almost like he's saying: "You sure talk a lot about love for someone who doesn't believe in it". There's a yearning for love embedded in every line, but we can never quite reach it since Merritt is making a point of how badly giving up hope can affect someone's life. So instead of getting: "You talk a lot about love / Watch TV shows about love" we get: "You talk a lot about nothing at all / Watch TV shows about nothing at all".
If you swap a few lines saying "nothing at all" with "love" in this song, Merritt goes deeper into questioning how cold and cruel it is to believe love doesn't exist:
"You write the laws about (love) Make 3D films about (love) Stage happenings about (love) Sound and light shows about (love)
You complain about (love) Go insane about (love)."
Whilst never once using the word, Merritt describes someone losing their humanity by giving up love. They become alien to this world.