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 first found me in my holding pen
Stopped to take a look and stuck your finger in
I bit one off and you came back again and again
Then the nice people let me out one day
And you told me how to act and
What to say
But you never get what you wanted that way
You never get what you want
You never get what you want and I don't think it's my fault
You never get what you want, do you baby?
Everything's always such a mystery
Including your sad little history
Do you still think someone should take responsibility and pay
Ever since I've know you you've walked that walk
You've broken all the records
Now you've broken all the clocks
And everytime it breaks my heart to hear you talk this way
You never get what you want
You never get what you want and I don't think it's my fault
You never get what you want, do you baby?
Everybody's been sad, everybody's been tragic
Whole lot of hard times, whole little bit of magic
These bitter bitter fruits and these endless hallways
They're killing us baby
We gotta walk away, walk away
You never get what you want
You never get what you want
You spend your whole time thinkin 'bout why I'm so deranged
Well honey, why don't you think about that for a change?
You never get what you want
You never get what you want
Your whole damn life
You never get what you want
Not your whole damn life
You never get what you want
And I don't think it's my fault
You never get what you want
Do you baby
Stopped to take a look and stuck your finger in
I bit one off and you came back again and again
Then the nice people let me out one day
And you told me how to act and
What to say
But you never get what you wanted that way
You never get what you want
You never get what you want and I don't think it's my fault
You never get what you want, do you baby?
Everything's always such a mystery
Including your sad little history
Do you still think someone should take responsibility and pay
Ever since I've know you you've walked that walk
You've broken all the records
Now you've broken all the clocks
And everytime it breaks my heart to hear you talk this way
You never get what you want
You never get what you want and I don't think it's my fault
You never get what you want, do you baby?
Everybody's been sad, everybody's been tragic
Whole lot of hard times, whole little bit of magic
These bitter bitter fruits and these endless hallways
They're killing us baby
We gotta walk away, walk away
You never get what you want
You never get what you want
You spend your whole time thinkin 'bout why I'm so deranged
Well honey, why don't you think about that for a change?
You never get what you want
You never get what you want
Your whole damn life
You never get what you want
Not your whole damn life
You never get what you want
And I don't think it's my fault
You never get what you want
Do you baby
Lyrics submitted by stef999
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
No comments on this song? I love this song. Patty Griffin can seemingly do no wrong.