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.
Top off the ride
We could cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
Starin' at my window at you
Am I the same without you
And I ain't the same without you
Can't even do my thing without
You
So gone to the one that I love
And I remember how it was
I wish I could be back there 'cause
I want to be there where I can
Take a
[Chorus:]
Top off the ride
We can cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We can take a top off the ride
We can hit the shore
We can hit sunset(we can hit
The stars)there's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
Starin' at my window at you
Am I the same without you
But life ain't the same without you
'Cause I know that it'll be too
Long
Before I see you
Tears for my eyes cry to
Tears for my eyes cry blue
I love it when the breeze comes through
So as soon
As I get back
I'm gonna take a
[Chorus:]
Top off the ride
We can cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We can take a top off the ride
We can hit the shore
We can hit sunset (we can hit the stars)
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We could cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
Starin' at my window at you
Am I the same without you
And I ain't the same without you
Can't even do my thing without
You
So gone to the one that I love
And I remember how it was
I wish I could be back there 'cause
I want to be there where I can
Take a
[Chorus:]
Top off the ride
We can cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We can take a top off the ride
We can hit the shore
We can hit sunset(we can hit
The stars)there's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
Starin' at my window at you
Am I the same without you
But life ain't the same without you
'Cause I know that it'll be too
Long
Before I see you
Tears for my eyes cry to
Tears for my eyes cry blue
I love it when the breeze comes through
So as soon
As I get back
I'm gonna take a
[Chorus:]
Top off the ride
We can cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We can take a top off the ride
We can hit the shore
We can hit sunset (we can hit the stars)
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
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what an awesome song!!!!
this song is fantastic -- paul is a great songwriter. i don't really know what it means, though... i think "california" could be this girl's naive fantasy/ideal, "the story she's telling",, a state of mind, "a beautiful lie". and she's trying to convince him that "one day they'll arrive" - that they'll see this dream realised, it'll happen, it's not all in her head. but if she stops dreaming ("runs out of california"), he's saying that she'll always have that fantasy/belief to look back upon. "she's all coloured into the lines" : that line always hits me, but i don't know why. maybe he's saying that she's really firm in this belief, she's not giving up on it - or dropping it, as the case may be. or maybe it's from his perspective: 'i don't believe in this, she can't convince me, it's way past that.' she (or her ideal) is a memory, it's been "coloured into the lines".
..i don't know. that's just what i thought.
In an interview, Paul said that this song was about the fantasy that surrounds Cailfornia/LA/Hollywood. About how when everyone thinks of there, they think it makes dreams. Everyone who goes there gets famous, but it's about the other side. All the people who go there & have their dreams crushed, & never make it.
lines lines lines lines. Too much coke in California.
'And she's leading me one step behind'
She thinks he just doesn't have her vision, he's one step ahead of her and sees the frailty of the utopian fantasy she's created for herself.
'When I get there I... I'm always one step behind...'
He just doesn't get her, or want to anymore.
'And if she ever runs out of California,''
If she ever runs out of coke,
'She's always got, she's always got last summer'
She's always got the memories of the good times.
'In a state of mind with occasional tremors' With a few ghosts of things that happend she'd rather forget.