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.
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days
One, two, three, four!
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days (oh yeah)
Everybody knows what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way (that's right)
Everybody makes mistakes (uh huh)
Everybody has those days
Everybody knows what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way (yeah)
Sometimes I'm in a jam
I've gotta make a plan
It might be crazy
I do it anyway
No way to know for sure
I'll figure out a cure
I'm patchin' up the holes
But then it overflows
If I'm not doin' too well
Why be so hard on myself?
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it!
Again and again till I get it right
Nobody's perfect!
You live and you learn it!
And if I'm messing up sometimes (hey)
Nobody's perfect
Sometimes I work a scheme
But then it flips on me
Doesn't turn out how I planned
Get stuck in quick sand
No problem, can be solved
Once I get involved
I try to be delicate
Then crash right into it
My intentions are good, yeah yeah yeah
Sometimes just misunderstood
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it! (work it!)
Again and again till I get it right (that's right)
Nobody's perfect!
You live and you learn it!
And if I'm messing up sometimes
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it! (come on)
I know in time I'll find a way (oh)
Nobody's perfect!
Sometimes I fix things up
And they fall apart again
Nobody's perfect
I know I mix things up
But I always get it right in the end
You know what I do
Next time you feel like (feel like)
It's just one of those days (one of those days)
When you just can't seem to win
If things don't turn out the way you plan (if things don't turn out the way you plan)
Figure something else out! (figure something else out!)
Don't stay down! (Don't stay down!)
Try again! (Try again!)
Yeah!
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days (that's right)
Everybody knows what, what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way
Everybody makes mistakes (here we go)
Everybody has those days (uh huh)
Everybody knows what, what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it! (work it!)
Again and again till I get it right!
Nobody's perfect!
Ya live and ya learn it!
And if I'm messing up sometimes
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it!
I know in time I'll find a way
Nobody's perfect!
You live and you learn it!
'Cause everybody makes mistakes!
Nobody's perfect
Nobody's perfect!
No, no, nobody's perfect!
Everybody has those days
One, two, three, four!
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days (oh yeah)
Everybody knows what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way (that's right)
Everybody makes mistakes (uh huh)
Everybody has those days
Everybody knows what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way (yeah)
Sometimes I'm in a jam
I've gotta make a plan
It might be crazy
I do it anyway
No way to know for sure
I'll figure out a cure
I'm patchin' up the holes
But then it overflows
If I'm not doin' too well
Why be so hard on myself?
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it!
Again and again till I get it right
Nobody's perfect!
You live and you learn it!
And if I'm messing up sometimes (hey)
Nobody's perfect
Sometimes I work a scheme
But then it flips on me
Doesn't turn out how I planned
Get stuck in quick sand
No problem, can be solved
Once I get involved
I try to be delicate
Then crash right into it
My intentions are good, yeah yeah yeah
Sometimes just misunderstood
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it! (work it!)
Again and again till I get it right (that's right)
Nobody's perfect!
You live and you learn it!
And if I'm messing up sometimes
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it! (come on)
I know in time I'll find a way (oh)
Nobody's perfect!
Sometimes I fix things up
And they fall apart again
Nobody's perfect
I know I mix things up
But I always get it right in the end
You know what I do
Next time you feel like (feel like)
It's just one of those days (one of those days)
When you just can't seem to win
If things don't turn out the way you plan (if things don't turn out the way you plan)
Figure something else out! (figure something else out!)
Don't stay down! (Don't stay down!)
Try again! (Try again!)
Yeah!
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days (that's right)
Everybody knows what, what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way
Everybody makes mistakes (here we go)
Everybody has those days (uh huh)
Everybody knows what, what I'm talkin' 'bout
Everybody gets that way
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it! (work it!)
Again and again till I get it right!
Nobody's perfect!
Ya live and ya learn it!
And if I'm messing up sometimes
Nobody's perfect!
I gotta work it!
I know in time I'll find a way
Nobody's perfect!
You live and you learn it!
'Cause everybody makes mistakes!
Nobody's perfect
Nobody's perfect!
No, no, nobody's perfect!
Lyrics submitted by jbfanherre
Nobody's Perfect Lyrics as written by Robert S. Nevil Matthew Gerrard
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
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.
speaks for itself... hannah's cliche in like the cheesey disney "u can do anything!" way but besides that i love this song with a burning passion