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.
It's out to get me
And It's all in my head
It wants to take me
Time to put me to bed
Can someone wake me?
Against my own will
And get me out of here
I'm sick of walking on pills
I've got a weakness
So tell me where is the bliss?
Can someone shake me?
And get me out of this fix
All the white walls
Are closing in tight
I need to know
If I can get through the night
It won't let me
Everybody's out to get me
Tell me that the lines are what they seem
Ohh that head screams all a dream
Ohh will it ever let go?
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's a breakdown
All the vampires
Are out on the look
Oh do they see me?
How long will it take to chase the monsters?
There still in my head
That's all I see
And it needs to be fed
I have them with me
[Background Vocals]It won't let me Everybody is out to get me
To what has been done
They're ahead of me
And I think it has won
Tell me that the lines are what they seem
Ohh that the head screams all a dream
Ohh will it ever let go?
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's a breakdown
Ohh Breakin down
Breakin down
Oh done it today breakdown
Oh get out of the way so afraid
Oh stand again sit down
Oh done it again breakdown
Oh done it today breakdown
Oh out of the way so afraid
It won't let me
Everybody's out to get me
[Chourus]
Tell me that the lines are what they seem
Ohh that the head screams all a dream
Ohh will it ever let go?
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's a breakdown
And It's all in my head
It wants to take me
Time to put me to bed
Can someone wake me?
Against my own will
And get me out of here
I'm sick of walking on pills
I've got a weakness
So tell me where is the bliss?
Can someone shake me?
And get me out of this fix
All the white walls
Are closing in tight
I need to know
If I can get through the night
It won't let me
Everybody's out to get me
Tell me that the lines are what they seem
Ohh that head screams all a dream
Ohh will it ever let go?
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's a breakdown
All the vampires
Are out on the look
Oh do they see me?
How long will it take to chase the monsters?
There still in my head
That's all I see
And it needs to be fed
I have them with me
[Background Vocals]It won't let me Everybody is out to get me
To what has been done
They're ahead of me
And I think it has won
Tell me that the lines are what they seem
Ohh that the head screams all a dream
Ohh will it ever let go?
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's a breakdown
Ohh Breakin down
Breakin down
Oh done it today breakdown
Oh get out of the way so afraid
Oh stand again sit down
Oh done it again breakdown
Oh done it today breakdown
Oh out of the way so afraid
It won't let me
Everybody's out to get me
[Chourus]
Tell me that the lines are what they seem
Ohh that the head screams all a dream
Ohh will it ever let go?
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's the breakdown
Ohh no no it's a breakdown
Lyrics submitted by loveydoveytipsy
The Breakdown Lyrics as written by Daniel M. Nakamura Jack Johnson
Lyrics © Bubble Toes Publishing, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.”
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