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.
Katy, don't cry, I know
You're trying your hardest
And the hardest part is
Letting go of the nights we shared
Ocala is calling
And you know it's haunting
But compared to your eyes
Nothing shines quite as bright
And when we look to the sky
It's not mine, but I want it so
Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight
I know he's there and
You're probably hanging out and making nice
While across the room he stares
I'll bet he gets the nerve to walk the floor
And ask my girl to dance
She'll say yes
Because these words were never easier for me to say
Or her to second guess, but I guess
That I can live without you but
Without you, I'll be miserable at best
You're all that I hoped I'd find in every single way
And everything I would give is everything you couldn't take
Cause nothing feels like home, you're a thousand miles away
And the hardest part of living is just taking breaths to stay
'Cause I know I'm good for something, I just haven't found it yet
But I need it, so
Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight
I know he's there and
You're probably hanging out and making nice
While across the room he stares
I'll bet he gets the nerve to walk the floor
And ask my girl to dance
She'll say yes
Because these words were never easier for me to say
Or her to second guess, but I guess
That I can live without you but
Without you, I'll be miserable at best
La-da-da, la-da-da
Ah-da-da, la, oh
Oh
And this will be the first time in a week
That I'll talk to you and I can't speak
It's been three whole days since I've had sleep
'Cause I dream of his lips on your cheek
And I got the point that I should leave you alone
But we both know that I'm not that strong and
I miss the lips that made me fly, so
Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight
I know he's there and
You're probably hanging out and making nice
While across the room he stares
I'll bet he gets the nerve to walk the floor
And ask my girl to dance
She'll say yes
Because these words were never easier for me to say
Or her to second guess, but I guess
That I can live without you but
Without you I'll be miserable
And I can live without you, but
Without you I'll be miserable
And I can live without you, but
Oh, without you I'll be miserable at best
You're trying your hardest
And the hardest part is
Letting go of the nights we shared
Ocala is calling
And you know it's haunting
But compared to your eyes
Nothing shines quite as bright
And when we look to the sky
It's not mine, but I want it so
Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight
I know he's there and
You're probably hanging out and making nice
While across the room he stares
I'll bet he gets the nerve to walk the floor
And ask my girl to dance
She'll say yes
Because these words were never easier for me to say
Or her to second guess, but I guess
That I can live without you but
Without you, I'll be miserable at best
You're all that I hoped I'd find in every single way
And everything I would give is everything you couldn't take
Cause nothing feels like home, you're a thousand miles away
And the hardest part of living is just taking breaths to stay
'Cause I know I'm good for something, I just haven't found it yet
But I need it, so
Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight
I know he's there and
You're probably hanging out and making nice
While across the room he stares
I'll bet he gets the nerve to walk the floor
And ask my girl to dance
She'll say yes
Because these words were never easier for me to say
Or her to second guess, but I guess
That I can live without you but
Without you, I'll be miserable at best
La-da-da, la-da-da
Ah-da-da, la, oh
Oh
And this will be the first time in a week
That I'll talk to you and I can't speak
It's been three whole days since I've had sleep
'Cause I dream of his lips on your cheek
And I got the point that I should leave you alone
But we both know that I'm not that strong and
I miss the lips that made me fly, so
Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight
I know he's there and
You're probably hanging out and making nice
While across the room he stares
I'll bet he gets the nerve to walk the floor
And ask my girl to dance
She'll say yes
Because these words were never easier for me to say
Or her to second guess, but I guess
That I can live without you but
Without you I'll be miserable
And I can live without you, but
Without you I'll be miserable
And I can live without you, but
Oh, without you I'll be miserable at best
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes, edited by noelsguitar, BeastyxBoy, marooner17
Miserable at Best Lyrics as written by Brooks Patrick Betts Alexander Antonio Garcia
Lyrics © THE TALLAHASSEE SKYLINE PUBLISHING
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,
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.
'I guess that I can live without you, but without you I'll be miserable at best' .. that's one amazing line. So, I'm thinking he wrote this song when they were on tour ('nothing feels like home, you're a thousand miles away'). It's pretty easy to picture the guy sitting in a hotel room reminiscing over the love of his life. No wonder they're engaged now - this song probably is what won katie back.
I think this song is really easy to relate to when you get out of a deep relationship with someone and you still really want to be with them, but circumstances dictate otherwise. You think you can live without the person, but in reality you know that without em, you'll only be miserable at best.