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.
I spent my years isolated
Couldn't live with myself
I was trouble as a young kid
My tears didn't help
Very depressing and it was evident
I'd fade to the deep
All alone like these four walls came at me
Barricaded cause my mind state
I just wanted to die
Never happiness
Just sad time living a lie
Rater leave me
I was suicidal
Slittin' my wrist
Mamma thinking I was crazy
Like use some sense
And on them days I was feeling
I was paining inside
It wasn't me
It was my inner feeling coming alive
I remember waking up like I was going to school
Left me standing in the hospital
Locked in this room
Put away
I was a troubled kid losing my mind
Fallin' short
Of what they expected from me every time
So don't fault me if you meet me
And I look to be strange
I'm just mad that the sunshine dies in the rain
[Chorus]
Sunshine to the rain
When it comes it goes again
Even when the story ends
Just turn the page and begin again
Sunshine on cloudy days
Don't hate me I'll never change
Thankful I was made this way
Your sunshine for cloudy days
Now I was raised in a neighborhood
With half of a dime
If you was real it was understood
It showed in your eyes
Every corner had a different hustle
Sprawled on your face
Drug wars
Growin' up raw cause violence the case
Had to move along
Quiet it's kept
Spoken words got you dealt with
So ride with yourself
I'm a juvenile
They telling me get down for they wealth
No getting high
Cause when you gettin' high
You needing some help
As far as help
Mine was middle though
You know how that go
Psychologically
I deal with demons talkin' in codes
Hopefully, I'll get to meet Jesus
Somewhere on this road
Sick of hearing people screaming in my head saying no
Better of if I was dead
Cause they killing me slow
All in all it's just a part of my life
Watching the show
Ain't nothing never came to niggaz sleep
Except for a dream
It's like a movie with the ending credits etched in the screen
[Chorus]
I prayed my last days of sunshine
Just die in the rain
Kinda selfish
But I know that dying
Eases the pain
Heartfelt words
Spoken hurt
Provided the frame
For the picture I done painted for the master to explain
So I leave behind my testimony
Witness to give
Far from holy
But this matrimony provided the script
To live on
And live by
Grow up and grow on
Get on and get by
So forth and so on
And this here's the last days
I can hear the horns singin'
I can see the red sky
I can hear the drum beating
I seen the dead die
How long will they mourn Jesus
At least I'm saved by my scriptural warn readings
And while leaving you here
Believe what you believe in
But you don't want to not believe
Believe in seeing
Don't take this here too personal
Cause I'm just speaking
This is my family on my mind
[Chorus]
Couldn't live with myself
I was trouble as a young kid
My tears didn't help
Very depressing and it was evident
I'd fade to the deep
All alone like these four walls came at me
Barricaded cause my mind state
I just wanted to die
Never happiness
Just sad time living a lie
Rater leave me
I was suicidal
Slittin' my wrist
Mamma thinking I was crazy
Like use some sense
And on them days I was feeling
I was paining inside
It wasn't me
It was my inner feeling coming alive
I remember waking up like I was going to school
Left me standing in the hospital
Locked in this room
Put away
I was a troubled kid losing my mind
Fallin' short
Of what they expected from me every time
So don't fault me if you meet me
And I look to be strange
I'm just mad that the sunshine dies in the rain
[Chorus]
Sunshine to the rain
When it comes it goes again
Even when the story ends
Just turn the page and begin again
Sunshine on cloudy days
Don't hate me I'll never change
Thankful I was made this way
Your sunshine for cloudy days
Now I was raised in a neighborhood
With half of a dime
If you was real it was understood
It showed in your eyes
Every corner had a different hustle
Sprawled on your face
Drug wars
Growin' up raw cause violence the case
Had to move along
Quiet it's kept
Spoken words got you dealt with
So ride with yourself
I'm a juvenile
They telling me get down for they wealth
No getting high
Cause when you gettin' high
You needing some help
As far as help
Mine was middle though
You know how that go
Psychologically
I deal with demons talkin' in codes
Hopefully, I'll get to meet Jesus
Somewhere on this road
Sick of hearing people screaming in my head saying no
Better of if I was dead
Cause they killing me slow
All in all it's just a part of my life
Watching the show
Ain't nothing never came to niggaz sleep
Except for a dream
It's like a movie with the ending credits etched in the screen
[Chorus]
I prayed my last days of sunshine
Just die in the rain
Kinda selfish
But I know that dying
Eases the pain
Heartfelt words
Spoken hurt
Provided the frame
For the picture I done painted for the master to explain
So I leave behind my testimony
Witness to give
Far from holy
But this matrimony provided the script
To live on
And live by
Grow up and grow on
Get on and get by
So forth and so on
And this here's the last days
I can hear the horns singin'
I can see the red sky
I can hear the drum beating
I seen the dead die
How long will they mourn Jesus
At least I'm saved by my scriptural warn readings
And while leaving you here
Believe what you believe in
But you don't want to not believe
Believe in seeing
Don't take this here too personal
Cause I'm just speaking
This is my family on my mind
[Chorus]
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