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.
Don't think we ever really got it right (Got it right)
Both you and I have always kept it bottled up inside
Can you show me what it feels like? (Feels like)
To give yourself away (Why can't I hold on?)
There's no one around who picks me up when I'm down, Like you do (Why can't I hold on?)
And when you can't hear a sound will the silence melt you too?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Was it real or am I part of your collection?
Have you crossed the line?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Oh I feel that you're an open invitation
Is this how we say goodbye?
Keeping secrets somewhere down below (Down below)
I wish you had the heart to tell me that you sold your soul
So many things you couldn't let me know (Let me know)
You had to run away (Why can't I hold on?)
There's no one around who picks me up when I'm down, Like you do (Why can't I hold on?)
And when you can't hear a sound will the silence melt you too?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Was it real or am I part of your collection?
Have you crossed the line?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Oh I feel that you're an open invitation
Is this how we say goodbye? (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Goodbye! (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Can you tell me what is wrong and what is right?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Why can't I hold on to you?
Why can't I hold on to you? (Why can't I hold on to you?)
It's getting harder to sit here alone
And I've been waiting, I've been waiting, and you still ain't home
I have never ever felt so low
I've been thinking, I've been thinking, of where did you go?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Was it real or am I part of your collection?
Have you crossed the line?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Oh I feel that you're an open invitation
Is this how we say goodbye? (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Goodbye! (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Can you tell me what is wrong and what is right?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Both you and I have always kept it bottled up inside
Can you show me what it feels like? (Feels like)
To give yourself away (Why can't I hold on?)
There's no one around who picks me up when I'm down, Like you do (Why can't I hold on?)
And when you can't hear a sound will the silence melt you too?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Was it real or am I part of your collection?
Have you crossed the line?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Oh I feel that you're an open invitation
Is this how we say goodbye?
Keeping secrets somewhere down below (Down below)
I wish you had the heart to tell me that you sold your soul
So many things you couldn't let me know (Let me know)
You had to run away (Why can't I hold on?)
There's no one around who picks me up when I'm down, Like you do (Why can't I hold on?)
And when you can't hear a sound will the silence melt you too?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Was it real or am I part of your collection?
Have you crossed the line?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Oh I feel that you're an open invitation
Is this how we say goodbye? (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Goodbye! (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Can you tell me what is wrong and what is right?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Why can't I hold on to you?
Why can't I hold on to you? (Why can't I hold on to you?)
It's getting harder to sit here alone
And I've been waiting, I've been waiting, and you still ain't home
I have never ever felt so low
I've been thinking, I've been thinking, of where did you go?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Was it real or am I part of your collection?
Have you crossed the line?
Who's going home with you tonight?
Oh I feel that you're an open invitation
Is this how we say goodbye? (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Goodbye! (Who's going home with you tonight?)
Can you tell me what is wrong and what is right?
Who's going home with you tonight?
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
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“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.
God knows if people will read this, but personally...I think its about a guy who obviously meets this girl, gets with and the relationship is totally bummed. It's not working out, she's the kinda girl who loves a laugh going out all the time and maybe she does it without saying anything. She obviously loves spending time with other guys while out and about having fun. Whether she kissed them, went further or whatever, the fact the other person doesn't know kills him. Seeing as she hides everything from him, making him feel his just another person she has got off with then left alone. He obviously loves her, doesn't wanna let her go, but the fact she keeps things away from him, goes out and about while with him just ruins him part to part, in the end maybe she doesn't do anything about it...and he has to leave her saying his goodbyes.
Im sorry if i got this wrong but this is how i see the song. I'v listened to it loads of times, and read the lyrics plenty of times to see how i thought about it then saw some comments that had similar meanings to mine.