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.
You pack your sweaters for the fall
And the flowers die in their garden rows
And the warm words can't help at all
Everybody knows
You're trying to find a compromise
Between remembering and learning to forget
So now just pouring a glass of water
Is like trying to move boulders with your breath
It's so hard to see it all
She tries to hold you in the night
But you're shaking
You're crying out
Praying for sleep to bless your bedside
That's right
So it goes
The whole world folds over you
Pack your handkerchief and your best shoes
Reconciliation of guilt and grief
It's the hardest battle you've tried to win
And now every year you grit your teeth
As it cuts you underneath your skin
Oh and Sunday mornings don't bring you solace
You are firm in your disbelief
But you hold tight to that old promise
You are waiting for the spring
You are waiting for the spring
That's right
So it goes
The whole world folds over you
Pack your handkerchief and your best shoes
Don't leave me breathing
No not alone
There's so much more I meant to tell you
I went by with flowers
Just to see
But the granite told me you're still gone
And the flowers die in their garden rows
And the warm words can't help at all
Everybody knows
You're trying to find a compromise
Between remembering and learning to forget
So now just pouring a glass of water
Is like trying to move boulders with your breath
It's so hard to see it all
She tries to hold you in the night
But you're shaking
You're crying out
Praying for sleep to bless your bedside
That's right
So it goes
The whole world folds over you
Pack your handkerchief and your best shoes
Reconciliation of guilt and grief
It's the hardest battle you've tried to win
And now every year you grit your teeth
As it cuts you underneath your skin
Oh and Sunday mornings don't bring you solace
You are firm in your disbelief
But you hold tight to that old promise
You are waiting for the spring
You are waiting for the spring
That's right
So it goes
The whole world folds over you
Pack your handkerchief and your best shoes
Don't leave me breathing
No not alone
There's so much more I meant to tell you
I went by with flowers
Just to see
But the granite told me you're still gone
Lyrics submitted by VampedVixen
So It Goes Lyrics as written by Billy Joel
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
This song hits really close to home because it makes me think of my time after my 15 year old brother committed suicide. "Your trying to find a compromise between remembering and learning to forget; so now just pouring a glass of water is like trying to move boulders with your breath." This is EXACTLY how I felt in the aftermath. The simplest things seemed like it took so much effort to get up and do and accomplish...I wanted to remember everything about my brother; how he looked, smiled, sounded like when he was laughing...but remembering these things always brought me back to the fact that he was suddenly gone. "Reconciliation of guilt and grief, it's the hardest battle you've tried to win and now every year you grit your teeth as it cuts you underneath your skin." This is how it feels years after his death still. The little anniversaries of his birthday and his death...still hurts badly. "Don't leave me breathing, no not alone, there's so much more I meant to tell you... I went by with flowers, just to see, but the granite told me you're still gone.... " The granite being the tombstone...my brother was cremated but I can so see the visual of someone going to a gravesite with flowers and the tombstone being the ultimate reminder that it wasn't a dream...that the person is really gone. Absolutely haunting!
I totally agree, nursemaryck. This song is one of the most haunting mourning songs I've ever heard. It's a combination of the lyrics, the simple guitar work, and Chris's voice. It goes right to the heart of the feeling of extreme loss without being melodramatic or over done. She picks such poignant images and presents them in a gut wrenching way that it's impossible to listen to this song without being extremely moved, even if one has not experienced a similar loss. It taps into a universal sense of loss and mourning to a degree I've never heard, outside of Patty Griffin's "Long Ride Home". <br /> <br /> I wonder, though, what she meant by the line "reconciliation of guilt and grief". What do you think she felt guilty for? The inconsolable grief part if clear; just not the guilt.<br /> <br /> I really like the use of "the granite told me you're still gone". It conveys a powerful sense of finality, and it adds to the haunting imagery/impact of the song, especially the way it repeats throughout the song. I'd never heard anything by Chris Pureka before hearing this song, but it's become one of my favorite songs and motivated me to listen to more of Chris's music as a result. She's definitely a very special and talented singer-songwriter.