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.
Give him up, let him go
Won't follow, won't let him follow
Take a breath, steal away
Let him play these games, play these game
Gaining ground, won't fight
Not tonight, not turning off these lights
Can't shout, can't scream, think of me
But I can't let that be
Holding on, letting go
Why do we do this?
We don't know
Stepping out, standing up
Look below, I'm still hanging under
Slipped away off my feet
Can't believe how I've been totaled lately
Since the new avenue, know what to do
Just gotta let it take me
On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago
Any place I go, you can't run
Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow
Telling stories, mine has just begun
Taking over, leaving no traces
Only smiling faces in the sun
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
Ride a wave, the new rave
Better loosen now, it's losing me
Caught between being me or tragedy, tragedy
Riding high, cloud nine
Won't let me through them gates no more
Found a place to escape, another door
Leaving another girl's soul
My hope is fine, about time
Need someone to hold back my hands
Let me loose, let me fall
They'll understand, understand
Hurt him once, maybe twice
They'll find you in a ditch somewhere
Spreading wings, little things
I'm keeping you away from me
On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago
Any place I go, you can't run
Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow
Telling stories, mine has just begun
Taking over, leaving no traces
Only smiling faces in the sun
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
Shutting you out
Shutting you out
The damage is done
Shutting you out
Shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm gonna leave you behind
One step at a time
I'm gonna do it cause I said so
I'm gonna make it cause I said so
Shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm gonna shut him
On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago
Any place I go, you can't run
Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow
Telling stories, mine has just begun
Taking over, leaving no traces
Only smiling faces in the sun
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
The damage is done
The damage is done
The damage is done
The damage is done
(On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago, any place I go, you can't run)
The damage is done
(Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow, telling stories,
mine has just begun)
The damage is done
(Taking over, leaving no traces, only smiling faces in the sun)
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more (start over now)
Walking out the door (start over now)
I don't wanna wait (start over now)
I don't wanna be waiting no more (start over now)
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Walking out the door
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Walking out the door
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Walking out the door
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Won't follow, won't let him follow
Take a breath, steal away
Let him play these games, play these game
Gaining ground, won't fight
Not tonight, not turning off these lights
Can't shout, can't scream, think of me
But I can't let that be
Holding on, letting go
Why do we do this?
We don't know
Stepping out, standing up
Look below, I'm still hanging under
Slipped away off my feet
Can't believe how I've been totaled lately
Since the new avenue, know what to do
Just gotta let it take me
On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago
Any place I go, you can't run
Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow
Telling stories, mine has just begun
Taking over, leaving no traces
Only smiling faces in the sun
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
Ride a wave, the new rave
Better loosen now, it's losing me
Caught between being me or tragedy, tragedy
Riding high, cloud nine
Won't let me through them gates no more
Found a place to escape, another door
Leaving another girl's soul
My hope is fine, about time
Need someone to hold back my hands
Let me loose, let me fall
They'll understand, understand
Hurt him once, maybe twice
They'll find you in a ditch somewhere
Spreading wings, little things
I'm keeping you away from me
On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago
Any place I go, you can't run
Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow
Telling stories, mine has just begun
Taking over, leaving no traces
Only smiling faces in the sun
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
Shutting you out
Shutting you out
The damage is done
Shutting you out
Shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm gonna leave you behind
One step at a time
I'm gonna do it cause I said so
I'm gonna make it cause I said so
Shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm shutting you out
I'm gonna shut him
On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago
Any place I go, you can't run
Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow
Telling stories, mine has just begun
Taking over, leaving no traces
Only smiling faces in the sun
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
The damage is done
The damage is done
The damage is done
The damage is done
(On a plane, I'm leaving for Chicago, any place I go, you can't run)
The damage is done
(Leaving town, won't be found here tomorrow, telling stories,
mine has just begun)
The damage is done
(Taking over, leaving no traces, only smiling faces in the sun)
Starting over, tying up my laces
But the damage is done
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more (start over now)
Walking out the door (start over now)
I don't wanna wait (start over now)
I don't wanna be waiting no more (start over now)
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Walking out the door
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Walking out the door
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Walking out the door
I don't wanna wait
I don't wanna be waiting no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Lyrics submitted by dontwasteyoursong
Chicago Lyrics as written by Brendan James Johnson Alexz Spencer Johnson
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song is about somebody starting over. However, you can't run away from the damage that's been done.
Give him up, let him go Won’t follow, won’t let him follow Take a breath, steal away Let him play these games, play these game
Can’t cry, won’t fight Not tonight, not turning off these lights Can’t shout, can’t scream, he’ll think I’m mean (But I can’t let that be)
Holding on, letting go Why do we do this, we don’t know Stepping out, standing up Look below, I’m still hanging on though Swept away, off my feet Can’t believe how I’ve been floating lately Since a new avenue, I know what to do (Just gotta let it take me)
On a plane, I’m leaving for Chicago Any place I go, you can’t run Leaving town, wont be found here tomorrow Telling stories, mine has just begun Taking over, leaving no traces Only smiling faces in the sun Starting over, tying up my laces But the damage is done
Ride a wave, the new rave Let it loosen now, it’s losing me Caught between being me or tragedy, tragedy Riding high, cloud nine Won’t let me through their gates no more Found a place to escape, I’m out door (Leaving another girl sore) I wont be fine, about time Need someone to hold back my hands Let me loose, let me fall They’ll understand, understand
Hurting once, maybe twice They’ll find you in a ditch somewhere Spreading wings, little things are (Keeping you away from there)
On a plane, I’m leaving for Chicago Any place I go, you can’t run Leaving town, wont be depending on tomorrow Telling stories, mine has just begun Taking over, leaving no traces Only smiling faces in the sun Starting over, tying up my laces But the damage is done
Shutting you out, shutting you out The damage is done
Shutting you out, shutting you out I’m shutting you out
I’m gunna leave you behind one step at a time I’m gunna do it cause I said it so I’m gunna make it cause I said so
These Are The CORRECT Lyrics To This Song, They Are On The Alexz Johnson OFFICIAL WEBSITE, alexzonline.com :)
-Correction On The Last Chorus The Line Is *Leaving town, wont be found here tomorrow. My Bad :)