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.
Hey brother, do you remember when
We used to play outdoors
Till the light was absorbed by the night.
Hey brother, it was an innocent time.
We used to laugh 'till we cried,
But still boys on the inside.
(I wanna do it again)
First time staying out all night.
Last time that we got away with lies.
I can hear it in the back of my mind.
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
[Chorus]
Late nights and early lights.
Never thought it would come to a goodbye.
I replay it on the back of my mind
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
La la la, la la la la la
La la la la la
(I wanna do it again)
Hey lover, do you remember when
We would dance in your apartment
Till neighbors would knock on your door?
And I remember, do you remember when
We had no money to speak of,
No where else to eat but your floor.
(I wanna do it again)
First time staying out all night.
Last time that we got away with lies.
I can hear it in the back of my mind.
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
[Chorus]
All those days gone forever.
Wonder if we're gonna ever.
See all our young life friends that we made again.
Have we all lost connection?
The life pulls in all directions.
Memories bring us back to where we've been.
(I wanna do it again)
The first time staying out all night.
The last time that we got away with lies.
We can hear it in the back of our minds
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
[Chorus]
[Repeat: x4]
La la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la
(I wanna do it again)
We used to play outdoors
Till the light was absorbed by the night.
Hey brother, it was an innocent time.
We used to laugh 'till we cried,
But still boys on the inside.
(I wanna do it again)
First time staying out all night.
Last time that we got away with lies.
I can hear it in the back of my mind.
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
[Chorus]
Late nights and early lights.
Never thought it would come to a goodbye.
I replay it on the back of my mind
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
La la la, la la la la la
La la la la la
(I wanna do it again)
Hey lover, do you remember when
We would dance in your apartment
Till neighbors would knock on your door?
And I remember, do you remember when
We had no money to speak of,
No where else to eat but your floor.
(I wanna do it again)
First time staying out all night.
Last time that we got away with lies.
I can hear it in the back of my mind.
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
[Chorus]
All those days gone forever.
Wonder if we're gonna ever.
See all our young life friends that we made again.
Have we all lost connection?
The life pulls in all directions.
Memories bring us back to where we've been.
(I wanna do it again)
The first time staying out all night.
The last time that we got away with lies.
We can hear it in the back of our minds
Over and over again.
(I wanna do it again)
[Chorus]
[Repeat: x4]
La la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la
(I wanna do it again)
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Great song. I can relate, because I recently moved off to college and everyone else from home stayed. Even the friends outside of school are somewhere else. The first chorus really reminds me of times with one of my best friends when we'd hang out outside our houses each night (he lived right across from my dad). So many memories coming back with this song.