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 remember how we met
But your name I forget
Like the door that I have kept unopened
I remember it was wet
And the swelt and the sweat
And the shelter of the bed we cloaked in
You were stroking me like a pet
But you didn't own me yet
And the tape in the cassette deck was choking
Spat out a broken hallelujah
But I've seen the way the earth
Throws its aces with a curve
You were waiting for the words
To come to yer.
Just to say that you prefer to be lonely
To be cursed
And to do the very worst you can do.
Yeah I remember you like a verse
That I didn't want to learn
I just looked into your eyes
And I knew yer.
Now the thought of you is burnt
On my body from the first time you did rewind that line
From Hallelujah.
The original Leonard Cohen version.
Well I wish that I never met you that day
You said I have a room, I have music to play
I have a room let me show you the way
I wish that I'd never come
But now that I have, I would do it again
And I would forget that I'd piss on a grave
I would forget that I'd piss on a grave
And the words as they came to my tongue were
hallelujah. Hallelujah!
And the sky was so much bluer
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And the world was so much newer.
You said I have a room
At the top of the stairs
I have a room with a view
I know we all have a cross that we bear
And I'd like to show it to you.
And you left me in the light
And you met me in the light
And we only had a night between the two.
You were waiting for the worst
You were listening for a curse
But the only thing I heard was hallelujah.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And the sky was so much bluer
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And the world was so much newer.
you said I have a room
At the top of the stairs.
I have a room with a view.
I know we all have a cross that we bear
And I'd like to give it to you.
And I won't forget how the sky was set
I said I have a place to go back to.
La La La I will have you yet
I will carry you there if I have to.
No I won't forget no I won't.
No I won't forget no I won't
No I won't forget no I won't
No I won't forget no.
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. W-o-o-o-ah.
First love.
But your name I forget
Like the door that I have kept unopened
I remember it was wet
And the swelt and the sweat
And the shelter of the bed we cloaked in
You were stroking me like a pet
But you didn't own me yet
And the tape in the cassette deck was choking
Spat out a broken hallelujah
But I've seen the way the earth
Throws its aces with a curve
You were waiting for the words
To come to yer.
Just to say that you prefer to be lonely
To be cursed
And to do the very worst you can do.
Yeah I remember you like a verse
That I didn't want to learn
I just looked into your eyes
And I knew yer.
Now the thought of you is burnt
On my body from the first time you did rewind that line
From Hallelujah.
The original Leonard Cohen version.
Well I wish that I never met you that day
You said I have a room, I have music to play
I have a room let me show you the way
I wish that I'd never come
But now that I have, I would do it again
And I would forget that I'd piss on a grave
I would forget that I'd piss on a grave
And the words as they came to my tongue were
hallelujah. Hallelujah!
And the sky was so much bluer
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And the world was so much newer.
You said I have a room
At the top of the stairs
I have a room with a view
I know we all have a cross that we bear
And I'd like to show it to you.
And you left me in the light
And you met me in the light
And we only had a night between the two.
You were waiting for the worst
You were listening for a curse
But the only thing I heard was hallelujah.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And the sky was so much bluer
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And the world was so much newer.
you said I have a room
At the top of the stairs.
I have a room with a view.
I know we all have a cross that we bear
And I'd like to give it to you.
And I won't forget how the sky was set
I said I have a place to go back to.
La La La I will have you yet
I will carry you there if I have to.
No I won't forget no I won't.
No I won't forget no I won't
No I won't forget no I won't
No I won't forget no.
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. W-o-o-o-ah.
First love.
Lyrics submitted by Jarethshair
First Love Lyrics as written by Emma Moss
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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For me this song is about a one night stand. (hence why she can't remember his name)
And you left me in the light and you met me in the light and we only had a night between the two.
They meet during the day and he leaves her the morning after. She doesn't remember everything about it, but recalls the bad weather outside and their sweaty bodies huddled under the duvet. There is an awkwardness to the situation as they listen to the music and he struggles to find the right words to say 'You were waiting for the words to come to yer' However she is not interested in his 'words' 'Yeah I remember you like a verse that I didn�t want to learn' She doesn't want to listen to what he is saying or have a close emotional connection to him. She is looking for physical attraction, the seductive look in his eyes is enough for her to fall under his spell. 'I just looked into your eyes and I knew yer.'
The beauty of Cohen's music playing as they have sex is a trigger of the memory and it means that she is never able to truly forget him. He becomes part of her identity. 'Now the thought of you is burnt on my body from the first time you did rewind that line from Hallelujah'
She wishes that she could forget him, but at the same time, knows that she would do exactly the same over. Her orgasm makes her reassess the beauty of the world. the words as they came to my tongue were hallelujah. Hallelujah! And the sky was so much bluer Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And the world was so much newer.
The references to 'cursing' and 'doing the worst' might be to do with his sexual preferences, as we see later on that while he is waiting to be cursed (and whatever 'the worst' entails...) she is completely consumed by the pleasure she is feeling and the music and doesn't take in anything he is saying to her.
You were waiting for the worst You were listening for a curse but the only thing I heard was hallelujah
I think the title 'first love' is supposed to be ironic, due to the distinct lack of 'loving' relations and her desire to be completely emotionally distant from him. The entire episode is very physical, she doesn't listen to him at all. She wants to escape, and loose herself in a guilty pleasure like pissing on a grave. What do you all think?