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 got myself the means
I got myself what I call the beta carotene
Perspire from all the strings
I never had enough, enough to keep you stringing along
And by the poolside
I watch the summer and the thought of the last ends it, bye
Sometimes you give so many lifts, well
Sometimes you know you're going to have to, going to get a ride
I need to knock the ride, uh, oh oh
Ain't on your friends, all they'll say is no, you know your line and
You'll say, oh no, you know, you know, you know, you know you're right
I got myself the means
I got myself what I call the beta carotene
Perspire from all the strings
I, I never had enough, enough to keep you stringing along
And by the poolside
I watch the summer and the thought of the last ends it, bye
And sung so many lifts
You know, know, know, know, know, know, know you're going to have to go and get a ride
Going to have to tell and get a ride
Have to go and get a ride
Going to have to, got to get a ride
Going to have to, got to get a ride
And if you go in the water
My family
I know my heart will dry over
And head, he needs to tell
I'm on the drone, low
Living it right and
I'm never anywhere
And I never feel somewhere, don't you know?
Oh no, I never feel somewhere, don't you know?
Oh no, I never
(And now the water's right)
Oh no, I know
Oh no, oh no
What was almost
Oh no, I know, I know
No, I know, I know, what it was
You have hung on, I know, waterslide and
Hell to pay
Heaven is a collection agency
I feel heaven, heaven's a collection agency
Got the eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye upon the pavement
I got myself what I call the beta carotene
Perspire from all the strings
I never had enough, enough to keep you stringing along
And by the poolside
I watch the summer and the thought of the last ends it, bye
Sometimes you give so many lifts, well
Sometimes you know you're going to have to, going to get a ride
I need to knock the ride, uh, oh oh
Ain't on your friends, all they'll say is no, you know your line and
You'll say, oh no, you know, you know, you know, you know you're right
I got myself the means
I got myself what I call the beta carotene
Perspire from all the strings
I, I never had enough, enough to keep you stringing along
And by the poolside
I watch the summer and the thought of the last ends it, bye
And sung so many lifts
You know, know, know, know, know, know, know you're going to have to go and get a ride
Going to have to tell and get a ride
Have to go and get a ride
Going to have to, got to get a ride
Going to have to, got to get a ride
And if you go in the water
My family
I know my heart will dry over
And head, he needs to tell
I'm on the drone, low
Living it right and
I'm never anywhere
And I never feel somewhere, don't you know?
Oh no, I never feel somewhere, don't you know?
Oh no, I never
(And now the water's right)
Oh no, I know
Oh no, oh no
What was almost
Oh no, I know, I know
No, I know, I know, what it was
You have hung on, I know, waterslide and
Hell to pay
Heaven is a collection agency
I feel heaven, heaven's a collection agency
Got the eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye upon the pavement
Lyrics submitted by GlitchTheVirus
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I had to post this version of beta carotene rather than have it just remain in the comment section for the former.
Truely an amazing stream of conciousness song from Isaac. I believe it's about all things end, and all things die, like summer. He also seems to hint at depersonalization, I wonder if he has it.
Hey, this was my interpretation of the lyrics! So you just changed the title? Now why didn't I think of that? :)
I'm pretty sure it's Despite of all the string, and not "perspire", simply because it makes a lot more sense with the saying and the context (stringing someone along...with string; so even though he had a lot of string, he couldn't string this person along).
Maybe.
This is the best thing I've ever heard. I just wish I knew what the hell it meant.
How do you put into words how much i love this song?
How do you put into words how much i love this song?
How do you put into words how much i love this song?
How do you put into words how much i love this song?
The tone of the song sounds like helplessness. The riffs and the way he sings some of the lyrics. My favorite lyric is "And I never feel somewhere, don't you know? Oh no, I never feel somewhere, don't you know? Oh no, I never" Like he saying that he feels lost in life, he doesn't know his place, he feels uncomfortable in his own shoes. As far as anything else in the song, i don't feel like analyzing the rest right now.