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.
In the cold gray room
One afternoon, one afternoon
What are you gonna do
Having your way
But there's nothing new
You took a beautiful thing
Pull off a wing, pull off a wing
A safety pin
It never shone quite as bright again
But you haven't told me anything
That I didn't already know
No you haven't said a single thing
That I didn't already know
It's a thing I love
Stuck in the mud, stuck in the mud
Stuck in a rut
Am I a piece in your puzzle or
A paper cut
Same time next week
A kiss on the cheek, kiss on the cheek
And say all done
Everything's tied up nice and neat
But you haven't told me anything
That I didn't already know
No you haven't said a single thing
That I didn't already know
I feel for you
I really do
Nothing turns out
Like you want it too
No words can mend
This fix I'm in
Hearing those words
That I'll never play
Right between the eyes
I don't feel a thing
But you haven't told me anything
That I didn't already know
No you haven't said a single thing
That I didn't already know
No you haven't told me anything
No you haven't told me anything
No you haven't told me anything
No you haven't told me anything
Anyone hearing anything different?
One afternoon, one afternoon
What are you gonna do
Having your way
But there's nothing new
You took a beautiful thing
Pull off a wing, pull off a wing
A safety pin
It never shone quite as bright again
But you haven't told me anything
That I didn't already know
No you haven't said a single thing
That I didn't already know
It's a thing I love
Stuck in the mud, stuck in the mud
Stuck in a rut
Am I a piece in your puzzle or
A paper cut
Same time next week
A kiss on the cheek, kiss on the cheek
And say all done
Everything's tied up nice and neat
But you haven't told me anything
That I didn't already know
No you haven't said a single thing
That I didn't already know
I feel for you
I really do
Nothing turns out
Like you want it too
No words can mend
This fix I'm in
Hearing those words
That I'll never play
Right between the eyes
I don't feel a thing
But you haven't told me anything
That I didn't already know
No you haven't said a single thing
That I didn't already know
No you haven't told me anything
No you haven't told me anything
No you haven't told me anything
No you haven't told me anything
Anyone hearing anything different?
Lyrics submitted by MLBfreek35, edited by KeaneAddict
You Haven't Told Me Anything Lyrics as written by Timothy James Rice-oxley Richard David Hughes
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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I love this song ... Tim said he wrote it for Tom in that time he was in druges things ... touching and lovely song ...
One of my favorite songs on the new album... but then again I love them all
Sounds more like...
"Everything I love" rather than "It’s a thing I love" in the third verse after the first chorus.
Lyric corrections:
As Sir Brock mentioned, it's "Everything I love" not "It's a thing I love".
Also, "No words can mend / this fix I'm in / give me your WORST I won't even blink" and it's "I hang on your words" not "having your way" in the first verse (how on earth did someone mishear that?!).
On a side note, this song is fucking amazing.
this song is probably about a couple who has a hard communication. the girl had make a mistake or have a problem, but she didnt want to tell or with her boy. and whenever they're around each other, she always talk about the same things, (But you havent told me anything That I didnt already know), and so it's hard to get to know her. and he told her that he feel for her and he won't even blink if she tell him everything, maybe about her problem or anything else.
hmmm.... it's a good song and the interpretations are all my opinion and what i think it is about.
i know this isn't what this is about, but i've always interpreted this song as being about someone struggling to see the point of therapy / counselling. the "cold grey" room is the therapist's office, the "same time next week" is the next meeting, and the chorus is about how the protagonist understands their problems and doesn't feel like therapy is doing anything besides pulling up old problems which they already knew about. idk this just seems like it makes sense in my head.