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.
You can put a stick in my spokes
I can be the butt of your jokes
I can be the laughing stock, I can be your hoax
But I ain't gonna lose you
They can come and tear my house down
They can run me out of town
They can tie me up, call me a clown
But I ain't gonna lose you
I can't stand
The thought of another man
They can make me turn my back on my friends
Send me away to up in San Quentin
Put me in the hole, a thousand times again
But I ain't gonna lose you
Throw me in a hurricane
Tell the whole world I've gone insane
Run an electric shock to my brain
But I ain't gonna lose you
I can't stand
The thought of another man
I'll sing it from my roof top
I'll sing it from the bus stop
I'll sing it on the street drunk to a cop
But I ain't gonna lose you
I can be the butt of your jokes
I can be the laughing stock, I can be your hoax
But I ain't gonna lose you
They can come and tear my house down
They can run me out of town
They can tie me up, call me a clown
But I ain't gonna lose you
I can't stand
The thought of another man
They can make me turn my back on my friends
Send me away to up in San Quentin
Put me in the hole, a thousand times again
But I ain't gonna lose you
Throw me in a hurricane
Tell the whole world I've gone insane
Run an electric shock to my brain
But I ain't gonna lose you
I can't stand
The thought of another man
I'll sing it from my roof top
I'll sing it from the bus stop
I'll sing it on the street drunk to a cop
But I ain't gonna lose you
Lyrics submitted by happy_day08
Ain't Gonna Lose You Lyrics as written by Brett Dennen
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I love this song. I heard it on... Grey's Anatomy I think... so hopefully Brett Dennen will get some more fans, he deserves it. I've just been waiting for him to make it big. as for the meaning... pretty clear, i think.
Powerful song. It sounds so vulnerable, somehow. It's about giving up everything for one person. No matter what the cost is.
I love Brett Dennen. But i hate the meaning of this song. to think this song is about a girl is just sad. Is there any other possible meaning? When i first heard it, i thought he was talking about not losing himself to the world. but.. i dunno.
i think its a love song saying that they have been through a lot. maybe a highschool relationship when no approves and you feel like the only person thats there for you is the other person on the other side of the relationship and he's saying that he really does love her and he isnt gunna loose her no matter what happens no matter what life or people through at them! but thats just me
ya know kinda like sticks and stones may break my bones but word will never hurt me or us in this case. it kinda sounds like hes telling her that his friends or her friends inculding herself are making fun of him for either being with her or her telling her friends things about him for liking her soo much i think its along those lines.
It may be understood as a song about being gay and being ostracized for it. The line "I can't stand the thought of another man" can be seen that way ; a man would be the target of the song. As well as the line "Run an electric shock to my brain" ; I don't think we ever run electric shock to the brain of a man for loving a woman ; while few years past we still did it to gay people. I think the song is about loving another man and being persecuted for it ; but he don't care for that, his only wish being not to lose his lover. I don't think Brett Dennen is gay, but he does care about discrimination and everything, so this interpretation seems quite relevant. (I'm really sorry if my english is weird, I'm actually french)
To that as older guy I was with lost everything he used to listen to this song. I was not even have to think he was playing it about me but now in hindsight, it’s actually about the wife and family that he’s so stupidly left behind because he likes to play around and he just doesn’t know how to grow up. Glad I moved on from him but my heart breaks for his family. ????????
Correction from the post above sorry about the spelling errors . reminds me of this older guy I was with who lost everything . he used to listen to this song and of course I used to think he was playing it about me but now in hindsight, it’s actually about the wife and family that he’s so stupidly left behind because he likes to play around and he just doesn’t know how to grow up. Glad I moved on from him but my heart breaks for his family. ????????