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 disappear with all your good intentions
And all I am is all I could not mention
Like who will bring me flowers when it's over
And who will give me comfort when it's cold
She took a plane to somewhere out in space
To start a life and maybe change the world
See I never meant for you to have to crawl
No I never meant to let you go at all
Oh, no
Oh, no
Don't ever say goodbye
See my head aches from all this thinkin'
Feels like a ship god, god knows I'm sinkin'
Wonder what you do and where it is you stay
These questions like a whirlwind, they carry me away
Who will bring me flowers when it's over
And who will give me comfort when it's cold
Who will I belong to when the day just won't give in
And who will tell me how it ends and how it all begins
Oh, no
Oh no
Don't ever say goodbye
I'm only human
I said I'm only human
I'm only human
I said I'm only human
I'm only human
I said I'm only human
I'm human I'm human I'm human
Yeah oh,
Yeah, oh
And all I am is all I could not mention
Like who will bring me flowers when it's over
And who will give me comfort when it's cold
She took a plane to somewhere out in space
To start a life and maybe change the world
See I never meant for you to have to crawl
No I never meant to let you go at all
Oh, no
Oh, no
Don't ever say goodbye
See my head aches from all this thinkin'
Feels like a ship god, god knows I'm sinkin'
Wonder what you do and where it is you stay
These questions like a whirlwind, they carry me away
Who will bring me flowers when it's over
And who will give me comfort when it's cold
Who will I belong to when the day just won't give in
And who will tell me how it ends and how it all begins
Oh, no
Oh no
Don't ever say goodbye
I'm only human
I said I'm only human
I'm only human
I said I'm only human
I'm only human
I said I'm only human
I'm human I'm human I'm human
Yeah oh,
Yeah, oh
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To me this song isn't necessarily about death, it's about something way more general that a lot more people could relate to. I think it's about loneliness and unintentionally pushing someone away because of an inexplicable emotional unavailability.
You disappear with all your good intentions And all I am is all I could not mention Like who will bring me flowers when it's over And who will give me comfort when it's cold
He had someone who was close to him but he kept pushing her away. He'd been hurt before so that's why he wasn't able to let her in. So after a while of her trying to come close, she saw that he just kept pushing her away and decided to stop trying. He didn't mean it though, he just didn't have the courage to say a lot of things and to tell her how much she meant to him and now that she left he regrets not saying those things. Now he wishes she could be beside him to be happy with him when he gets through a rough patch or to comfort him when he's going through a tough situation.
She took a plane to somewhere out in space To start a life and maybe change the world See I never meant for you to have to crawl No I never meant to let you go at all Oh, no Oh, no Don't ever say goodbye
After trying and trying to get close and always having the feeling that he doesn't want it, she stopped trying and left him alone. She preferred helping someone who appreciated her help, not knowing that so did he but he wasn't able to show it. He never meant for her to feel like she wasn't doing enough or like her help went unnoticed, but because he'd built an emotional wall, she interpreted it as apathy and ungratefulness. He never wanted her to leave him.
See my head aches from all this thinkin' Feels like a ship god, god knows I'm sinkin' Wonder what you do and where it is you stay These questions like a whirlwind, they carry me away
Now without her he feels like he's alone. He's got no one by his side and all he does is overthink. He thinks of the mistakes that he's made and how he made her feel and it's heavy on him, he feels like he's sinking. He's bringing himself down with all the thoughts and questions that he has. Maybe she's better off without me, where is she now? What would she do if she were here with me? All these thoughts eat him alive and so does the loneliness that he feels. Now he realizes how much he really needed her.
Who will bring me flowers when it's over And who will give me comfort when it's cold Who will I belong to when the day just won't give in And who will tell me how it ends and how it all begins Oh, no Oh no Don't ever say goodbye
He needs someone to be with him through thick and thin. He needs someone to share his life with, to help him make decisions, to love him when he isn't able to love himself. He needs someone to make sense of everything when he can't make sense of it. Someone who will see things clearer for him and help him.
I'm only human I said I'm only human I'm only human I said I'm only human I'm only human I said I'm only human I'm human I'm human I'm human Yeah oh, Yeah, oh
He realizes that he's made a lot of mistakes, but he is only a human. And humans make mistakes, they are flawed. But humans also need each other because they can't do it all alone. He needs her desperately. He needs someone beside him to go through life with him because he feels that alone, he wont make it.