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 didn't see it-no I didn't hear it I was just trying to
Remember all the things I'll never know
Well I was walking along-and I'm trying to stay strong-but
It's always so hard because something's going wrond-but
I try to remember all the things I'll never know
And then it crashes on down without a warning there's a sound
And the next thing I know is I'm flying off the ground
I try to remember all the things I'll never know
If you could hear mt heart-it'd sound something like this
Not from my memory-what do you want from me
Spinning through the ages left laughing at the dazes-
left me nothing that I want nor I need
My pain is running plenty, my anger's nearly spent me-
getting harder from the suffering
Chorus:
You crash my world and you're going down, run away and
I'll hunt you down
Start me up and that's the way it gonna be
I gotta rule my world I'm gonna be my king I got it all set up
I'm gonna be that everything
Ssh! now listen up...my heart's got something else to say!
Out of my memory...that's all that's left of me
I'm tired of your lying, have no more of your denying...
never want the future to turn to that past
Thoughts annihilated-you're mentally constipated-
to disturb, it from the things that don't last
Chorus
I'm gonna be my king
Ripping apart at the mind
Ripping apart at the mind-you mentally try to slay me
Ripping apart at the mind-why you trying to do me
Ripping apart at the mind-why a king couldn't save me
when you mentally slay me
A simplistic introduction to a complex destruction-
from the friction that they're sponsoring
Unable to delete the memories incomplete-
cause the hope and joy they're conquering
It's spiritually uncleansing-the nightmare's never-ending-
now you're striking the proverbial kill
But you underestimated how highly agitated-
was my purpose and my power and will
Chorus
Can't nobody stop me can't nobody stop me
I'm gonna be my king
I didn't see it, no Ididn't hear it I was just trying to remember
all the things I'll never know
Remember all the things I'll never know
Well I was walking along-and I'm trying to stay strong-but
It's always so hard because something's going wrond-but
I try to remember all the things I'll never know
And then it crashes on down without a warning there's a sound
And the next thing I know is I'm flying off the ground
I try to remember all the things I'll never know
If you could hear mt heart-it'd sound something like this
Not from my memory-what do you want from me
Spinning through the ages left laughing at the dazes-
left me nothing that I want nor I need
My pain is running plenty, my anger's nearly spent me-
getting harder from the suffering
Chorus:
You crash my world and you're going down, run away and
I'll hunt you down
Start me up and that's the way it gonna be
I gotta rule my world I'm gonna be my king I got it all set up
I'm gonna be that everything
Ssh! now listen up...my heart's got something else to say!
Out of my memory...that's all that's left of me
I'm tired of your lying, have no more of your denying...
never want the future to turn to that past
Thoughts annihilated-you're mentally constipated-
to disturb, it from the things that don't last
Chorus
I'm gonna be my king
Ripping apart at the mind
Ripping apart at the mind-you mentally try to slay me
Ripping apart at the mind-why you trying to do me
Ripping apart at the mind-why a king couldn't save me
when you mentally slay me
A simplistic introduction to a complex destruction-
from the friction that they're sponsoring
Unable to delete the memories incomplete-
cause the hope and joy they're conquering
It's spiritually uncleansing-the nightmare's never-ending-
now you're striking the proverbial kill
But you underestimated how highly agitated-
was my purpose and my power and will
Chorus
Can't nobody stop me can't nobody stop me
I'm gonna be my king
I didn't see it, no Ididn't hear it I was just trying to remember
all the things I'll never know
Lyrics submitted by cyco86
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,