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.
She's faced the hardest times, you could imagine
And many times her eyes fought back the tears
And when her youthful world, was about to fall in
Each time her slender shoulders
Bore the weight of all her fears
And a sorrow no one hears
Still rings in midnight silence, in her ears
Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower, growing wild
And if by chance I should held her
Let me hold her for a time
But if allowed just one possession
I would pick her from the garden, to be mine
Be careful how you touch her, for she'ss awaken
And sleep's the only freedom that she knows
And when you walk into her eyes, you won't believe
The way she's always paying
For a debt she never owes
And a silent wind still blows
That only she can hear and so she goes
Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower, growing wild
And many times her eyes fought back the tears
And when her youthful world, was about to fall in
Each time her slender shoulders
Bore the weight of all her fears
And a sorrow no one hears
Still rings in midnight silence, in her ears
Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower, growing wild
And if by chance I should held her
Let me hold her for a time
But if allowed just one possession
I would pick her from the garden, to be mine
Be careful how you touch her, for she'ss awaken
And sleep's the only freedom that she knows
And when you walk into her eyes, you won't believe
The way she's always paying
For a debt she never owes
And a silent wind still blows
That only she can hear and so she goes
Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower, growing wild
Lyrics submitted by bnsfjordan, edited by lobo81865
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This describes a girl I know who has secret sorrows and is very vulnerable. I like the songtext, but not the part about "But if allowed just one possession I would pick her from the garden, to be mine". This girl should not be possessed by someone, and should never be picked to die. She should either be carefully planted in a sunny garden. Or even better you should be a gardener who goes into the wild garden where she lives, and then keep away the destructive forces that will pick her, and carefully remove the big weeds that will overgrow her. Make sure that she can florish and grow. Love is not about owning somebody; real love is not self-seeking, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.