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.
Vanities are only charity
And she makes donations at the Tiffany's,
Life is hard without a credit card to get by, get by
She sold her dreams for security
To a man that now she hardly ever sees
With a cold martini in her hand, she don't mind, don't mind
So throw all your luxuries aside
You can't take them with you when you die
Still when I look into your
Eyes are full of dollar signs
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail, oh
If you design a plastic happiness,
Then climb the social ladder to the top my friend,
And don't forget to thank the piggy bank in the sky, so high
So throw all your luxuries aside
You can't take them with you when you die
Still when I look into your
Eyes are full of dollar signs,
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail, oh
Woah, oh, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh, oh
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail, oh
And she makes donations at the Tiffany's,
Life is hard without a credit card to get by, get by
She sold her dreams for security
To a man that now she hardly ever sees
With a cold martini in her hand, she don't mind, don't mind
So throw all your luxuries aside
You can't take them with you when you die
Still when I look into your
Eyes are full of dollar signs
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail, oh
If you design a plastic happiness,
Then climb the social ladder to the top my friend,
And don't forget to thank the piggy bank in the sky, so high
So throw all your luxuries aside
You can't take them with you when you die
Still when I look into your
Eyes are full of dollar signs,
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail, oh
Woah, oh, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh, oh
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail
Oh, reach, into a pocketful of dreams
Oh, now, before they fall out of the seams
Oh, take a chance, don't matter if you fail
You're too scared to try cause you might break a nail, oh
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Pretty straight forward, the song is about a girl who only cares about materialistic values. a "plastic happiness", as it's put. When I think about this song, I think of that stereotypical "dessigner chick" kind of thing. Only cares about how she looks, how much money she has to spend, and what other people think of her. ie, the exact opposite of what people should aspire to be. Sadly, our society is full of people like this, who do put materialistic values before the things that should be important in life, such as family and love.
BT DRIVES MY SOUL
line5: it should be "to A man" line9: i hear "...into your eyes full of dollar signs" line13: 'your' should be "you're" line16: latter should be "ladder" line17: i hear "...don't forget to thank the piggy bank..."
Title should be "Pocketful" not "Poketful"
cheers man. i only listened to some of the tracks then deleted them rite after.
i'm pretty sure this about a girl who only cares about material items and money.
The person above me has got it right. It's about the typical materialistic bitch.
Lyrics corrections: 'Still, when I look into your eyes they're full of dollar signs' and: 'If you design a plastic happiness, then climb the social ladder to the top, my friend'.
Billy Talent is criticising the bourgeoisie! Yay~
Lyrics corrections: 'Still, when I look into your eyes they're full of dollar signs' and: 'If you design a plastic happiness, then climb the social ladder to the top, my friend'.
Billy Talent is criticising the bourgeoisie! Yay~
No! Double post D: