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.
what this generation needs is a war
well its hard to choose a side when you don't know which is right
because all my friends are frustrated, boring or bored
yes they all deranged their minds without a good excuse as to why
lusting after yesterdays golden stars
ah well maybe that just never happens any more
what this generation needs is a score
cause we realize we can all get along
but no ones willing to drop their arms
cause our forefathers made reforms to civil rights and moral law
now the few of them are aligned
cause its pushing us over the line
but we all really aint that far
well somehow none of that matters any more
and the result of all of this is we're rushing on our own
cause we aint with the people we look like, but we aint part of the whole
we almost understand our world, we're resting on our laurels
and now my heart is shattered, I can't even try even when it matters
oh so please don't let me go without you
my heart never shows without you
lately things have been so distant
and I don't know what I can do to fix it
why don't you love me like you used to?
why do I worry about the future?
is it just that how we manage is not by love but force of habit?
and if only I could be a man and live down all your dreams and plans
and smash in all of your pretty things
so the only thing that you could see was me
but what we done should be a crime
we should be locked up so we never see the light
for in the darkness we could see how worthless all our lives must be
if lovers like us who drift apart
then there must be something wrong with our hearts
at least something wrong with all of us
to never care till things are lost
why don't you love me like you used to?
why do I worry about the future?
well its hard to choose a side when you don't know which is right
because all my friends are frustrated, boring or bored
yes they all deranged their minds without a good excuse as to why
lusting after yesterdays golden stars
ah well maybe that just never happens any more
what this generation needs is a score
cause we realize we can all get along
but no ones willing to drop their arms
cause our forefathers made reforms to civil rights and moral law
now the few of them are aligned
cause its pushing us over the line
but we all really aint that far
well somehow none of that matters any more
and the result of all of this is we're rushing on our own
cause we aint with the people we look like, but we aint part of the whole
we almost understand our world, we're resting on our laurels
and now my heart is shattered, I can't even try even when it matters
oh so please don't let me go without you
my heart never shows without you
lately things have been so distant
and I don't know what I can do to fix it
why don't you love me like you used to?
why do I worry about the future?
is it just that how we manage is not by love but force of habit?
and if only I could be a man and live down all your dreams and plans
and smash in all of your pretty things
so the only thing that you could see was me
but what we done should be a crime
we should be locked up so we never see the light
for in the darkness we could see how worthless all our lives must be
if lovers like us who drift apart
then there must be something wrong with our hearts
at least something wrong with all of us
to never care till things are lost
why don't you love me like you used to?
why do I worry about the future?
Lyrics submitted by pieman45
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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He winds himself up so far in this song. It's fantastically over the top :)
couple of lyrics wrong :) yes they all DERRAIN their minds
but now that fewer are maligned, there's less pushing us over the line but oh, we really ain't that far
and if only i could be a man, and rip down all your dreams and plans
if two lovers like us can drift apart there must be something wrong with our hearts and be something wrong with all of us to never care till things are lost
THIS IS THE GREATEST SONG!!! :) i love love love it. can play it on the guitar (nearly) haha. its such a beautiful, heartbreaking song makes me cry. so raw and awesome live
@yveskleinblueme
Yeah, i agree about the song, i learnt it on guitar just going by the video (with a slight steer in the right direction from some tabs), and it's kind of what i feel me and my girlfriend are going through at the moment, so i can relate to it completely, making me love it even more.
Anyway, i suppose that some parts of it are obviously about him and his lover slowly drifting apart, and that they just "...manage not by love but force of habit?' as said in the song.
Most parts of the song just speak for themselves, like: "and if only I could be a man and rip down all your dreams and plans and smash in all of your pretty things so the only thing that you could see was me" As it infers, he feels like his lover isn't paying attention to him, or is taking him for granted, so he wants to get rid of everything else so that she'll pay attention to him.
If you see him play this live he gets really worked up in the middle. Apparently it's about his ex girlfriend and whenever he sings it he chokes up