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 settled down
A twisted up frown
Disguised as a smile, well
You would have never known
I had it all
But not what I wanted
Cause hope for me
Was a place uncharted
And overgrown
You'd make your way in
I'd resist you just like this
You can't tell me to feel
The truth never set me free
So, I did it myself
You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more
More
More
More, more
Open your eyes like I opened mine
It's only the real world
A life you will never know
Shifting your weight
To throw off the pain
Well You can ignore it
But, only for so long
You look like I did
You resist me just like this
You can't tell me to heal
And, it hurts remembering
How it felt to shut down
Can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more
More
More
More, more
Truth never set me free
The truth never set me free
The truth never set me free
So, I'll do it myself
You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out
Can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out
More
More
More
More, more
A twisted up frown
Disguised as a smile, well
You would have never known
I had it all
But not what I wanted
Cause hope for me
Was a place uncharted
And overgrown
You'd make your way in
I'd resist you just like this
You can't tell me to feel
The truth never set me free
So, I did it myself
You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more
More
More
More, more
Open your eyes like I opened mine
It's only the real world
A life you will never know
Shifting your weight
To throw off the pain
Well You can ignore it
But, only for so long
You look like I did
You resist me just like this
You can't tell me to heal
And, it hurts remembering
How it felt to shut down
Can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more
More
More
More, more
Truth never set me free
The truth never set me free
The truth never set me free
So, I'll do it myself
You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out
Can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach out
More
More
More
More, more
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
Careful Lyrics as written by Joshua Neil Farro Hayley Nichole Williams
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"The truth never set me free, so I did it myself". I think this is a song about someone who was in a lot pain due to past experiences, and was "shut down", and was waiting for it to go away, but decided that she couldn't wait around anymore, she had to fix things herself.
Now she is preaching to everyone else, or maybe just a friend, and trying to get them to do the same. That's why she says "You look like I did, you resist me just like this: you can't tell to heal". This person is now in the same position she was.