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.
Packed my things up,
And left them by the door
With the fairy tales and the folklore.
Good intentions of which I couldn't grasp
And bottled dreams I could never have.
I walk towards the door
with a heart so heavy,
When I reach for the floor
I'm all alone.
Then I realize
through all the truth and the lies
Yours is the only voice
That I still hear.
I'm walking away
I'm sorry every day
But the pain and despair
Is my own cross to bear
So turn away
Turn away
As I walk by all the seeds that I have sewn
And the ground that I once called a home
I'm reminded of all the plans that I had made (Remind me why I did this)
And the flowers that have since decayed (Remind me why I did this)
I walk out that door
with a heart so heavy.
When you ask for more
I turn to stone.
Then I realize
Through all the truth and the lies
Yours is the only voice
That I still hear.
I'm walking away (I'm not quite what you say)
I'm sorry every day (I have no words to say)
But the pain and despair
Is my own cross to bear
So turn away (I'm not built this way)
Turn away (I'm not built this way)
I am a man of my mistakes
And they lay in shallow graves
I'm still looking for a way
To apologize for the mess I made,
For the words I wrote and played.
So I salt my wounds and lick them clean
And pray for some sort of amnesty
But there's no room at all
To even try and solve this mystery in me.
I'm walking away (I'm not quite what you say)
I'm sorry every day (I have no words to say)
But the pain and despair
Is my own cross to bear
So turn away (I'm not built this way)
Turn away (I'm not built this way)
I am a man of my mistakes (still followed by a past that isn't through with me)
And they lay in shallow graves
And left them by the door
With the fairy tales and the folklore.
Good intentions of which I couldn't grasp
And bottled dreams I could never have.
I walk towards the door
with a heart so heavy,
When I reach for the floor
I'm all alone.
Then I realize
through all the truth and the lies
Yours is the only voice
That I still hear.
I'm walking away
I'm sorry every day
But the pain and despair
Is my own cross to bear
So turn away
Turn away
As I walk by all the seeds that I have sewn
And the ground that I once called a home
I'm reminded of all the plans that I had made (Remind me why I did this)
And the flowers that have since decayed (Remind me why I did this)
I walk out that door
with a heart so heavy.
When you ask for more
I turn to stone.
Then I realize
Through all the truth and the lies
Yours is the only voice
That I still hear.
I'm walking away (I'm not quite what you say)
I'm sorry every day (I have no words to say)
But the pain and despair
Is my own cross to bear
So turn away (I'm not built this way)
Turn away (I'm not built this way)
I am a man of my mistakes
And they lay in shallow graves
I'm still looking for a way
To apologize for the mess I made,
For the words I wrote and played.
So I salt my wounds and lick them clean
And pray for some sort of amnesty
But there's no room at all
To even try and solve this mystery in me.
I'm walking away (I'm not quite what you say)
I'm sorry every day (I have no words to say)
But the pain and despair
Is my own cross to bear
So turn away (I'm not built this way)
Turn away (I'm not built this way)
I am a man of my mistakes (still followed by a past that isn't through with me)
And they lay in shallow graves
Lyrics submitted by captainbianco
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