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 fell asleep in my coat
Woke up, I was spinning
You were halfway to New York
By the time I got to work
And on the drive home
The cars look like handguns
And I was a target
I wish they'd pull the trigger
I finally walked through the door
But I didn't see you
So I felt like leaving
But I had no place to go
Now I'm driving west
And the sun's going down
I think about you driving away
Your last night in town
And I wish I could just turn away
And do it all again
But I'll just be standing here
Waiting for you to come back
I watch the sun go down
It comes up again
It's kind of hard to laugh right now
And drinking makes me sick
Cause the first time I saw you
I was in between sips
And I got a full pack of smokes
In the shirt that you gave me
And I never run out now
Cause you're not around
And those mountains make me nauseous
And the ocean makes me blue
And the songs on the radio
Aint helping much too
And now I hate driving west
When the sun's going down
I think about you leaving
Your last night in town
And I wish I could just turn away
And do it all again
But I'll just be standing here
Waiting for you to come back
I watch the sun go down
It comes up again
Now I'm driving west
And the sun's going down
I think about you driving away
Your last night in town
And I wish I could just turn away
And do it all again
But I'll just be standing here
Waiting for you to come back
Oh god I hate driving west
When the sun's going down
I think about you leaving me
Your last night in town
I watch the sun go down
It comes up again
I watch the sun go down
You come back again
Woke up, I was spinning
You were halfway to New York
By the time I got to work
And on the drive home
The cars look like handguns
And I was a target
I wish they'd pull the trigger
I finally walked through the door
But I didn't see you
So I felt like leaving
But I had no place to go
Now I'm driving west
And the sun's going down
I think about you driving away
Your last night in town
And I wish I could just turn away
And do it all again
But I'll just be standing here
Waiting for you to come back
I watch the sun go down
It comes up again
It's kind of hard to laugh right now
And drinking makes me sick
Cause the first time I saw you
I was in between sips
And I got a full pack of smokes
In the shirt that you gave me
And I never run out now
Cause you're not around
And those mountains make me nauseous
And the ocean makes me blue
And the songs on the radio
Aint helping much too
And now I hate driving west
When the sun's going down
I think about you leaving
Your last night in town
And I wish I could just turn away
And do it all again
But I'll just be standing here
Waiting for you to come back
I watch the sun go down
It comes up again
Now I'm driving west
And the sun's going down
I think about you driving away
Your last night in town
And I wish I could just turn away
And do it all again
But I'll just be standing here
Waiting for you to come back
Oh god I hate driving west
When the sun's going down
I think about you leaving me
Your last night in town
I watch the sun go down
It comes up again
I watch the sun go down
You come back again
Lyrics submitted by scrumptious
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