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.
In the middle of the night
When the air gets colder
The city lights change from green to yellow
I’m standing on the corner
all the lovers pass me by
I wonder what it’s like to walk in their shoes
I wonder if they feel the same as I do
All the days go by
I feel a step behind
I took a flight to Vegas
Rode a bus to LA
The tide to Seattle just to see the rain
No matter where I am
No matter where I go
Ain’t nothing changed
Just someone I used to know
Whoa Whoa Whoa Yeah
Well I swore I thought I saw you
Somewhere in Minnesota
It could’ve been a coffee shop
But that’s not your thing
Well the last place I saw you
Along the gulf of Florida
Well I wonder what it’s like to walk in her shoes
Well I wonder if she feels the same as I do
All the days go by
I feel a step behind
I took a flight to Vegas
Rode a bus to LA
The tide to Seattle just to feel the rain
No matter where I am
No matter where I go
Ain’t nothing changed
Just someone I used to know
Whoa Whoa Whoa Yeah
Is it warm where you are?
Can you still see the stars?
Searching high and low
Nowhere left to go
Still you’re just someone I used to know
Whoa Yeah
I took a flight to Vegas
Rode a bus to LA
The tide to Seattle just to feel the rain
No matter where I am
No matter where I go
Ain’t nothing changed
Just someone I used to know
Whoa Whoa Whoa Yeah
When the air gets colder
The city lights change from green to yellow
I’m standing on the corner
all the lovers pass me by
I wonder what it’s like to walk in their shoes
I wonder if they feel the same as I do
All the days go by
I feel a step behind
I took a flight to Vegas
Rode a bus to LA
The tide to Seattle just to see the rain
No matter where I am
No matter where I go
Ain’t nothing changed
Just someone I used to know
Whoa Whoa Whoa Yeah
Well I swore I thought I saw you
Somewhere in Minnesota
It could’ve been a coffee shop
But that’s not your thing
Well the last place I saw you
Along the gulf of Florida
Well I wonder what it’s like to walk in her shoes
Well I wonder if she feels the same as I do
All the days go by
I feel a step behind
I took a flight to Vegas
Rode a bus to LA
The tide to Seattle just to feel the rain
No matter where I am
No matter where I go
Ain’t nothing changed
Just someone I used to know
Whoa Whoa Whoa Yeah
Is it warm where you are?
Can you still see the stars?
Searching high and low
Nowhere left to go
Still you’re just someone I used to know
Whoa Yeah
I took a flight to Vegas
Rode a bus to LA
The tide to Seattle just to feel the rain
No matter where I am
No matter where I go
Ain’t nothing changed
Just someone I used to know
Whoa Whoa Whoa Yeah
Lyrics submitted by Marbar7890
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I believe the "someone I used to know" is himself. As my friend Nathan Roberts once told me in Vegas, "noone knows you better than yourself, with the exception, quite possibly of your mother". I didn't believe him until my mother actually knew why I was sad before I did. Come to think about it, Nathan has also been to Seattle and LA and he likes to stand on corners. Maybe this song is about him.
Either way... definitely one of the elite, introspective, analyses of our time. Relax to this song, look inside, ignore your mother and get to know yourself like you used to.