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.
You’re like a doctor for a soul,
When someone’s sick or when their head’s too heavy.
You never missed a day on call, but
Now you’re the patient and there’s no damn remedy.
And oh, no,
I don’t got the secret to fix me,
Scramble for the treatment.
Turn into something, never wanted at all
Disconnected phone in the corner
Need to mention that you’re feeling lonely
Spit shine, polyester shoes for your cold feet
Rewind’s broken so you improvise the off-beat
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
Fire fighter on the go
You jump on buildings that are torched on the inside.
Got a cold and heavy snow
Now you’re frozen but there’s smoke in the chimney
Oh no, I can hear the screaming
And the doctor let me in the burning building
Turn into something, never wanted at all
Disconnected phone in the corner
Need to mention that you’re feeling lonely
Spit shine, polyester shoes for your cold feet
Rewind’s broken so you improvise the off-beat
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
I’ll be here for you, David.
You can never let it fall.
How’s the one to part the shoulder
You can never let it fall.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
When someone’s sick or when their head’s too heavy.
You never missed a day on call, but
Now you’re the patient and there’s no damn remedy.
And oh, no,
I don’t got the secret to fix me,
Scramble for the treatment.
Turn into something, never wanted at all
Disconnected phone in the corner
Need to mention that you’re feeling lonely
Spit shine, polyester shoes for your cold feet
Rewind’s broken so you improvise the off-beat
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
Fire fighter on the go
You jump on buildings that are torched on the inside.
Got a cold and heavy snow
Now you’re frozen but there’s smoke in the chimney
Oh no, I can hear the screaming
And the doctor let me in the burning building
Turn into something, never wanted at all
Disconnected phone in the corner
Need to mention that you’re feeling lonely
Spit shine, polyester shoes for your cold feet
Rewind’s broken so you improvise the off-beat
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
This is what it means to be a human
This is what it means.
I’ll be here for you, David.
You can never let it fall.
How’s the one to part the shoulder
You can never let it fall.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
This is what it means.
Lyrics submitted by AnieS
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