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 couldn't take me anyway
She laughed, I said, I bet you're wrong
Don't you underestimate my dirty mind
My dirty talk, my dirty thoughts
Can't you feel it in the way my body moves
You make me bad, you make me lose
Pretty lover, you're the only one for me
I swear to you, I'd die for you, inside of you
Up against me now, up against a wall
And you wear me down, and you hold on tight
And you lie to me, did you lie to me
So many reasons why you're just not right for me
I forget them all, well at least I try
Who am I kidding, you're my one and only vice
Just don't you see, don't, don't you see
That this is the end, 'cause I believe it's you and I
There is no, no other way
N-no, n-no, no, she said, don't you even speak it
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Not this time
But should I ever be lonely when night falls
And flooded with memories
She'll say suck it up, big boy
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Only photographs and time
Should I ever be flooded with memories
Or drunk on the moonlight
I swear that I'll be just fine
I see you think you're so clever now
I see you think you're so clever now
But watch you're mouth
I've got a mind to put you over my knee
Just because we're over doesn't mean that I'm free
Because I come right back to you
I beg and I plead right back to you
You're the end to me, don't pretend to be
Anything more than the distraction you're meant to be
Darling since we're here, let's not waste a breath
Wanna taste your lips, wanna trace your chest
Just don't you see, don't, don't you see
That this is the end, 'cause I believe it's you and I
There is no, no other way
N-no, n-no, no, she said, don't you even speak it
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Not this time
But should I ever be lonely when night falls
And flooded by memories
You'll say suck it up, big boy
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Only photographs and time
But should I ever be flooded with memories
And drunk on the moonlight
I promise I'll be just fine
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Not this time
But should I ever be lonely when night falls
And flooded by memories
You'll say suck it up, big boy
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Only photographs and time
But should I ever be flooded with memories
And drunk on the moonlight
I promise I'll be just fine
Like a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture, in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
She laughed, I said, I bet you're wrong
Don't you underestimate my dirty mind
My dirty talk, my dirty thoughts
Can't you feel it in the way my body moves
You make me bad, you make me lose
Pretty lover, you're the only one for me
I swear to you, I'd die for you, inside of you
Up against me now, up against a wall
And you wear me down, and you hold on tight
And you lie to me, did you lie to me
So many reasons why you're just not right for me
I forget them all, well at least I try
Who am I kidding, you're my one and only vice
Just don't you see, don't, don't you see
That this is the end, 'cause I believe it's you and I
There is no, no other way
N-no, n-no, no, she said, don't you even speak it
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Not this time
But should I ever be lonely when night falls
And flooded with memories
She'll say suck it up, big boy
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Only photographs and time
Should I ever be flooded with memories
Or drunk on the moonlight
I swear that I'll be just fine
I see you think you're so clever now
I see you think you're so clever now
But watch you're mouth
I've got a mind to put you over my knee
Just because we're over doesn't mean that I'm free
Because I come right back to you
I beg and I plead right back to you
You're the end to me, don't pretend to be
Anything more than the distraction you're meant to be
Darling since we're here, let's not waste a breath
Wanna taste your lips, wanna trace your chest
Just don't you see, don't, don't you see
That this is the end, 'cause I believe it's you and I
There is no, no other way
N-no, n-no, no, she said, don't you even speak it
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Not this time
But should I ever be lonely when night falls
And flooded by memories
You'll say suck it up, big boy
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Only photographs and time
But should I ever be flooded with memories
And drunk on the moonlight
I promise I'll be just fine
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Not this time
But should I ever be lonely when night falls
And flooded by memories
You'll say suck it up, big boy
Then you're going to say there will be no after
Only photographs and time
But should I ever be flooded with memories
And drunk on the moonlight
I promise I'll be just fine
Like a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture, in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Take a picture in black and white
In black and white, in black and white
Lyrics submitted by gothic_hobbit
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The man in the song has fallen for a "bad girl" and in the first verse he's determined to prove himself.
"Don't you underestimate my dirty mind My dirty talk, my dirty thoughts Can't you feel it in the way my body moves"
Only problem is, the man falls for the girl. He knows it's no good, that he is better than this but he can't help himself he can't resist her: "Who am I kidding, you're my one and only vice"
She sets him free, he can't let go: "Just because we're over doesn't mean that I'm free Because I come right back to you"
There's just two things that confuse me, the last lines about the photo in black and white, has it anything to do with the saying "take a picture it will last longer"? Black&white because of the dramatic/realistic approach (i.e clear cut no grey area?)
And the part where he talks about her pretending not be more than the distraction (second verse 3rd last line) is this the girl in question being a distraction from his own dismal pain/life. Or is it another girl he's using to distract himself from the bad girl in the beginning?