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.
All my friends tell me I should move on
I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song
Ah, that's how you sing it
Loving you forever, can't be wrong
Even though you're not here, won't move on
Ah, that's how we played it
And there's no remedy for memory
Your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me
And telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead (dead, like you)
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
All my friends ask me why I stay strong
Tell 'em when you find true love it lives on
Ah, that's why I stay here
And there's no remedy for memory
Your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me
And telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead (dead, like you)
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
There's no relief, I see you in my sleep
And everybody's rushing me, but I can feel you touching me
There's no release, I feel you in my dreams
Telling me I'm fine
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side (so tell me)
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song
Ah, that's how you sing it
Loving you forever, can't be wrong
Even though you're not here, won't move on
Ah, that's how we played it
And there's no remedy for memory
Your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me
And telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead (dead, like you)
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
All my friends ask me why I stay strong
Tell 'em when you find true love it lives on
Ah, that's why I stay here
And there's no remedy for memory
Your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me
And telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead (dead, like you)
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
There's no relief, I see you in my sleep
And everybody's rushing me, but I can feel you touching me
There's no release, I feel you in my dreams
Telling me I'm fine
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side (so tell me)
Every time I close my eyes
It's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh, ha-ha-ha-ha
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight
Lyrics submitted by dustybreeze, edited by shannong9, lucia77, adrienne123089, ashonte2016, mushroomfat, lexiyg, Deloreanfan, emmyp123
Dark Paradise Lyrics as written by Rick Nowels Elizabeth Grant
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think the song is pretty straight forward for me, the narrator of this song is in love with someone who has just died. Everyone keeps persuading her to move on with her life, but she can't get over him because when you find true love it lives on. She wishes that she could die so that she could be with him on the other side, but until then she can't forget all of the memories that still run through her head. She is with him in her dreams, but it's a dark pleasure because even though she's with him, she knows he's still gone.
@awelty exactly she even says I wish I were dead (Dead with you) I dont know how someone got him being alive out of this.
Interesting way of interpreting the lines "when you find true love it lives on, that\'s why I stay here." I always interpreted it as her not being sure it was true love, probably supported by the line "I\'m scared that you won\'t be waiting on the other side" in my case.