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.
So you think the girl is crazy
To eat up your lies like it's good
(Your lies like apple pie)
(She don't even cry)
She is not a fool
She's just tryin' to do what her heart says to
To love you
And as you take to the wind
(to the wind again she breaks down)
And as she breaks down within (within, within)
She waits for you patiently
Hopin' that someday you'll see
[That] all she really wants to be
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
What do you want the girl to do
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
[Can't you see]
What do you want the girl to do
All she really wants is you
She knows what you are
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
(Just say the word today)
(Build the world around her)
Now and then you'll promise
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
(You will see, you will see)
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
Cause ma she knows better
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
And as she watched your promises erode
She waits for you patiently
Hopin' that someday you'll see
[That] all she really wants to be
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
What do you want the girl to do
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
[Can't you see]
What do you want the girl to do
All she really wants is you
She knows what you are
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
(Just say the word today)
(Build the world around her)
Now and then you'll promise
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
(You will see, you will see)
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
'Cause ma she knows better
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
And as she watched your promises erode
What do you want the girl to do
Don't you know you're breakin' the child in two
What do you want the girl to do
Can't you see you're breakin' the child in two
To eat up your lies like it's good
(Your lies like apple pie)
(She don't even cry)
She is not a fool
She's just tryin' to do what her heart says to
To love you
And as you take to the wind
(to the wind again she breaks down)
And as she breaks down within (within, within)
She waits for you patiently
Hopin' that someday you'll see
[That] all she really wants to be
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
What do you want the girl to do
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
[Can't you see]
What do you want the girl to do
All she really wants is you
She knows what you are
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
(Just say the word today)
(Build the world around her)
Now and then you'll promise
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
(You will see, you will see)
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
Cause ma she knows better
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
And as she watched your promises erode
She waits for you patiently
Hopin' that someday you'll see
[That] all she really wants to be
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
What do you want the girl to do
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
[Can't you see]
What do you want the girl to do
All she really wants is you
She knows what you are
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
(Just say the word today)
(Build the world around her)
Now and then you'll promise
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
(You will see, you will see)
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
'Cause ma she knows better
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
And as she watched your promises erode
What do you want the girl to do
Don't you know you're breakin' the child in two
What do you want the girl to do
Can't you see you're breakin' the child in two
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
What Do You Want the Girl to Do? Lyrics as written by Allen Toussaint
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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