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.
It seems like just the other day that we hooked up
(I was drivin', you was walkin' and I swooped you up)
From that moment on I knew you were the one, yeah
(I was single, you was lonely and we fell in love)
We would sit and talk for hours about anything
(Baby, you hang up, no, you hang up, on three hang up)
I bought your whip, I paid your rent, I gave you everything
(Said you'd always be my baby then you bounce)
How you gonna act
How you gonna up and leave me now
How you gonna act like that
How you gonna change it up, we just finished makin' up
How you gonna act like that
How you gonna act like we don't be makin' love
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff, that ghetto love
How you gonna trip, how could you forget
How you gonna act like that
Girl, I never thought that lovin' you would hurt
(I did everything a good man would to make it work)
Girl, you should have told me you had second thoughts
(Like before I put the down on the house we bought)
Now I'm thinkin' you and me was a mistake
(But then it hits me and I'm missin' all the love we made)
Girl, I know that we've been goin' through some things, yeah
(But the sun is always shinin' even when it rains, oh)
I'll be the one you kick it to
I'll be the one that misses you
I'll be the one to ease your pain
I'll be the one you'll want to gain
And you'll be the one who can't forget
You'll be the one that's innocent
You'll be the one I can't hide
You'll be the one that makes me cry, baby
How you gonna up and leave me now (Why you do)
How you gonna act like that (Why you gotta act like that)
How you gonna change it up (Whoa, ho, baby),
We just finished makin' up
How you gonna act like that (But I need you)
How you gonna act like we (Oh) don't be makin' love
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff, that ghetto love
How you gonna trip, how could you forget
How you gonna act like that
You know I'm willin' to do anything
Just to keep you in my heart (Keep you in my heart)
I messed around and gave up everything
I thought we'd never part (Yes, I did, baby)
I was a player and made the choice to give my heart to you
And I gotta keep it that way, ooh, baby
How you gonna up and leave me now (Ooh, baby)
How you gonna act like that (Why you gotta treat me this way)
How you gonna change it up (Why you treat me wrong),
We just finished makin' up
How you gonna act like that (Can me somebody tell me why)
(Why, why) like we don't be makin' love (Hey)
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff (Oh, oh, baby), that ghetto love
How you gonna trip (All my friends became your friends), how can you forget
(All my ends became your ends)
How you gonna act like that
Keepin' love ghetto (All I want is you)
Keepin' love ghetto (All I need is you)
Keepin' love ghetto (All I need is you)
Keepin' love ghetto (All I need is you, all I need is you, babe)
How you gonna up and leave me now (Oh, babe, how you gonna act like that)
How you gonna act like that (Hey, hey)
How you gonna change it up (Oh), we just finished makin' up (Why you actin' so shady, oh, oh, baby)
How you gonna act like that (Anything you want in me I got ya, hey)
How you gonna act like we don't be makin' love
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff (Why you actin' so shady), that ghetto love
How you gonna trip (Oh, oh, baby), how can you forget
How you gonna act like that
(I was drivin', you was walkin' and I swooped you up)
From that moment on I knew you were the one, yeah
(I was single, you was lonely and we fell in love)
We would sit and talk for hours about anything
(Baby, you hang up, no, you hang up, on three hang up)
I bought your whip, I paid your rent, I gave you everything
(Said you'd always be my baby then you bounce)
How you gonna act
How you gonna up and leave me now
How you gonna act like that
How you gonna change it up, we just finished makin' up
How you gonna act like that
How you gonna act like we don't be makin' love
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff, that ghetto love
How you gonna trip, how could you forget
How you gonna act like that
Girl, I never thought that lovin' you would hurt
(I did everything a good man would to make it work)
Girl, you should have told me you had second thoughts
(Like before I put the down on the house we bought)
Now I'm thinkin' you and me was a mistake
(But then it hits me and I'm missin' all the love we made)
Girl, I know that we've been goin' through some things, yeah
(But the sun is always shinin' even when it rains, oh)
I'll be the one you kick it to
I'll be the one that misses you
I'll be the one to ease your pain
I'll be the one you'll want to gain
And you'll be the one who can't forget
You'll be the one that's innocent
You'll be the one I can't hide
You'll be the one that makes me cry, baby
How you gonna up and leave me now (Why you do)
How you gonna act like that (Why you gotta act like that)
How you gonna change it up (Whoa, ho, baby),
We just finished makin' up
How you gonna act like that (But I need you)
How you gonna act like we (Oh) don't be makin' love
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff, that ghetto love
How you gonna trip, how could you forget
How you gonna act like that
You know I'm willin' to do anything
Just to keep you in my heart (Keep you in my heart)
I messed around and gave up everything
I thought we'd never part (Yes, I did, baby)
I was a player and made the choice to give my heart to you
And I gotta keep it that way, ooh, baby
How you gonna up and leave me now (Ooh, baby)
How you gonna act like that (Why you gotta treat me this way)
How you gonna change it up (Why you treat me wrong),
We just finished makin' up
How you gonna act like that (Can me somebody tell me why)
(Why, why) like we don't be makin' love (Hey)
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff (Oh, oh, baby), that ghetto love
How you gonna trip (All my friends became your friends), how can you forget
(All my ends became your ends)
How you gonna act like that
Keepin' love ghetto (All I want is you)
Keepin' love ghetto (All I need is you)
Keepin' love ghetto (All I need is you)
Keepin' love ghetto (All I need is you, all I need is you, babe)
How you gonna up and leave me now (Oh, babe, how you gonna act like that)
How you gonna act like that (Hey, hey)
How you gonna change it up (Oh), we just finished makin' up (Why you actin' so shady, oh, oh, baby)
How you gonna act like that (Anything you want in me I got ya, hey)
How you gonna act like we don't be makin' love
You know we be tearin' it up, breakin' stuff (Why you actin' so shady), that ghetto love
How you gonna trip (Oh, oh, baby), how can you forget
How you gonna act like that
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
How You Gonna Act Like That Lyrics as written by Tyrese Darnell Gibson Eric Dawkins
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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