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 climb six lonely sad stairs to your apartment
After another graveyard shift in the cold dull light of morning.
You walked in just in time to catch her as she's leaving
But the schedules and the conflicts kept the roof over our heads.
You said you were strong and naive and
If you were scared, well, I would understand.
I don't think I would have had the guts to handle it.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
And all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
We bought our first house at the advent of the 90s
A Cape Cod on a busy street that we swore we'd fix eventually.
Winter of '93, we got by with kerosene
A heater in the living room, we huddled around shivering and me
Trying to get to sleep.
My clothes will smell of smoke for weeks.
Just trying to get to sleep.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
All we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
I'm sick of seeing ghosts. I won't be here forever.
My mother wore a sundress on the day that she got married.
They held the wedding in a backyard near the city.
I was just one then, I would never remember it
But I heard the voices and implications
Telling me who I could never be.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
And all we had was good will.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
And all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
After another graveyard shift in the cold dull light of morning.
You walked in just in time to catch her as she's leaving
But the schedules and the conflicts kept the roof over our heads.
You said you were strong and naive and
If you were scared, well, I would understand.
I don't think I would have had the guts to handle it.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
And all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
We bought our first house at the advent of the 90s
A Cape Cod on a busy street that we swore we'd fix eventually.
Winter of '93, we got by with kerosene
A heater in the living room, we huddled around shivering and me
Trying to get to sleep.
My clothes will smell of smoke for weeks.
Just trying to get to sleep.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
All we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
I'm sick of seeing ghosts. I won't be here forever.
My mother wore a sundress on the day that she got married.
They held the wedding in a backyard near the city.
I was just one then, I would never remember it
But I heard the voices and implications
Telling me who I could never be.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
And all we had was good will.
All we had were hand-me-downs.
And all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
Lyrics submitted by Surgical_Tools, edited by tjwells
Teenage Parents Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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