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.
Have you got color in your cheeks?
Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift the type
That sticks around like summat in your teeth?
Are there some aces up your sleeve?
Have you no idea that you're in deep?
I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week
How many secrets can you keep?
'Cause there's this tune I found
That makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat
Until I fall asleep, spillin' drinks on my settee
(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin' flows both ways?
(Sad to see you go) was sorta hopin' that you'd stay
(Baby, we both know) that the nights were mainly made
For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day
Crawlin' back to you
Ever thought of callin' when
You've had a few?
'Cause I always do
Maybe I'm too
Busy bein' yours
To fall for somebody new
Now, I've thought it through
Crawlin' back to you
So have you got the guts?
Been wonderin' if your heart's still open
And if so, I wanna know what time it shuts
Simmer down an' pucker up, I'm sorry to interrupt
It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of tryin' to kiss you
I don't know if you feel the same as I do
But we could be together if you wanted to
(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin' flows both ways?
(Sad to see you go) was sorta hopin' that you'd stay
(Baby, we both know) that the nights were mainly made
For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day
Crawlin' back to you (crawlin' back to you)
Ever thought of callin' when
You've had a few? (You've had a few)
'Cause I always do ('cause I always do)
Maybe I'm too (maybe I'm too busy)
Busy bein' yours (bein' yours)
To fall for somebody new
Now, I've thought it through
Crawlin' back to you
(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin' flows both ways?
(Sad to see you go) was sorta hopin' that you'd stay
(Baby, we both know) that the nights were mainly made
For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day
(Do I wanna know?) Too busy bein' yours to fall
(Sad to see you go) ever thought of callin', darlin'?
(Do I wanna know?) Do you want me crawlin' back to you?
Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift the type
That sticks around like summat in your teeth?
Are there some aces up your sleeve?
Have you no idea that you're in deep?
I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week
How many secrets can you keep?
'Cause there's this tune I found
That makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat
Until I fall asleep, spillin' drinks on my settee
(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin' flows both ways?
(Sad to see you go) was sorta hopin' that you'd stay
(Baby, we both know) that the nights were mainly made
For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day
Crawlin' back to you
Ever thought of callin' when
You've had a few?
'Cause I always do
Maybe I'm too
Busy bein' yours
To fall for somebody new
Now, I've thought it through
Crawlin' back to you
So have you got the guts?
Been wonderin' if your heart's still open
And if so, I wanna know what time it shuts
Simmer down an' pucker up, I'm sorry to interrupt
It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of tryin' to kiss you
I don't know if you feel the same as I do
But we could be together if you wanted to
(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin' flows both ways?
(Sad to see you go) was sorta hopin' that you'd stay
(Baby, we both know) that the nights were mainly made
For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day
Crawlin' back to you (crawlin' back to you)
Ever thought of callin' when
You've had a few? (You've had a few)
'Cause I always do ('cause I always do)
Maybe I'm too (maybe I'm too busy)
Busy bein' yours (bein' yours)
To fall for somebody new
Now, I've thought it through
Crawlin' back to you
(Do I wanna know?) If this feelin' flows both ways?
(Sad to see you go) was sorta hopin' that you'd stay
(Baby, we both know) that the nights were mainly made
For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day
(Do I wanna know?) Too busy bein' yours to fall
(Sad to see you go) ever thought of callin', darlin'?
(Do I wanna know?) Do you want me crawlin' back to you?
Lyrics submitted by gemmalouise89, edited by lockergr, nancymck, gracezoe, MashaM, SteveMurf, jamesh37, Itey, Jaceofpcb, Percythegoat, RayOfDarkness, TeddyStorm, azzyxx, jayjodelein, arctlcm0nkeyz, Mienie, BobTheRhino, almaluz, gifoverit, indieflower, Hancockenstein, oliviagilmorem
Do I Wanna Know? Lyrics as written by Alex Turner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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This song absolutely kills me- every line is laced with such pure desire and longing. He is infatuated, almost in a lust-filled fever: 'I dreamt about you nearly every night this week' or 'there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat until I fall asleep'. He just can't get her out of his head.
I don't think they were ever together exclusively. Maybe they were on the verge of something more, and they'd say stuff to each other ('baby we both know that the nights were mainly made for things you can't say tomorrow day…') At one point he knew she liked him back ('been wondering if your heart's STILL open..')
Something happened though, but he's still stuck on her. She is all he can think of, sober or drunk, and he just wants to know if she feels the same way.
Often with this type of obsession you turn the other person into something they are not or something they can never live up to. That's why he asks 'do I wanna know if this feeling goes both ways?' Does he face getting his feelings turned down? Or even worse, might he realise that she is not the person he has made her to be in his head?
There is a sick, exquisite kind of pain that comes with loving or lusting after someone you can't have. this song perfectly encapsulates that.
great interpretation.
I was in a situation exactly like this and the song perfectly describes how I felt. You hit it right on the head.
@ashlove I totally agree. I think she has a tendency to come-on to him when shes out partying or drunk.
@ashlove <br /> I totally agree, <br /> The only thing I can add is ... she has a boyfriend.. but deep down she likes him as well and now he knows she has feelings because they talk at night and say things to each-other that they cant say the next day as they go on with their 'normal live's'. It's her call to leave her boyfriend -hoping that she'd stay with him instead. And yes, he has built her up in his head.. infatuated. They've never been together yet. Sorry to interrupted (her relationship ) but we could be together if she wanted to.
@ashlove I think your interpretation is correct, but there is a bit missing: "do I wanna know?" the singer asks himself? Does he want to know if she likes him too, or is he too scared for a negative outcome? So far, this is written here already.<br /> However, the song is a process towards answering the question. First of all: "Now, I've thought it through". So he's made his mind up. And this is emphasized by the last sentence, when he directly asks her: "do you want me crawling back to you?" <br /> So does he want to know? Yes. He decides during the song, and therefore asks her at the end. <br /> It's true that it's unclear what the history was. Ex-girlfriend, a fling, someone else's girlfriend... it's impossible to tell. It's not very important though, it's about the infatuation as you say, and the subsequent decision process.