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.
I never meant to get us in this deep
I never meant for this to mean a thing
Oh, I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
I got caught up by the chase
And you got high on every little bit
I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
Oh, if I could go back in time
When you only held me in my mind
Just a longing, gone without a trace
Oh, I wish I never ever seen your face
I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
I miss the way you wanted me
When I was staying just out of your reach
Begging for the slightest touch
Ooh, you couldn't get enough, mmm
Oh, if I could go back in time
When you only held me in my mind
Just a longing, gone without a trace
Oh, I wish I never ever seen your face
I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
Got away from me
Got away from me
For anybody has to breathe
Oh, if I could go back in time
When you only held me in my mind
Just a longing, gone without a trace
Oh, I wish I never ever seen your face
I wish you were the one
I wish you were the one
Oh, I wish you were the one
I wish you were the one that got away
I never meant for this to mean a thing
Oh, I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
I got caught up by the chase
And you got high on every little bit
I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
Oh, if I could go back in time
When you only held me in my mind
Just a longing, gone without a trace
Oh, I wish I never ever seen your face
I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
I miss the way you wanted me
When I was staying just out of your reach
Begging for the slightest touch
Ooh, you couldn't get enough, mmm
Oh, if I could go back in time
When you only held me in my mind
Just a longing, gone without a trace
Oh, I wish I never ever seen your face
I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away
Got away from me
Got away from me
For anybody has to breathe
Oh, if I could go back in time
When you only held me in my mind
Just a longing, gone without a trace
Oh, I wish I never ever seen your face
I wish you were the one
I wish you were the one
Oh, I wish you were the one
I wish you were the one that got away
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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I think this is autobiographical of Joy and JP. If you watched their Grammy acceptance speech, you could cut the tension with a knife. Not to mention the chemistry on their last album. I think they indulged a fantasy that both knew was wrong but that, once fulfilled, ended up being worse for both parties. It seems to me like it was Joy chasing JP. Once whatever happened, it created the aforementioned tension and probably led to their split.
I think the song is talking about the typical "I wish I'd never met you" thing. I think that they were going through a time where someone screwed up, and in the very moment, they had wished they had never met them. Although, there is a haunting memory of all the good things that came out of it, something happened that broke that trust.
"I miss the way you wanted me When I was staying just out of your reach Begging for the slightest touch Ooh, you couldn't get enough, mmm"
That is the symbol of all the good memories.
"I never meant to get us in this deep I never meant for this to mean a thing Oh, I wish you were the one Wish you were the one that got away
I got caught up by the chase And you got high on every little bit I wish you were the one Wish you were the one that got away"
That symbolizes that everything that happened was rushed, but at the same time, so caught up in the moment that they didn't even realize what was going on.
And then the chorus tells you all about how all these things made them feel that way. They wished they'd never met them, they wished that person was the one that got away. It's a longing of wishing to undo time, and let them walk away. It was all just an image in their head, come to life, and gone wrong. I think that's what the song is about.
totally agree..<br /> it was something incredible and rare... so good, so fast... and it fell apart suddenly... and now that it's over it now it hurts so badly that she wishes she'd never let it happen because then she wouldn't have these memories to contend with.<br />
Wow this song is absolutely fantastic. The chorus is so passionate!
This song is very relatable, obviously about someone stuck in a relationship that was going so well, but somewhere along the way things went wrong and now they are committed to each other and there is a lot of bitterness and resentment.
If this is really autobiographical of Joy/JP, that is absolutely insane. It really explains the oddness of the entire situation, of them being mysteriously on hiatus both before and after a new album drops. IF it's truly meant to be autobiographical (disclaimer: speculation) then it's pretty clear they had an affair and I wonder if the line about wishing the relationship was "just a longing gone without a trace" means they had a baby together (the trace being left behind being a baby).
I know that's probably crass to speculate about and it could be 100% incorrect but I know Joy just had a baby, so just throwing that out there.. just something I pondered as I read the lyrics. Of course, it could be just about others finding out about an affair as well.
One thing's for sure, it's insane how the tone and content of the album shifted from Barton Hollow to self-titled. Considering they are oddly on hiatus, it's clear SOMETHING pretty serious happened, probably romantic, and definitely more serious than your typical band in-fighting.
Well... Joy's husband is their manager, so if they did have an affair (which I doubt they did), then it would have been hard if Joy's husband was there with them on tour...<br /> <br /> According to an interview with Joy (John Paul isn't doing any interviews, by the way), she says they canceled midway into their European tour due to "internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition." There was a lot of tension between them (you can see it in the studio cut version of this song).<br /> <br /> What's sad is that they haven't spoken since they finished the record... It really is a shame they broke up. :(<br /> <br /> If you want to see the interview: npr.org/2013/08/02/207981618/the-civil-wars-joy-williams-on-the-duos-fragile-bond
I have to agree with a couple of the comments already about this being autobiographical. If so, that's pretty gutsy to make it the opening single of their brand new album. But as Hank used to say, there's no apologies for a great song. If you're in the line of fire when the writer is creating, you're fair game.
Their sudden tour cancellation when they were at the very cusp of exploding in popularity was more than strange. The sexual chemistry of their stage act was obvious to anyone watching. SOMETHING had to happen, or almost happen. And I think this song is one artistic perspective on that. One way or the other it's a heck of a song. This has echoes of some of the great incredibly personal material that filled Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors". Not bad company. I'm glad they're still around.