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.
if my body’s made of water your body’s made of cash.
i can’t deny it makes me angry to see us go to waste.
i chose seaside and breakdown in the city made of light
and without you i’m not only okay but alright.
this reminds me of the way they kicked my love into the sea.
the sea shot fishes at our houses and the houses shot at me
and i took all my things and ran, i lived on trains and trams
and i said “yes” to everything.
light a candle with a forest, light the forest with your breath
while they sign contracts for lovers with fingers crossed behind their backs
and the little bit of wisdom i gained over the years is lost on us,
raised on fairytale ideals.
these rooms will vanish when we go away.
the walls will crumble but our pictures will stay.
and the mirrors keep our reflections through the struggles and the fights
and without you i’m not only okay but alright.
how will we ever know if this was real or just a conclusion
of being exposed to billboards telling us what we are supposed to do?
we’re asking ourselves if we'd know all the ways we can kiss
if we hadn’t previously seen it on television.
i’m the copy of a copy of a copy of a woman.
you’re the copy of a copy of a copy of a guy.
but the way we behaved towards each other
makes me think that even this could be a lie.
i part us with a knife, i look all the way inside and say,
“without you i’m not only okay but alright”.
i can’t deny it makes me angry to see us go to waste.
i chose seaside and breakdown in the city made of light
and without you i’m not only okay but alright.
this reminds me of the way they kicked my love into the sea.
the sea shot fishes at our houses and the houses shot at me
and i took all my things and ran, i lived on trains and trams
and i said “yes” to everything.
light a candle with a forest, light the forest with your breath
while they sign contracts for lovers with fingers crossed behind their backs
and the little bit of wisdom i gained over the years is lost on us,
raised on fairytale ideals.
these rooms will vanish when we go away.
the walls will crumble but our pictures will stay.
and the mirrors keep our reflections through the struggles and the fights
and without you i’m not only okay but alright.
how will we ever know if this was real or just a conclusion
of being exposed to billboards telling us what we are supposed to do?
we’re asking ourselves if we'd know all the ways we can kiss
if we hadn’t previously seen it on television.
i’m the copy of a copy of a copy of a woman.
you’re the copy of a copy of a copy of a guy.
but the way we behaved towards each other
makes me think that even this could be a lie.
i part us with a knife, i look all the way inside and say,
“without you i’m not only okay but alright”.
Lyrics submitted by feathersandtwine
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