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.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
All this time I've never let you go
And ever since chains that had kept you into holding down my soul
I set you up, I gave you life
I try to act up fine, and
Now you knock me down, you shut me out
And I can see it in your eyes
So, how you got it in your head
That you can make it on your own
You were sheltered, loved and fed
But you just couldn't leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Your heart was here, resting on my lap
And I'd do it all again
But I'm never coming back
Well I know I'm lying, lying in the cold
Yeah the snow on the ground and if I know myself
I'll be leavin' down the road
I've been all around the world
But got nowhere to go
I give into this lonely life, and you can't change
When I saw, leaving
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
The ghosts are on the green
Each and every night
Oh the distant light
Is the hardest part to take
That's the heart of all my pain
Lying in the cold
Oh the distant light
In a hue we can't describe, still we know
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Could it all be over now?
We've seen it all the while
There's no dimension to the clouds
And the moon and world around
That's the heart of all my pain
'Cause I don't wanna go
Oh the distant light
In a hue we can't describe, still we know
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
All this time I've never let you go
And ever since chains that had kept you into holding down my soul
I set you up, I gave you life
I try to act up fine, and
Now you knock me down, you shut me out
And I can see it in your eyes
So, how you got it in your head
That you can make it on your own
You were sheltered, loved and fed
But you just couldn't leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Your heart was here, resting on my lap
And I'd do it all again
But I'm never coming back
Well I know I'm lying, lying in the cold
Yeah the snow on the ground and if I know myself
I'll be leavin' down the road
I've been all around the world
But got nowhere to go
I give into this lonely life, and you can't change
When I saw, leaving
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Leave it alone
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
The ghosts are on the green
Each and every night
Oh the distant light
Is the hardest part to take
That's the heart of all my pain
Lying in the cold
Oh the distant light
In a hue we can't describe, still we know
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Could it all be over now?
We've seen it all the while
There's no dimension to the clouds
And the moon and world around
That's the heart of all my pain
'Cause I don't wanna go
Oh the distant light
In a hue we can't describe, still we know
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Lyrics submitted by NickAVV, edited by smallwonderrobot
Leave It Alone Lyrics as written by James Russell Mercer Brian Joseph Burton
Lyrics © Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Maybe its a mid-late age parent opening up to a child after an extended period of estrangement. The child and parent don't see eye-eye; and its mostly over the issue of faith. The child is self-reliant and values truth, while the parent is conventional, conservative. The parent holds on to the dream of an afterlife, while the child sees this faith as irrational, and as repressed death anxiety, "the heart of all my pain." Its like the parent acknowledges he/she might be wrong, but then so might the child. At any rate, the parent is too stuck in their ways, a change in philosophy at this stage of life would be too great a shock to the system. So to the child, please just leave it alone.
Apollo, described me to a tee. Maybe that's why I like the song so much.
Me too! This song instantly stood out to me from the album. I've had intense dreams involving this topic - about confronting my parents on certain beliefs and emotional trauma always ensues. I've never had the courage to challenge my parents in real life. Yet, our differences in perspective keep us from having a healthy relationship. Its so hard...
This is a great song. It's tough lyrically though and is either about something very personal to the author or possibly about letting go of a child after the person has raised them and then their progression through age into their twilight years and ultimately death.
I'm thinking its about a relationship that didn't work out originally. But they both know that they love each other and are trying to re kindle the relationship but its harder than it should be. And now there are some reservations but the love they share is still there. Its complex and I enjoy this song because this is exactly what I have been going through.