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.
They said that Hollywood was
Never gonna be the same without you
Still, you're gone
How could we forget that face
And all that silver flickering grace
That died with the silent age?
When everybody knew your name
They all knew your name
Born wild like a prairie flower
She was sown by the wind and blown for miles
Kansas couldn't keep the child
Hell-bound for the Great White Way
For the tawdry-bawdy burlesque stage, and
Wichita was miles and miles away
Everybody knew your name
Everybody knew your name
They knew your name
So you burned the candle
Burned it at both ends
So love ends in scandal
Burned it brief
You burned it bright
And the light in your immortal eyes
Is the light that'll never die
Christened in straight-up gin
Pandora was born in Weimar Berlin
And that was the rise before the fall
Everybody sat in the dark, dark, black as night
Everybody wanted to go where the light was so bright
And your shining face was gonna lead the way
Home-coming like a heroine bride
But the honeymoon was over before you arrived
And now they all cursed your name
Everybody cursed your name
Cold winds of Gotham howled
And the princess pawned her celluloid crown in the glass castle walls
Where nobody knew your name
Nobody knew your name
Never gonna be the same without you
Still, you're gone
How could we forget that face
And all that silver flickering grace
That died with the silent age?
When everybody knew your name
They all knew your name
Born wild like a prairie flower
She was sown by the wind and blown for miles
Kansas couldn't keep the child
Hell-bound for the Great White Way
For the tawdry-bawdy burlesque stage, and
Wichita was miles and miles away
Everybody knew your name
Everybody knew your name
They knew your name
So you burned the candle
Burned it at both ends
So love ends in scandal
Burned it brief
You burned it bright
And the light in your immortal eyes
Is the light that'll never die
Christened in straight-up gin
Pandora was born in Weimar Berlin
And that was the rise before the fall
Everybody sat in the dark, dark, black as night
Everybody wanted to go where the light was so bright
And your shining face was gonna lead the way
Home-coming like a heroine bride
But the honeymoon was over before you arrived
And now they all cursed your name
Everybody cursed your name
Cold winds of Gotham howled
And the princess pawned her celluloid crown in the glass castle walls
Where nobody knew your name
Nobody knew your name
Lyrics submitted by scott29050
Lulu Lyrics as written by Natalie Merchant
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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