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.
Why
Why do you go wasting your time on me
You're so beautiful now
There's so much that's left for you now
Oh yeah, babe
And why
Why do you go flashing those eyes at me
You know that I'm eager to please
I've always been eager to please
Oh yeah, babe
But I, I've got a lot to say
And I'm scared that you're gonna slip away
And you, you've got this wide-eyed gaze
And a smile that you'll carry through your days
Oh why
Oh why
It's the easiest way
To know you're alive
And the beauty you heard
I see her talking with her hands
Well I don't think she knows
How she changed all my plans
Why
Why do you go wasting your youth on me
You're so beautiful now
There's so much time left for you now
Oh yeah, babe
Why
We look at the faces on your bedroom wall
Nobody's perfect at all
Well, sometimes it makes you feel small
Oh yeah, babe
Well I, I've got a lot to say
And I'm scared that you're gonna slip away
And you, you've got this wide-eyed gaze
And a smile that you'll carry through your days
Oh why
Oh why
It's the easiest way
To know you're alive
And the beauty you heard
I see her talking with her hands
Well I don't think she knows
How she changed all my plans
The things that I thought would last
Well they're fading, they're fading
The feelings I used to have
They're changing, they're changing
The things that I thought would last
Well they're fading, they're fading
The feelings I used to have
They're changing, they're changing, they're changing now
They're changing, they're changing now
They're changing, they're changing now
Why do you go wasting your time on me
You're so beautiful now
There's so much that's left for you now
Oh yeah, babe
And why
Why do you go flashing those eyes at me
You know that I'm eager to please
I've always been eager to please
Oh yeah, babe
But I, I've got a lot to say
And I'm scared that you're gonna slip away
And you, you've got this wide-eyed gaze
And a smile that you'll carry through your days
Oh why
Oh why
It's the easiest way
To know you're alive
And the beauty you heard
I see her talking with her hands
Well I don't think she knows
How she changed all my plans
Why
Why do you go wasting your youth on me
You're so beautiful now
There's so much time left for you now
Oh yeah, babe
Why
We look at the faces on your bedroom wall
Nobody's perfect at all
Well, sometimes it makes you feel small
Oh yeah, babe
Well I, I've got a lot to say
And I'm scared that you're gonna slip away
And you, you've got this wide-eyed gaze
And a smile that you'll carry through your days
Oh why
Oh why
It's the easiest way
To know you're alive
And the beauty you heard
I see her talking with her hands
Well I don't think she knows
How she changed all my plans
The things that I thought would last
Well they're fading, they're fading
The feelings I used to have
They're changing, they're changing
The things that I thought would last
Well they're fading, they're fading
The feelings I used to have
They're changing, they're changing, they're changing now
They're changing, they're changing now
They're changing, they're changing now
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I feel like this song is about fathers love and how he had been blessed with an at first unwanted child... As time goes on on the other hand, he realises that this child is a gift. Neither can he believe how she holds up with this rather hopeless guy that is her father xP.
I see how the song can be interpreted as him liking a girl and I feel like that probably is what it is about since Vance has that as a reoccuring theme in his spngs, but to me it feels like it can be interpret into such a beautiful song about a relationship between a father and his child.
also I think that the phrases "I see her talking with her hands", "we look at the faces on your bedroom wall", "why, why do you waste your youth on me" and "well I don't think she knows how she changed all my plans" show the innocent ignorance/unknowingness of a child.
@Moyabit I have to agree a lot of the song seems to be him describing a child and his changing expectations towards his own life "The things that I thought would last<br /> Well they’re fading, they’re fading The feelings I used to have They’re changing"<br /> <br /> Plus you get the sense it's a one way conversation, it's like he's not expecting her to respond.