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.
Seems like your heart stops working
The minute they close the curtain
You take off your mask
And take off your costume
And if anyone asks you're taking a smoke break
Drinking some coffee
But everyone knows what you're doing
Seems like the bus moves slower
Just cause you got somewhere to go
So you take a few pills in Beverly Hills
But if anyone asks you've got a prescription
You got an addiction
Who do you think that you're fooling
John Doe, I just want the John I know
Once you put the drinks on hold
Maybe you could come back home
John Doe, ooh oh oh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Errybody's addicted to something
Errybody gotta grip onto something
Even if it's just to feel the response of appeal
Maybe once, maybe twice
Maybe hundreds of times, hundreds of times
Without it, it's just harder to function at times
You race to the bottom of every single bottle
As if there was someone or something to find
You're struggling in your mind
And you tell yourself lie after lie
'Til you get to the point where it's no longer private
That people that you work with noticed the signs
When you walk in the room
It gets noticeably quiet
So you break up the silence, you say you've been at the gym
But the way look, can't blame on the diet
So what you hiding?
John Doe, I just want the John I know
Once you put the drinks on hold
Maybe you could come back home
John Doe, ooh oh oh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Yeah, I've probably had too many things
Smashed too many freaks
Had too much to dro(I mean)
Had too much to drink
Left the club, ended up in custody
Random drug test, passed it luckily
My girl broke up wit' me cause she walked in suddenly
With a woman up under me
I told her "Wait!
It ain't what it look like!
I must've slip and fell, clumsy me!"
Well, at least I admit it, cause the worst you could do
Is to do it and not be man enough to say that you did it
That's just how you prevent it, well I ain't no different
I love all the money, the fame
And the parties with beautiful women
I spend so much time as an underground artist
'Cause I was afraid to succumb to the business
And what I'd become
But that what you'd judge I become
The path with the greatest resistance
That's how the tables can turn when they pivot
And change you perspective and flip your entire position
My whole life I've been dying to wish and to live and experience
Everything possible
When I told 'em my dreams, they just said they ain't logical
Now, I can see it, it's optical (optical)
John Doe, I just want the John I know
Once you put the drinks on hold
Maybe you could come back home
John Doe.
The minute they close the curtain
You take off your mask
And take off your costume
And if anyone asks you're taking a smoke break
Drinking some coffee
But everyone knows what you're doing
Seems like the bus moves slower
Just cause you got somewhere to go
So you take a few pills in Beverly Hills
But if anyone asks you've got a prescription
You got an addiction
Who do you think that you're fooling
John Doe, I just want the John I know
Once you put the drinks on hold
Maybe you could come back home
John Doe, ooh oh oh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Errybody's addicted to something
Errybody gotta grip onto something
Even if it's just to feel the response of appeal
Maybe once, maybe twice
Maybe hundreds of times, hundreds of times
Without it, it's just harder to function at times
You race to the bottom of every single bottle
As if there was someone or something to find
You're struggling in your mind
And you tell yourself lie after lie
'Til you get to the point where it's no longer private
That people that you work with noticed the signs
When you walk in the room
It gets noticeably quiet
So you break up the silence, you say you've been at the gym
But the way look, can't blame on the diet
So what you hiding?
John Doe, I just want the John I know
Once you put the drinks on hold
Maybe you could come back home
John Doe, ooh oh oh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Oooh oh oh ohooh oooh
Yeah, I've probably had too many things
Smashed too many freaks
Had too much to dro(I mean)
Had too much to drink
Left the club, ended up in custody
Random drug test, passed it luckily
My girl broke up wit' me cause she walked in suddenly
With a woman up under me
I told her "Wait!
It ain't what it look like!
I must've slip and fell, clumsy me!"
Well, at least I admit it, cause the worst you could do
Is to do it and not be man enough to say that you did it
That's just how you prevent it, well I ain't no different
I love all the money, the fame
And the parties with beautiful women
I spend so much time as an underground artist
'Cause I was afraid to succumb to the business
And what I'd become
But that what you'd judge I become
The path with the greatest resistance
That's how the tables can turn when they pivot
And change you perspective and flip your entire position
My whole life I've been dying to wish and to live and experience
Everything possible
When I told 'em my dreams, they just said they ain't logical
Now, I can see it, it's optical (optical)
John Doe, I just want the John I know
Once you put the drinks on hold
Maybe you could come back home
John Doe.
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