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.
Maybe I
Tell you that it's no big deal
Maybe I can aim this high
Or maybe I could eat my words
You're not same, not the same, you're not the same
Not the same, you're not the same, not the same
You're not same, not the same
I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
And never do what I used to
Maybe you
Could tell 'em that you stayed the course
Maybe I could tear my view
Or maybe I should eat my words
You're not same, not the same, you're not the same
Not the same, you're not the same, not the same
You're not same, not the same
I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
And never do what I used to
And never do what I used to
Keep you away from the down side of me
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see
I believe that you're all that you said you would be
If I keep you away from the down side of me
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (only if I could see)
I believe that you're all that you said you would be (only if you could see)
If I keep you away from the down side of me (Only if I could see)
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (Only if I could see)
I believe that you're all that you said you would be (Only if I could see)
If I keep you away from the down side of me (Only if I could see)
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (Only if I could see)
I believe that you're all that you said you would be (Only if I could see)
You can wrap up your hopes and release them to me (Only if I could see)
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (Only if I could see)
I'll believe that you're all that you said you would be
You would be
You would be
You would be
I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
All I see
And I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
And never do what I used to
And never do what I used to
Tell you that it's no big deal
Maybe I can aim this high
Or maybe I could eat my words
You're not same, not the same, you're not the same
Not the same, you're not the same, not the same
You're not same, not the same
I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
And never do what I used to
Maybe you
Could tell 'em that you stayed the course
Maybe I could tear my view
Or maybe I should eat my words
You're not same, not the same, you're not the same
Not the same, you're not the same, not the same
You're not same, not the same
I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
And never do what I used to
And never do what I used to
Keep you away from the down side of me
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see
I believe that you're all that you said you would be
If I keep you away from the down side of me
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (only if I could see)
I believe that you're all that you said you would be (only if you could see)
If I keep you away from the down side of me (Only if I could see)
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (Only if I could see)
I believe that you're all that you said you would be (Only if I could see)
If I keep you away from the down side of me (Only if I could see)
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (Only if I could see)
I believe that you're all that you said you would be (Only if I could see)
You can wrap up your hopes and release them to me (Only if I could see)
You can keep me a drip of the light that you see (Only if I could see)
I'll believe that you're all that you said you would be
You would be
You would be
You would be
I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
All I see
And I believe, I believe
And tell myself to think forward
I will show I believe
And I hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light
And never do what I used to
And never do what I used to
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-I think that the speaker in this song is someone swallowing their pride or being humble, or worst case scenario, remaining silent ("eat my words").
-She is trying to hide her pain from the other person ("Keep you away from the down side of me")
-Something (perhaps an argument) has caused distress in her relationship. She knows she's right or innocent (if in case of seeing her being as a victim of abuse), but she still loves the other person
-She is trying to view the other person as good. She still believes there good things can also still happen in their relationship, no matter whatever unfortunate event has happened. ("I will show I believe/ And hold you up and know that you're all I see in the light")
-However, she knows deep inside that this other person is someone different from an earlier point in their relationship ("You're not the same")
-She also seems to be asking the other person to open up to her; she wants to support this person still ("You can wrap up your hopes and release them to me")
-It seems that she is very willing to swallow her pride in hopes that he'll still truly love her back. ("You can keep me a trick of the light that you see") ---- This might be a very, very far off reference, but "Trick of the Light" is a song by The Who. At the surface, the song is about a guy and a prostitute. But if you dig in deeper, the song presents the guy's realization that, like him, the prostitute is seeking love/a deep connection with a significant someone.
Overall, I think the song is about the STRUGGLE to hide her down side away from the other person. The line "Not the same, not the same, you're not the same, not the same" sounds like a chant or something uttered in disappointment, quietly to oneself. This contrasts whenever "I believe, I believe" is sung. The music seems brighter and trying to uplift the mood. However, the chanting is embedded throughout, suggesting that she is constantly trying to make a decision. A bit sad, really ):
@rrgn Poignant song lyric. Spot on. Read your interpretation and it resonated with how the song makes me feel. It's about loving someone and ignoring the very fact that the relationship is dying. In all relationships, one person always fights to keep it going and the other side always makes up all the reasons for why it must fail in the end. It's reminiscent of the "Elephant Love Medley" from the movie Moulin Rouge where one character is talking about the possibility of how great love is and the other character (Satine) dismisses the possibility that love exists.
"I believe that you're all that you said you would be If I keep you away from the down side of me"
I get tinges of abuse in this image. Someone who feels loved when she doesn't show flaws
I see it as basically as a promise to change bad behavior, like an addiction or acting like a jerk.
I know the general consensus is this is a song about a relationship going wrong, but I think it's about someone who's been hurt in the past, but found someone new who's amazing. She wants to keep him away from the down sides of her and be happy with him because he's not the same as the others.
I believe you're all you said you would be... tell myself to think forward... I'll hold you up in the light.
I think it's about letting go of your baggage from past heartbreak and giving this new thing a chance without messing it up because of our scars, expectations or fears.