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.
You say that it's over baby, Lord
You say that it's over now
But still you hang around me, come on
Won't you move over
You know that I need a man, honey Lord
You know that I need a man
But when I ask you to you just tell me
That maybe you can
Please don't you do it to me babe, no!
Please don't you do it to me baby
Either take this love I offer
Or just let me be
I ain't quite a ready for walking, no no no no
I ain't quite a ready for walking
And what you gonna do with your life
Life all just dangling?
Oh yeah
Make up your mind, honey
You're playing with me, hey hey hey
Make up your mind, darling
You're playing with me, come on now
Now either be my loving man
I said-a, let me honey, let me be, yeah
You say that it's over, baby, no
You say that it's over now
But still you hang around me, come on
Won't you move over
You know that I need a man, honey, I told you so
You know that I need a man
But when I ask you to you just tell me
That maybe you can
Hey! Please don't you do it to me, babe, no
Please don't you do it to me baby
Either take this love I offer
Honey let me be
I said won't you, won't you let me be
Honey, you're teasing me
Yeah, you're playing with my heart, dear
I believe you're toying with my affections, honey
I can't take it no more baby
And furthermore, I don't intend to
I'm just tired of hanging from the end of a string, honey
You expect me to fight like a goddamned mule
Wah, wah, wah, wah, honey
You say that it's over now
But still you hang around me, come on
Won't you move over
You know that I need a man, honey Lord
You know that I need a man
But when I ask you to you just tell me
That maybe you can
Please don't you do it to me babe, no!
Please don't you do it to me baby
Either take this love I offer
Or just let me be
I ain't quite a ready for walking, no no no no
I ain't quite a ready for walking
And what you gonna do with your life
Life all just dangling?
Oh yeah
Make up your mind, honey
You're playing with me, hey hey hey
Make up your mind, darling
You're playing with me, come on now
Now either be my loving man
I said-a, let me honey, let me be, yeah
You say that it's over, baby, no
You say that it's over now
But still you hang around me, come on
Won't you move over
You know that I need a man, honey, I told you so
You know that I need a man
But when I ask you to you just tell me
That maybe you can
Hey! Please don't you do it to me, babe, no
Please don't you do it to me baby
Either take this love I offer
Honey let me be
I said won't you, won't you let me be
Honey, you're teasing me
Yeah, you're playing with my heart, dear
I believe you're toying with my affections, honey
I can't take it no more baby
And furthermore, I don't intend to
I'm just tired of hanging from the end of a string, honey
You expect me to fight like a goddamned mule
Wah, wah, wah, wah, honey
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
...... No one's commented on this song... It's true it fairly obvious what it's about why hasn't anyone just stated how good it is? Has no one else fallen in love with Pearl as I have and love every single song on it? What is wrong with the world these days? "I can't take it no more, baby And furthermore I don't intend to" That's the best line.
Well what can you do
You say that it�s over baby, Lord, You say that it�s over now, But still you hang around me, come on, Won�t you move over.
this is the best part! sounds like the instruments are dancing with her voice. amazing. she is amazing.
I love Janis!!! Her voice makes you feel the music down to your soul.
axs.com/janis-joplin-5-best-quotes-interview-moments-69381