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.
I want somebody to share, share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts, know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side and give me support
And in return, she'll get my support
She will listen to me when I want to speak
About the world we live in and life in general
Though my views may be wrong, they may even be perverted
She'll hear me out and won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking, in fact, she'll often disagree
But at the end of it all, she will understand me
Aah
I want somebody who cares for me passionately
With every thought and with every breath
Someone who'll help me see things in a different light
All the things I detest I will almost like
I don't want to be tied to anyone's strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear of those things
But when I'm asleep I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me and kiss me tenderly
Though things like this make me sick
In a case like this, I'll get away with it
Aah
Ouuh
Share my innermost thoughts, know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side and give me support
And in return, she'll get my support
She will listen to me when I want to speak
About the world we live in and life in general
Though my views may be wrong, they may even be perverted
She'll hear me out and won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking, in fact, she'll often disagree
But at the end of it all, she will understand me
Aah
I want somebody who cares for me passionately
With every thought and with every breath
Someone who'll help me see things in a different light
All the things I detest I will almost like
I don't want to be tied to anyone's strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear of those things
But when I'm asleep I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me and kiss me tenderly
Though things like this make me sick
In a case like this, I'll get away with it
Aah
Ouuh
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song is one of the most honest and beautiful love songs I have ever heard.
I really sohuldn't listen to this song too much, 'cause it remind me of how lonely I am.
Still, beautiful.
Another good love song in this lyrical vein is "Message to My Girl" by Split Enz--written by Neil Finn for his wife, Sharon--the first verse of this song, oddly enough, goes: "I don't want to say I love you/That would give away too much/To be detached and precious/The only thing you feel is vicious/I don't wan't to say I want you/Even though I want you so much..." followed by the chorusline: "No more empty self-possession/Feelings swept under the mat/It's no New Year's resolution/It's more than that..." It's been often heard that Neil, who as a general rule, will leave it up to us fans to interpret his lyrics, even perplexes his own wife, who has sometimes asked him herself "what the bloody hell are you going on about" when hearing quite a few of his songs over the years, LOL.
i read this comment after almost three years but thanks to you I have discovered a great new song and a great new band. thanks much! Message to My Girl is a great song!
I agree, pharmageek -- "Message to My Girl" is a fantastic love song that eschews the typical bubble gum pop song sentiments. "Somebody" is a lot more straightforward, almost along the lines of a personal ad, but I think the final couplets of both verses are what make the song stand out as something different.
It's on Some Great Reward...but the live version on the 101 concert album is even better, at least I think so.
"I don't want to be tied to anyone's strings" & "But when I'm asleep/I want somebody/Who will put their arms around me/And kiss me tenderly"...
pls recommend any songs which are as great as this one.
@meja I Never by Rilo Kiley
But when I'm asleep I want somebody Who will put their arms around me And kiss me tenderly Though things like this Make me sick In a case like this I'll get away with it Aaaahhhhh....
What it means is he's usually sick of that romantic lovey-dovey nonsense but in this situation(if it is that SOMEBODY) then he'll make the exception and will actually want to be hugged/kissed/etc.
The beautiful lyrics of this song convey a hearts overwhelming longing to be loved with a mind which contradicts it all. A person who desperately wants to be in love with the fear of falling completely.
The song has a consistent background.
Trains coming and going Bartenders tending Tables talking Rain raining. Heart beating.
In the midst of this is a vulnerable and honest plea. Pure desire. Tender request. Realistic report... A vulnerable thesis and pointed desperate revaluation of pure need.
But the last words stick out... Things like this make me sick. In a case like this...ill get away with it....
In the light of the persistent environment and background surroundings....
It's not forthcoming nor realistic...
Despite his honest plea and desire...it's not possible....and from the writers perspective...no one knows.... No one cares.
We are left with transient noise and a frantic synthesizer...
It's a song of desperation.
A longing for connecting amidst a stubborn environment of persistent detachment and shallow transition.
It longs... And successfully so.
What album is this song on?
Yes, thiks song is really great. I like the live version as well. If you like Depeche Mode a lot, I would recommend hearing their music in a different way. There's a CD full of covers out there called For the MASSES. It's got some good stuff on there. Veruca Salt does Somebody and I think it's a pretty fair job. Deftones and Smashing Pumpkins are also on there. It's pretty well done, although Depeche Mode will always hold my favorite (for their own songs, naturally).