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 said you'd be here at a quarter to five
I didn't know if you were dead or alive
How long d'you think that I could sharpen my knife
I've got better things to do with my life
It's almost the deadline
Don't miss the deadline, darling
When all your bad dreams will come true
Don't miss the deadline
It's almost the deadline, darling
I wouldn't want it to happen to you
Bill screamed at him, and he hung up the phone
I wonder if he ever felt more alone
He never finished his coffee that night
The ? oh! Dave, it was a terrible sight
He missed the deadline
He passed the deadline, darling
And I believe that somehow he knew
He crossed the deadline
He passed the deadline, darling
There wasn't a thing anybody could do
Listen my darling, now, don't play with fire
You find a way to balance hate and desire
It's almost the deadline
Don't miss the deadline darling
Consequences are easily misconstrued
Don't miss the deadline
It's almost the deadline, darling
I couldn't live if it happened to you
I didn't know if you were dead or alive
How long d'you think that I could sharpen my knife
I've got better things to do with my life
It's almost the deadline
Don't miss the deadline, darling
When all your bad dreams will come true
Don't miss the deadline
It's almost the deadline, darling
I wouldn't want it to happen to you
Bill screamed at him, and he hung up the phone
I wonder if he ever felt more alone
He never finished his coffee that night
The ? oh! Dave, it was a terrible sight
He missed the deadline
He passed the deadline, darling
And I believe that somehow he knew
He crossed the deadline
He passed the deadline, darling
There wasn't a thing anybody could do
Listen my darling, now, don't play with fire
You find a way to balance hate and desire
It's almost the deadline
Don't miss the deadline darling
Consequences are easily misconstrued
Don't miss the deadline
It's almost the deadline, darling
I couldn't live if it happened to you
Lyrics submitted by shut, edited by pirate87, SelenaKhoury
Deadline Lyrics as written by Roeser
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
According to Albert Bouchard, the person in question was booking agent Phil King (who booked gigs for the band before they were signed to Columbia).
Phil was apparently pressuring this guy to pay back a gambling debt, and the guy ended up shooting him. Phil King is also mentioned in the song, "Hot Rails to Hell" (in the lyric, "The King did not know").
Allen once described Phil King (also known as Phil Friedman) as a "big dude in a cheap vinyl leather jacket, two-tone blue '64 Lincoln Continental, wore a Fu Manchu mustache, combing his hair at all times, he had a perfect Shaft hairdo, chrome shades he never took off, wore 'em to bed..." Soon after BOC's first album was released, Phil was able to convince a New York DJ to play "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll" on the radio.