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'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs
But I look around me and I see it isn't so
Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs
And what's wrong with that?
I'd like to know
'Cause here I go again
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me (I love you)
Now can't you see?
Ah, she gave me more, she gave it all to me (I love you)
Now can't you see?
What's wrong with that?
I need to know
'Cause here I go again
I love you
I love you
Love doesn't come in a minute
Sometimes it doesn't come at all
I only know that when I'm in it
It isn't silly, love isn't silly, love isn't silly at all, yeah, yeah
How can I tell you about my loved one?
How can I tell you about my loved one?
How can I tell you about my loved one? (I love you)
How can I tell you about my loved one? (I love you)
I love you
I love you
I love you (I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say can't you see)
I love you (ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say can't you see)
You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs
But I look around me and I see it isn't so, oh, no
Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs
And what's wrong with that?
But I look around me and I see it isn't so
Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs
And what's wrong with that?
I'd like to know
'Cause here I go again
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me (I love you)
Now can't you see?
Ah, she gave me more, she gave it all to me (I love you)
Now can't you see?
What's wrong with that?
I need to know
'Cause here I go again
I love you
I love you
Love doesn't come in a minute
Sometimes it doesn't come at all
I only know that when I'm in it
It isn't silly, love isn't silly, love isn't silly at all, yeah, yeah
How can I tell you about my loved one?
How can I tell you about my loved one?
How can I tell you about my loved one? (I love you)
How can I tell you about my loved one? (I love you)
I love you
I love you
I love you (I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say can't you see?)
I love you (I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say can't you see)
I love you (ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say can't you see)
You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs
But I look around me and I see it isn't so, oh, no
Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs
And what's wrong with that?
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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.
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.
whoops bass line lol ;p