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.
There was a time
When I was so broken-hearted
Love wasn't much of a friend of mine
The tables have turned, yeah
'Cause me and them ways have parted
That kind of love was the killin' kind
So listen
All I want is someone I can't resist
I know all I need to know by the way that I got kissed
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
I was cryin' just to get you
Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you
Do what you do down on me, yeah
Now there's not even breathing room
Between pleasure and pain
Yeah, you cry when we're making love
Must be one and the same
It's down on me
Yeah, I got to tell you one thing
It's been on my mind
Girl, I gotta say
We're partners in crime
You got that certain something
What you give to me takes my breath away
Now the word out on the street
Is the devil's in your kiss
If our love goes up in flames
It's a fire I can't resist
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
I was cryin' just to get you
Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you
Do what you do to me, yeah
'Cause what you got inside
Ain't where your love should stay
Yeah, our love, sweet love, ain't love
'Til you give your heart away, yeah
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
I was cryin' just to get you
Now I'm dyin' to let you
Do what you do, what you do down to
Know me, know you, baby, right now, right now, baby, right now
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery, yeah
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you
Do what you do down to, down to, down to
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
When I was so broken-hearted
Love wasn't much of a friend of mine
The tables have turned, yeah
'Cause me and them ways have parted
That kind of love was the killin' kind
So listen
All I want is someone I can't resist
I know all I need to know by the way that I got kissed
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
I was cryin' just to get you
Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you
Do what you do down on me, yeah
Now there's not even breathing room
Between pleasure and pain
Yeah, you cry when we're making love
Must be one and the same
It's down on me
Yeah, I got to tell you one thing
It's been on my mind
Girl, I gotta say
We're partners in crime
You got that certain something
What you give to me takes my breath away
Now the word out on the street
Is the devil's in your kiss
If our love goes up in flames
It's a fire I can't resist
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
I was cryin' just to get you
Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you
Do what you do to me, yeah
'Cause what you got inside
Ain't where your love should stay
Yeah, our love, sweet love, ain't love
'Til you give your heart away, yeah
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
I was cryin' just to get you
Now I'm dyin' to let you
Do what you do, what you do down to
Know me, know you, baby, right now, right now, baby, right now
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery, yeah
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you
Do what you do down to, down to, down to
I was cryin' when I met you
Now I'm tryin' to forget you
Your love is sweet misery
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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thsi song makes me cry everytime i hear it. im not a sappy person either. it just reminds me of my parents marriage. its off and on again and it is just recycled. but it would be sung by a woman instead. my mom met my dad after my real father died. and he just pulls her around like she is a bag on manure sometimes.