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.
Yeah, oh yeah
Alright, oh, oh, oh
It's amazing how you knock me off my feet, hm
Every time you come around me I get weak, oh yeah
Nobody ever made me feel this way, oh
You kiss my lips and then you take my breath away
So I want to know
I want to know what turns you on
I'd like to know (So I can be all that and more)
I'd like to know (I'd like to know what makes you cry)
So I can be the one who always makes you smile
Girl, he never understood what you were worth, hm no
And he never took the time to make it work
(You deserve more loving, girl)
Baby, I'm the kind of man who shows concern, yes I do, oh
Anyway that I can please you let me learn
So I wanna know
I wanna know what turns you on
I wanna know (So I can be all that and more)
I'd like to (I'd like to know what makes you cry)
So (So I can be the one who always makes you smile)
Make you smile, babe
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
I wish that I could take a journey through your mind, alright
And find emotions that you always try to hide, babe, oh
I do believe that there's a love you want to share, oh, oh
I'll take good care of you, lady, have no fear, oh
So I wanna know
I wanna know what turns you on
I wanna know (So I can be all that and more)
And I'd like to (I'd like to know what makes you cry)
So I can be the one who always makes you smile
Uh tell me, tell me, tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
I wanna know what turns you on
I'd like to know, I'd like to know (So I can be all that and more)
(I wanna know) I'd like to know what makes you cry
(So) So I can be the one who always makes you smile
I'd like to know, I wanna know
I wanna know what turns you on
Tell me, girl
Alright, oh, oh, oh
It's amazing how you knock me off my feet, hm
Every time you come around me I get weak, oh yeah
Nobody ever made me feel this way, oh
You kiss my lips and then you take my breath away
So I want to know
I want to know what turns you on
I'd like to know (So I can be all that and more)
I'd like to know (I'd like to know what makes you cry)
So I can be the one who always makes you smile
Girl, he never understood what you were worth, hm no
And he never took the time to make it work
(You deserve more loving, girl)
Baby, I'm the kind of man who shows concern, yes I do, oh
Anyway that I can please you let me learn
So I wanna know
I wanna know what turns you on
I wanna know (So I can be all that and more)
I'd like to (I'd like to know what makes you cry)
So (So I can be the one who always makes you smile)
Make you smile, babe
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
I wish that I could take a journey through your mind, alright
And find emotions that you always try to hide, babe, oh
I do believe that there's a love you want to share, oh, oh
I'll take good care of you, lady, have no fear, oh
So I wanna know
I wanna know what turns you on
I wanna know (So I can be all that and more)
And I'd like to (I'd like to know what makes you cry)
So I can be the one who always makes you smile
Uh tell me, tell me, tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby, anything you say I'll do
'Cause I only want to make you happy
From the bottom of my heart, it's true
I wanna know what turns you on
I'd like to know, I'd like to know (So I can be all that and more)
(I wanna know) I'd like to know what makes you cry
(So) So I can be the one who always makes you smile
I'd like to know, I wanna know
I wanna know what turns you on
Tell me, girl
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
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.
ValleyGirlxo I feel you. My current boyfriend has been in love with me for the past 3 years but I only let him in last year. Guys you won't believe the reason why I was holding back????????. I always pushed him away from me because I thought he was too hot for me. I felt like I was a downgrade for him. Finally I gave him a chance but still I wasn't fully in because I still felt like he was gonna go back to his senses and realize how much of a downgrade I am for him. I would not call, text him for a month but he would still to my neighborhood even though he wouldn't see me but he'd happy that he saw his "pumpkin" (as he would call me) even though from afar. Fast forward... He's living in another province now and I have never been so shattered in my whole entire life. But I love him nonetheless.
SIVUYILE MAJOLA I LOVE YOU MY LOVE AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU.????????????????