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.
Can you see who it might be?
Tell old man to ring the bell
Climb the steps up from the sea
Strange and dark and very tall
Can you see who it might be?
Visitors - they are so few
Head so proud but curls so free
Looks like someone I once knew
David - of the Viking heart
Glitter of the sea
It couldn't
It wouldn't
It daren't be
The men they see him up the coast
At the drinking house of Morley Arms
Hails the sea with every toast
And he hails the ladies with his charms
All the ladies he does love
Each day I saw his bosom swell
He's not like me - I love but one
And I love that one and I know him well
Ah - but all the love
In the world was not enough
So I couldn't
I wouldn't
I daren't say no
David - how you made me feel
Every crack in every wall
Climb above the traps of man
Shout above the sirens call
But now the siren's all you hear
Shamed and dizzy you can't stop
All the things we used to fear
Are you spinning - little top?
The strangeness of it all
Is you know yourself so well
But you couldn't
You wouldn't
You daren't say no
Signs of you - they disappeared
Poems and candles - I don't need
Flowers that you brought to me
Fell into a book I never read
I cut my hair off like a man
Too much trouble and what's more
It was tarnished by your hand
Gone my hair...into a drawer
I said - should you leave?
And you - you just agreed
So we couldn't
We wouldn't
We daren't say no
now I have been a woman true
Taking all that life does send
I thought I could love just you
But the heart does sway and the body does bend
tales of you sometimes they come
I smile and nod quite naturally
My thoughts so rarely to you run
I watch the glitter of the sea
*****
can you see who it might be?
Tell old man to ring the bell
Climb the steps up from the sea
I cannot see - I know him well
David of the Viking heart
Glitter of the sea
It couldn't
It wouldn't
It daren't be
Tell old man to ring the bell
Climb the steps up from the sea
Strange and dark and very tall
Can you see who it might be?
Visitors - they are so few
Head so proud but curls so free
Looks like someone I once knew
David - of the Viking heart
Glitter of the sea
It couldn't
It wouldn't
It daren't be
The men they see him up the coast
At the drinking house of Morley Arms
Hails the sea with every toast
And he hails the ladies with his charms
All the ladies he does love
Each day I saw his bosom swell
He's not like me - I love but one
And I love that one and I know him well
Ah - but all the love
In the world was not enough
So I couldn't
I wouldn't
I daren't say no
David - how you made me feel
Every crack in every wall
Climb above the traps of man
Shout above the sirens call
But now the siren's all you hear
Shamed and dizzy you can't stop
All the things we used to fear
Are you spinning - little top?
The strangeness of it all
Is you know yourself so well
But you couldn't
You wouldn't
You daren't say no
Signs of you - they disappeared
Poems and candles - I don't need
Flowers that you brought to me
Fell into a book I never read
I cut my hair off like a man
Too much trouble and what's more
It was tarnished by your hand
Gone my hair...into a drawer
I said - should you leave?
And you - you just agreed
So we couldn't
We wouldn't
We daren't say no
now I have been a woman true
Taking all that life does send
I thought I could love just you
But the heart does sway and the body does bend
tales of you sometimes they come
I smile and nod quite naturally
My thoughts so rarely to you run
I watch the glitter of the sea
*****
can you see who it might be?
Tell old man to ring the bell
Climb the steps up from the sea
I cannot see - I know him well
David of the Viking heart
Glitter of the sea
It couldn't
It wouldn't
It daren't be
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