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.
don't break too many hearts
don't take too many arrows in the chest
cry comfortably
let us all know what you're thinking
is there a gesture i could use
to clearly express
i'm at an utter loss for words
is there a part of you that's torn
that's larger than life
that'll hold on for one more night
i've got a speech to make
followed by a big parade
northside, closed eyes
all charades go on forever
hands tied with fools pride
in a slowly fleeing summer
just throw your hands up at the sky
no use trying to explain this
the clouds are mirrors, i'm disguised
i'm not all that entertaining
the city looks the same
until you notice smaller changes
it still knows us all by name
it holds us close to its heart
all my hopes are unaligned
this diagnosis is self-designed
northside, dead eyes
all charades go on forever.
hands tied with past lives
in a slowly fleeing summer.
empty rooms don't have pictures to talk to
brickwall views demand uninspired afternoons
the days are flooding into months
the nights are staring into centuries
i've got some older pictures
of people i see once every couple years
intrigued or unamazed
you were so much different back in those days
and now this smile has a bitter curve
now these eyes are unenchanted
and all we see
is a faded image of what we used to be.
how can we relate
when we don't know
a thing about each other anymore
when we don't know
each other anymore
is there a gesture i could use
to clearly express
i'm at an utter loss for words
don't take too many arrows in the chest
cry comfortably
let us all know what you're thinking
is there a gesture i could use
to clearly express
i'm at an utter loss for words
is there a part of you that's torn
that's larger than life
that'll hold on for one more night
i've got a speech to make
followed by a big parade
northside, closed eyes
all charades go on forever
hands tied with fools pride
in a slowly fleeing summer
just throw your hands up at the sky
no use trying to explain this
the clouds are mirrors, i'm disguised
i'm not all that entertaining
the city looks the same
until you notice smaller changes
it still knows us all by name
it holds us close to its heart
all my hopes are unaligned
this diagnosis is self-designed
northside, dead eyes
all charades go on forever.
hands tied with past lives
in a slowly fleeing summer.
empty rooms don't have pictures to talk to
brickwall views demand uninspired afternoons
the days are flooding into months
the nights are staring into centuries
i've got some older pictures
of people i see once every couple years
intrigued or unamazed
you were so much different back in those days
and now this smile has a bitter curve
now these eyes are unenchanted
and all we see
is a faded image of what we used to be.
how can we relate
when we don't know
a thing about each other anymore
when we don't know
each other anymore
is there a gesture i could use
to clearly express
i'm at an utter loss for words
Lyrics submitted by AllStarMe
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