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.
Break break down
Steady breakin' me on down, break break down
Steady breakin' me on down
Break break down, steady breakin' me on down
Break break down, steady breakin' me on down
You called yesterday to basically say
That you care for me,
But that you're just not in love
Immediately I pretended
To be feeling similarly
And led you to believe it was OK
To just walk away from the one thing
That's unyielding and sacred to me
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath a disguise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
So what do you do
When somebody you're so devoted to
Suddenly just stops loving you
And it seems they haven't got a clue
Of the pain that rejection is putting you through
Do you cling to your pride
And sing "I will survive"
Do you lash out and say "How dare you leave this way?"
Do you hold on in vain as they just slip away
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the disguise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
It'll break you down
Only if you let it
Everyday crazy situations rocking my mind
Tryin' to break me down
But I won't let it, forget it (forget it)
I be feelin' like you bringing me down
Taking me around
Stressin' me out
I think I better go and get out
And let me release some stress (stress)
Don't ever wanna feel no pain (pain)
Hoping for the sun but it looks like rain (rain, rain, rain)
Lord, I just wanna maintain
Yeah, I can feel pressures y'all
But nevertheless Krayzie won't fall
It's over, it's ending here (here)
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the guise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the guise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the guise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
Steady breakin' me on down, break break down
Steady breakin' me on down
Break break down, steady breakin' me on down
Break break down, steady breakin' me on down
You called yesterday to basically say
That you care for me,
But that you're just not in love
Immediately I pretended
To be feeling similarly
And led you to believe it was OK
To just walk away from the one thing
That's unyielding and sacred to me
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath a disguise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
So what do you do
When somebody you're so devoted to
Suddenly just stops loving you
And it seems they haven't got a clue
Of the pain that rejection is putting you through
Do you cling to your pride
And sing "I will survive"
Do you lash out and say "How dare you leave this way?"
Do you hold on in vain as they just slip away
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the disguise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
It'll break you down
Only if you let it
Everyday crazy situations rocking my mind
Tryin' to break me down
But I won't let it, forget it (forget it)
I be feelin' like you bringing me down
Taking me around
Stressin' me out
I think I better go and get out
And let me release some stress (stress)
Don't ever wanna feel no pain (pain)
Hoping for the sun but it looks like rain (rain, rain, rain)
Lord, I just wanna maintain
Yeah, I can feel pressures y'all
But nevertheless Krayzie won't fall
It's over, it's ending here (here)
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the guise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the guise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
Well I guess I'm trying to be
Nonchalant about it
And I'm going to extremes to prove
I'm fine without you
But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind
Underneath the guise of a smile
Gradually I'm dying inside
Friends ask me how I feel
And I lie convincingly
'Cause I don't want to reveal
The fact that I'm suffering
So I wear my disguise
'Til I go home at night
And turn down all the lights
And then I break down and cry
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