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.
Why does it feel like night today?
Something in here's not right today
Why am I so uptight today?
Paranoia's all I got left
I don't know what stressed me first
Or how the pressure was fed
But I know just what it feels like
To have a voice in the back of my head
Like a face that I hold inside
face that awakes when I close my eyes
face that watches every time I lie
face that laughs every time I fall (and watches everything)
So I know that when it's time to sink or swim
That the face inside is here in me, right underneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
I know I've got a face in me
Points out all my mistakes to me
You've got a face on the inside too
Your paranoia's probably worse
I don't know what set me off first but I know what I can't stand
Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is I can't add up to what you can
But everybody has a face that they hold inside
face that awakes when I close my eyes
face that watches every time they lie
face that laughs every time they fall (and watches everything)
So you know that when it's time to sink or swim
That the face inside is watching you too, right inside your skin
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
The face inside is right beneath your skin
The face inside is right beneath your skin
The face inside is right beneath your skin
The sun goes down
I feel the light betray me
The sun goes down
I feel the light betray me (the sun)
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back (the sun)
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath the skin (I feel the light betray me)
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back (the sun)
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within (I feel the light betray me)
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
Something in here's not right today
Why am I so uptight today?
Paranoia's all I got left
I don't know what stressed me first
Or how the pressure was fed
But I know just what it feels like
To have a voice in the back of my head
Like a face that I hold inside
face that awakes when I close my eyes
face that watches every time I lie
face that laughs every time I fall (and watches everything)
So I know that when it's time to sink or swim
That the face inside is here in me, right underneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
I know I've got a face in me
Points out all my mistakes to me
You've got a face on the inside too
Your paranoia's probably worse
I don't know what set me off first but I know what I can't stand
Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is I can't add up to what you can
But everybody has a face that they hold inside
face that awakes when I close my eyes
face that watches every time they lie
face that laughs every time they fall (and watches everything)
So you know that when it's time to sink or swim
That the face inside is watching you too, right inside your skin
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
The face inside is right beneath your skin
The face inside is right beneath your skin
The face inside is right beneath your skin
The sun goes down
I feel the light betray me
The sun goes down
I feel the light betray me (the sun)
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back (the sun)
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath the skin (I feel the light betray me)
It's like I'm paranoid, lookin' over my back (the sun)
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within (I feel the light betray me)
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Great version of a great song,
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Of all the songs on this CD, I like this one the most. Mostly because of the lyric, "Everybody has a face that they hold inside", because that's true. This band has a way of taking people who are miserable or who are feeling alone and basically just making them feel better - especially this song - because it shows them that they really aren't alone. At least that's what this CD does for me.
Yeah I totally agree!!! Not just this CD, but almost all of their work! The band sings about stuff that ways heavy and everybody's hearts. Every song is a new feeling, a new bad feeling! But it feels good to have a successful band sing about stuff that break my heart, hurt me, and cut me the deepest!!! I am not alone, you are not alone, we are not alone!