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.
You cannot quit me so quickly
Is no hope in you for me?
No corner you could squeeze me
But I've got all the time for you love
The space between
The tears we cry is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The space between
The wicked lies we tell to keep us safe from the pain
Will I hold you again?
These fickle fuddled words confuse me
Like will it rain today
We waste the hours with talking talking
These twisted games we're playing
We're strange allies
With warring hearts
What a wild-eyed beast you be
The space between
The wicked lies we tell that hope to keep us safe from the pain
Look at us spinning out in the madness of a roller coaster
You know you went off like the devil in the church
In the middle of a crowded room
All we can do my love
Is hope we don't take this ship down
The space between
Where you smile and hide
Is where you'll find me if I get to go
The space between
The bullets in our firefight
Is where I'll be hiding waiting for you
The rain that falls
Splashed in your heart
Ran like sadness down the window into your room
The space between
Our wicked lies is
The hope to keep us safe from pain
Take my hand
'cause we're walking out of here
Right out of here
Is all we need dear
The space between
What's wrong and right
Is where you'll find me hiding waiting for you
The space between your heart and mind
Is the space we'll fill with time
The space between
The tears we cry is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The space between our wicked lies
Where we hope to keep safe from pain
The space between
The space between
Is no hope in you for me?
No corner you could squeeze me
But I've got all the time for you love
The space between
The tears we cry is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The space between
The wicked lies we tell to keep us safe from the pain
Will I hold you again?
These fickle fuddled words confuse me
Like will it rain today
We waste the hours with talking talking
These twisted games we're playing
We're strange allies
With warring hearts
What a wild-eyed beast you be
The space between
The wicked lies we tell that hope to keep us safe from the pain
Look at us spinning out in the madness of a roller coaster
You know you went off like the devil in the church
In the middle of a crowded room
All we can do my love
Is hope we don't take this ship down
The space between
Where you smile and hide
Is where you'll find me if I get to go
The space between
The bullets in our firefight
Is where I'll be hiding waiting for you
The rain that falls
Splashed in your heart
Ran like sadness down the window into your room
The space between
Our wicked lies is
The hope to keep us safe from pain
Take my hand
'cause we're walking out of here
Right out of here
Is all we need dear
The space between
What's wrong and right
Is where you'll find me hiding waiting for you
The space between your heart and mind
Is the space we'll fill with time
The space between
The tears we cry is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The space between our wicked lies
Where we hope to keep safe from pain
The space between
The space between
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by rambo25
Space Between Lyrics as written by Glen Ballard David John Matthews
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"The space between" is portrayed in many different ways in this song such as, The laughter that keeps them coming back for more, the bullets in their firefight, etc. Basically these people previously had such a pure love that it might have been a friendship. The person being sung about doesn't have any time for the other person, thus they are being ignored. Dave Matthews reminisces about how they would laugh, how they had so many memories but they were lost along the way. He doesn't want to get hurt ("safe from the pain") so he also stays away from the person who he used to be so close to but is now ignoring him and can't find time for him. That's my take on it.