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.
There's a thousand words that I could say
To make you come home, yeah
Seems so long ago you walked away
And left me alone
And I remember what you said to me
You were acting so strange, mm
And maybe I was too blind to see
That you needed a change
Was it something I said
To make you turn away?
To make you walk out and leave me cold?
If I could just find a way
To make it so that you were right here
Right now
I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind (can't get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (touch your face)
But the truth remains, you're
Gone
You're gone
Baby, you're gone
Girl, you're gone
Baby girl, you're gone
You're gone
You're
Now I don't wanna make excuses, baby
Won't change the fact that you're gone
No, no
But if there's something that I could do
Won't you please let me know?
The time is passing so slowly now
Guess that's my life without you, mm-mm
(Guess that's my life without you)
And maybe I could change my every day, yeah
But, baby, I don't want to
So I'll just hang around
And find some things to do
To take my mind off missing you
(Take my mind off missing you)
And I know in my heart
You can't say that you don't love me too
Please say you do
Yeah, hey, hey, yeah, yeah
I've been sitting here (sitting here)
Can't get you off my mind (get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
(My best to be a man and be strong)
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (wishing I could touch your face)
But the truth remains, you're
(Truth remains, you're)
Gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
Oh, oh
What will I do
If I can't be with you?
Tell me where will I turn to?
Baby, who will I be?
Now that we are apart
Am I still in your heart?
Baby, why don't you see?
That I need you here with me
Oh, oh
I've been sitting here (sitting here)
Can't get you off my mind (can't get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
(My best to be a man)
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (going crazy, baby, oh)
But the truth remains, you're
(The truth remains, you're gone)
I've been sitting here (sitting here)
Can't get you off my mind (can't get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
(My best to be a man, oh)
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (oh)
But the truth remains, you're (oh, oh)
(Baby, the truth is, you're)
Gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
Baby girl, you're gone
You're gone
But the truth remains, you're
To make you come home, yeah
Seems so long ago you walked away
And left me alone
And I remember what you said to me
You were acting so strange, mm
And maybe I was too blind to see
That you needed a change
Was it something I said
To make you turn away?
To make you walk out and leave me cold?
If I could just find a way
To make it so that you were right here
Right now
I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind (can't get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (touch your face)
But the truth remains, you're
Gone
You're gone
Baby, you're gone
Girl, you're gone
Baby girl, you're gone
You're gone
You're
Now I don't wanna make excuses, baby
Won't change the fact that you're gone
No, no
But if there's something that I could do
Won't you please let me know?
The time is passing so slowly now
Guess that's my life without you, mm-mm
(Guess that's my life without you)
And maybe I could change my every day, yeah
But, baby, I don't want to
So I'll just hang around
And find some things to do
To take my mind off missing you
(Take my mind off missing you)
And I know in my heart
You can't say that you don't love me too
Please say you do
Yeah, hey, hey, yeah, yeah
I've been sitting here (sitting here)
Can't get you off my mind (get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
(My best to be a man and be strong)
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (wishing I could touch your face)
But the truth remains, you're
(Truth remains, you're)
Gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
Oh, oh
What will I do
If I can't be with you?
Tell me where will I turn to?
Baby, who will I be?
Now that we are apart
Am I still in your heart?
Baby, why don't you see?
That I need you here with me
Oh, oh
I've been sitting here (sitting here)
Can't get you off my mind (can't get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
(My best to be a man)
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (going crazy, baby, oh)
But the truth remains, you're
(The truth remains, you're gone)
I've been sitting here (sitting here)
Can't get you off my mind (can't get you off my mind)
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
(My best to be a man, oh)
I drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face (oh)
But the truth remains, you're (oh, oh)
(Baby, the truth is, you're)
Gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
Baby girl, you're gone
You're gone
But the truth remains, you're
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
this song is just about being depressed and lonley...when you found out you did something stupid to lose your relationship...it also mends with the fact that you never know how much you need or care for someone until there gone...btw this song got old after listening to it once.
@XxKamuixX @XxKamuixX shut your face. This came out in 2001 and I’m now 26 still having the maddest feels with this that I had listening to this with my baby feelings. This song hits different.
I know the song is pretty blatant but I feel like there has to be at least one comment explaining its meaning objectively (WITHOUT dissing the band or the song).
The song is pretty much about how Person A did something wrong to lose love interest Person B and now Person A is feeling guilty and has to deal with the absence of Person B. It doesn't really look like Person B will come back, at least not any time soon and Person A is having a lot of difficulty settling into his/her newfound loneliness and ache for Person B.
Yeah, I know it's a guy towards a girl but I like to keep things ambiguous.
good song. beautiful
beautiful. Justin's voice is very sexy.
i love this song ,but was all justin. they should have put jc in there somewhere :) no offense 2 justin or nothin.
haha they finally figured out if justin gets a song by hiself that they'd make more money..corporate music sucks!
this song rules.
by far nsync's best song
love this song so much! and its even better becuase justin sings most of it! love his voice!
This is an awesome song.
One of my favourites. :D