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.
When I first met you on the roof,
You caught me in your web of youth,
But now I know the wicked truth,
It's much to late so what's the use in fighting?
You peel me like an onion skin,
And wonder at the state I'm in,
One day you'll turn up to begin,
And find there's nothing left but innuendo.. (innuendo)
Beside you others fade away,
Like amateurs in love's charade,
Much more than just a game you play,
The certain rules become a way of living.. (way of living)
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
The Queen of sensuality,
You shelter me from Liberty,
It's nothing short of Piracy,
That's not to say it doesn't please me sometimes.
Now this may come as no surprise,
But I'm content to compromise,
Until the day you realize,
That I have been manipulating you.. (no surprise, no surprise)
(Man-ipu-lat-ing)
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
(Yes, I'm tied up inside your loving
But it's voodoo to me
Every night how I try
How I try to resist you
But it's no good to me)
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
You caught me in your web of youth,
But now I know the wicked truth,
It's much to late so what's the use in fighting?
You peel me like an onion skin,
And wonder at the state I'm in,
One day you'll turn up to begin,
And find there's nothing left but innuendo.. (innuendo)
Beside you others fade away,
Like amateurs in love's charade,
Much more than just a game you play,
The certain rules become a way of living.. (way of living)
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
The Queen of sensuality,
You shelter me from Liberty,
It's nothing short of Piracy,
That's not to say it doesn't please me sometimes.
Now this may come as no surprise,
But I'm content to compromise,
Until the day you realize,
That I have been manipulating you.. (no surprise, no surprise)
(Man-ipu-lat-ing)
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
(Yes, I'm tied up inside your loving
But it's voodoo to me
Every night how I try
How I try to resist you
But it's no good to me)
Night after night I try to prove
That I can resist you
Tied up inside your Love Voodoo
Designed to Manipulate
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I heard from someone who seems to have severely misinterpreted many of the songs that this was about OCD. I kind of like that interpretation though. I hear John wrote this song.