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.
(Absolutely everybody, everybody, everybody)
(Absolutely everybody, everybody, everybody)
(Absolutely everybody, everybody, everybody)
(Absolutely everybody)
Absolutely everybody (everybody, everybody)
Absolutely everybody (everybody, everybody)
Absolutely everybody (everybody, everybody)
Absolutely everybody
Everybody needs a little lovin'
Everybody needs somebody thinkin' of them
Everybody needs a little respect
And whatever it takes
I'm gonna get it
Everybody needs a hand to hold
Someone to cling to
When the nights are getting cold
I'm no different
I am just the same
A player in the game
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Absolutely everybody
Every boy and every girl
Absolutely everybody
Everybody needs a human touch
I can't live without it
It means too much to me
Everybody needs one true friend
Someone who'll be there 'til the very end
And absolutely everybody breathes
And everybody, everybody bleeds
We're no different
We're all the same
Players in the game
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Everybody breathes
And everybody needs
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody (everybody)
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Absolutely everybody
Every boy and girl
Every woman and child
Every father and son
I said, now everyone
Yes, now everyone (everybody)
Everybody needs a human touch
Everybody, everybody needs love
I'm no different
I am just the same
A player in the game
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Everybody breathes
And everybody needs
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Everybody breathes
And everybody needs
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
(Absolutely everybody, everybody, everybody)
(Absolutely everybody, everybody, everybody)
(Absolutely everybody)
Absolutely everybody (everybody, everybody)
Absolutely everybody (everybody, everybody)
Absolutely everybody (everybody, everybody)
Absolutely everybody
Everybody needs a little lovin'
Everybody needs somebody thinkin' of them
Everybody needs a little respect
And whatever it takes
I'm gonna get it
Everybody needs a hand to hold
Someone to cling to
When the nights are getting cold
I'm no different
I am just the same
A player in the game
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Absolutely everybody
Every boy and every girl
Absolutely everybody
Everybody needs a human touch
I can't live without it
It means too much to me
Everybody needs one true friend
Someone who'll be there 'til the very end
And absolutely everybody breathes
And everybody, everybody bleeds
We're no different
We're all the same
Players in the game
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Everybody breathes
And everybody needs
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody (everybody)
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Absolutely everybody
Every boy and girl
Every woman and child
Every father and son
I said, now everyone
Yes, now everyone (everybody)
Everybody needs a human touch
Everybody, everybody needs love
I'm no different
I am just the same
A player in the game
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Everybody breathes
And everybody needs
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
In the whole wide world
Everybody breathes
And everybody needs
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
Everybody, everybody
Absolutely everybody
Absolutely everybody
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
I recommend that everybody goes to Youtube right now and watches the video for this. I love this song, but oh my, that video...