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.
I find her standing in a doctor's uniform
Trying her best to save him
Oh, but his breathing is much slower than before
Honey it's time to let it end
Tomorrow comes another hundred thousand times
Practicing perfect dying
But he can't be saved, he likes the pain too much to be denied
And I don't hear a soul denying
And now the little boy who cried just got his way
But nobody wants to play
It's a shame that no one cried when William died, I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
The sad frozen eyes-are watching William die
And he's dying all the time
He wanders through the crowd alone and out of place
Muttering something about being numb
And he wears his skin so tight, a smile would crack his face
As his heart beats purple blood
And here we stand above the open ground
As they lower his body down
It's a shame that no one cried when William died. I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
The sad frozen eyes-are watching William die
Ooohhh...And he's dying all the time
Ooohhh..And they lower his body down...
It's a shame that no one cried when William died, I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
It's a shame that no one cried when William died. I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
The sad frozen eyes-watching William die
And he's dying all the time...
Ooooohhh...
Trying her best to save him
Oh, but his breathing is much slower than before
Honey it's time to let it end
Tomorrow comes another hundred thousand times
Practicing perfect dying
But he can't be saved, he likes the pain too much to be denied
And I don't hear a soul denying
And now the little boy who cried just got his way
But nobody wants to play
It's a shame that no one cried when William died, I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
The sad frozen eyes-are watching William die
And he's dying all the time
He wanders through the crowd alone and out of place
Muttering something about being numb
And he wears his skin so tight, a smile would crack his face
As his heart beats purple blood
And here we stand above the open ground
As they lower his body down
It's a shame that no one cried when William died. I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
The sad frozen eyes-are watching William die
Ooohhh...And he's dying all the time
Ooohhh..And they lower his body down...
It's a shame that no one cried when William died, I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
It's a shame that no one cried when William died. I think it's funny
He won't give a damn about not loving you or anybody
The sad frozen eyes-watching William die
And he's dying all the time...
Ooooohhh...
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