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.
Back in school they never taught us
What we needed to know
Like how to deal with despair
Or someone breakin' your heart
For twelve years I've held it all together
But a night like this is beggin' to pull me apart
I played it quiet left you deep in conversation
I felt uncool and hung out around the kitchen
I remember I kept thinking
That I know you never would
And now I know I want to kill you
Like only a best friend could
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
Everyone's caught on to
As if it happening wasn't enough
I got to go and write a song
Just to remind myself how bad it sucked
Ignore the sun, covers over my head
Wrote a message on my pillow that says
"Jesse, stay asleep in bed"
Don't apologize (I hope you choke and die!)
Search your cell for something which to hang yourself
They say you need to pray
If you want to go to heaven
But they don't tell you what to say
When your whole life has gone to Hell!
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
Everyone's caught on to
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to
So is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with
Cause I've seen more spine on jellyfish
I've seen more guts on eleven-year-old kids
Have another drink and drive yourself home
I hope there's ice on all the roads
And you can think of me when you forget your seat belt
And again when your head goes through the windshield
Is that what you call tact?
You're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back
So let's end this call and end this conversation
And is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with
Cause you left the frays from the ties you severed
When you say "best friends" means friends forever
Is that what you call a getaway?!!
Tell me what you got away with!!
Cause I've seen more spine on jellyfish!!
I've seen more guts on eleven-year-old kids!!
Have another drink and drive yourself home!!
I hope there's ice on all the roads!!
And you can think of me when you forget your seat belt
Then when your head goes through the windshield!!
(I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to
(I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(And I can't let you let me down again)
What we needed to know
Like how to deal with despair
Or someone breakin' your heart
For twelve years I've held it all together
But a night like this is beggin' to pull me apart
I played it quiet left you deep in conversation
I felt uncool and hung out around the kitchen
I remember I kept thinking
That I know you never would
And now I know I want to kill you
Like only a best friend could
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
Everyone's caught on to
As if it happening wasn't enough
I got to go and write a song
Just to remind myself how bad it sucked
Ignore the sun, covers over my head
Wrote a message on my pillow that says
"Jesse, stay asleep in bed"
Don't apologize (I hope you choke and die!)
Search your cell for something which to hang yourself
They say you need to pray
If you want to go to heaven
But they don't tell you what to say
When your whole life has gone to Hell!
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
Everyone's caught on to
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to
So is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with
Cause I've seen more spine on jellyfish
I've seen more guts on eleven-year-old kids
Have another drink and drive yourself home
I hope there's ice on all the roads
And you can think of me when you forget your seat belt
And again when your head goes through the windshield
Is that what you call tact?
You're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back
So let's end this call and end this conversation
And is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with
Cause you left the frays from the ties you severed
When you say "best friends" means friends forever
Is that what you call a getaway?!!
Tell me what you got away with!!
Cause I've seen more spine on jellyfish!!
I've seen more guts on eleven-year-old kids!!
Have another drink and drive yourself home!!
I hope there's ice on all the roads!!
And you can think of me when you forget your seat belt
Then when your head goes through the windshield!!
(I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to
(I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(And I can't let you let me down again)
Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208
Seventy Times 7 Lyrics as written by Garrett Tierney Brian Lane
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Seventy Times Seven was written about a falling out between best friends. Lead singer Jesse Lacey had been best friends with then Taking Back Sunday guitarist/singer John Nolan (who has left the band) since grade school. Lacey's girlfriend at the time cheated on him with Nolan. John called Jesse, and the last words that Jesse spoke to him were, "You're as subtle as a brick on the small of my back so lets end this call and end this conversation" and hung up. That was the last time they spoke and then years later Brand New added it as lyrics to their song "Seventy Times 7" which is about what happened and his feelings toward Nolan. Taking Back Sunday then came out with the song "There's No 'I' In Team," which expresses John's side of the story. In "There's No 'I' In Team," he says, "What I can't regret, can't you just forget it?" which shows how he wants to get past was happened between them