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.
Have you seen your mother, girl?
Has she gone away?
Gone away and found the pearl
But the price she paid
Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her
How far will you go I say
Just to bait a mouse?
Shorter lived and longer gone
Can you figure out?
Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her
Have you lost your sister, girl?
She's all but blown away
Blown away and lost the pearl
And the price she paid
Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her
Has she gone away?
Gone away and found the pearl
But the price she paid
Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her
How far will you go I say
Just to bait a mouse?
Shorter lived and longer gone
Can you figure out?
Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her
Have you lost your sister, girl?
She's all but blown away
Blown away and lost the pearl
And the price she paid
Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her
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”
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
this is what scott had to say about this song:
"I wrote it third person and I only realized a couple weeks ago when I finally listened to the whole album that it was actually an introspective thing. It's easier to write in an allegorical sense-third person-when it's something you have a hard time looking at. It's probably one of my favorite songs on the album. I think people are going to either love it or hate it."
im def one of those that love it