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.
Hey young girl staring at me
Smiling so mysteriously
Your eyes so shiny and your lips so red
Do you know this tune playing in my head
Hey Cordelia don't you frown
Though your daddy went crazy and your
house burned down
I'm gonna make everything alright
I'm singing just for you tonight
I got a tune running through my head and it
won't go away
Singing to me softly, singing to me day
after day
And I want you darling, and I don't want
nobody but you
We can jam in the daylight, we can jam
the whole night through
'Cause I need someone to turn me on
Someone to wake beside at dawn
Someone to sing my song
And be my Nightingale.
Someone to kiss beneath the moon
And sleep with in the afternoon
Someone to sing my tune
And be my Nightingale.
Your face so fine and your body so shy
England in the rain is no place to be
Go find your lover out across the sea
Girl do you hear the music playing
Do you understand what the singer is saying
And these visions that we both have seen
Baby can you tell me just what they mean?
I got a tune running through my head that I
want you to hear
Play it for you darling, for your sisters and
the good King Lear
And I been dreaming of a day when the sun
will shine again
Shine on through your lightning, shine on
through your thunder and rain
'Cause I need someone to turn me on
So won't you listen to the band
And won't you try to understand
And won't you let me be your fool
And hold you by the hand
And sing until I see that you are smiling...
Smiling so mysteriously
Your eyes so shiny and your lips so red
Do you know this tune playing in my head
Hey Cordelia don't you frown
Though your daddy went crazy and your
house burned down
I'm gonna make everything alright
I'm singing just for you tonight
I got a tune running through my head and it
won't go away
Singing to me softly, singing to me day
after day
And I want you darling, and I don't want
nobody but you
We can jam in the daylight, we can jam
the whole night through
'Cause I need someone to turn me on
Someone to wake beside at dawn
Someone to sing my song
And be my Nightingale.
Someone to kiss beneath the moon
And sleep with in the afternoon
Someone to sing my tune
And be my Nightingale.
Your face so fine and your body so shy
England in the rain is no place to be
Go find your lover out across the sea
Girl do you hear the music playing
Do you understand what the singer is saying
And these visions that we both have seen
Baby can you tell me just what they mean?
I got a tune running through my head that I
want you to hear
Play it for you darling, for your sisters and
the good King Lear
And I been dreaming of a day when the sun
will shine again
Shine on through your lightning, shine on
through your thunder and rain
'Cause I need someone to turn me on
So won't you listen to the band
And won't you try to understand
And won't you let me be your fool
And hold you by the hand
And sing until I see that you are smiling...
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
My Favorite GSW tune
Quick story, I was in New Haven, CT in 1993 or 1994 with some friends and we stopped into a bar, no one was there....they asked us if we were the band...we said no and decided to leave and come back a couple of hours later.....
We came back and it was still pretty quiet, but some people there. I played pool with Aaron, but didn't know he was in the band. He asked us if we heard of them, and I said, "yeah, we are the band"...then told him the story of how the owner didn't know....
Well, anyway, he goes on stage and they start playing....insert foot in mouth...I hope he understands we were kidding. Anyway, I was amazed at the quality of music they were playing, for not being recognized...I bought BAG right there that night (I never do that, nor have I done it again since, always wait a day or two to see if thier tunes stick in my head)..
I wish Stupid Hat was on it, that is the one I remember the most from that night, along with Nightingale...
Thanks for listening to my rant.