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.
Memories are just where you laid them
Drag the waters till the depths give up their dead
What did you expect to find?
Was there something you left behind?
Don't you remember
Anything I said when I said
Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands
Love lies bleeding
Oh, hold me now, I feel contagious
Am I the only place that you've left to go?
She cries her life is like
Some movie, black and white
Dead actors faking lines
Over and over and over again she cries
Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands
Love lies bleeding
And I wanted, but you turned away
You don't remember, but I do
You never even tried
Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
Leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
Leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again, oh
Drag the waters till the depths give up their dead
What did you expect to find?
Was there something you left behind?
Don't you remember
Anything I said when I said
Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands
Love lies bleeding
Oh, hold me now, I feel contagious
Am I the only place that you've left to go?
She cries her life is like
Some movie, black and white
Dead actors faking lines
Over and over and over again she cries
Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands
Love lies bleeding
And I wanted, but you turned away
You don't remember, but I do
You never even tried
Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
Leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
Leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again, oh
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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.
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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This song goes perfect with my ex..i'll interpret what i think line by line
MEMORIES ARE JUST WHERE YOU LAID THEM(the singer isn't the same since she left. no new memories or progressions in life. DRAG THE WATERS, TIL' THE DEPTHS GIVE UP THEIR DEAD.(and the memories will stay that way until YOU change them and make things better) WHAT DID YOU EXPECT TO FIND?(whst did you expect of me now that you've come back? WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU LEFT BEHIND?(Why are you back? did you finally realize i'm the one?) (DON'T YOU REMEMBER, ANYTHING I SAID WHEN I SAID?(everything i told you before you left me is now all i coming back to you..)
CHORUS:
DON'T FALL AWAY, AND LEAVE ME TO MYSELF(don't leave me, because i will never be with anyone else) DON'T FALL AWAY, AND LEAVE LOVE BLEEDING IN MY HANDS, IN MY HANDS AGAIN, LEAVE LOVE BLEEDING IN MY HANDS, IN MY HANDS, LOVE LIES BLEEDING!!!(don't leave me and the love i have for you "unused")
AH HOLD MY NOW I FEEL CONTAGIOUS(how you treated me, has now actually rubbed off on me, makin me not want you now) AM I THE ONLY PLACE THAT YOU LEFT TO GO?(you realize how stupid you were, so you come running back to the only thing that was real ? SHE CRIES HER LIFE IS LIKE, SOME MOVIE BLACK AND WHITE(she says that her life is that of a movie where there should be a happy ending. DEAD ACTORS FAKING LINES, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN SHE CRIES(the guy she left me for says the same old bullshit, never meaning anything he ever said. now all she does is tell me how bad it was.
CHORUS all same meanings
AND I WANTED, YOU TURNED AWAY, YOU DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I DO, YOU NEVER EVEN TRIED(all i wanted was you but you didn't give me the chance knowing it would be real love, you say you don't remember but its only because you never gave it a chance.)
CHORUS
same meanings but stresses how you left his love for the girl in his hands by repeating that line "leave love bleeding in my hands three times in the ending chorus.
thats what i think. it makes me cry every time b/c i still love her! its been since november and i dont go a day not thinkin about her..I love you Michelle Albrecht!