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.
It's good to meet
Someone with a future as fucked up as mine.
So, I'm unpredictable,
Is this some fucking sign of the times?
I take pride
In what I do, and I do it well.
Call me easy-going
But at least I have a finished story to tell.
'Cause tomorrow I just might be
Another face on your T.V.
Being arrested for telephone fraud
Or beating someone to death with my guitar!
But I know I will go far, I know I will go
Far enough to tell you that I love you
But I know I'm stupid
Just because I run right back to you.
I got your letters yesterday
But I don't have a thing to say,
So I'll nail 'em to my wall
And just pretend they'll go away!
I don't want to love you,
But it's something that I love to do.
So I'll say this one last thing and then I'm
Gone away for good
Was I misunderstood?
I guess that it's too late to save you now!
Someone with a future as fucked up as mine.
So, I'm unpredictable,
Is this some fucking sign of the times?
I take pride
In what I do, and I do it well.
Call me easy-going
But at least I have a finished story to tell.
'Cause tomorrow I just might be
Another face on your T.V.
Being arrested for telephone fraud
Or beating someone to death with my guitar!
But I know I will go far, I know I will go
Far enough to tell you that I love you
But I know I'm stupid
Just because I run right back to you.
I got your letters yesterday
But I don't have a thing to say,
So I'll nail 'em to my wall
And just pretend they'll go away!
I don't want to love you,
But it's something that I love to do.
So I'll say this one last thing and then I'm
Gone away for good
Was I misunderstood?
I guess that it's too late to save you now!
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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.”
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