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.
Of all I knew, I held too few
And would you stop me, if I try to stop you?
Old songs stay 'til the end
Sad songs remind me of friends
And the way that it is, I could leave it all
And I ask myself, would you care at all?
When I drive alone at night, I see the streetlights as fairgrounds
And I tried a hundred times to see the road signs as Day-Glo
Old songs, stay till the end
Sad songs, remind me of friends
And the way that it is, I could leave it all
And I ask myself, would you care at all?
Old songs, stay till the end
Sad songs, remind me of friends
And the way that it is, I could leave it all
And I ask myself, would you care at all?
And would you stop me, if I try to stop you?
Old songs stay 'til the end
Sad songs remind me of friends
And the way that it is, I could leave it all
And I ask myself, would you care at all?
When I drive alone at night, I see the streetlights as fairgrounds
And I tried a hundred times to see the road signs as Day-Glo
Old songs, stay till the end
Sad songs, remind me of friends
And the way that it is, I could leave it all
And I ask myself, would you care at all?
Old songs, stay till the end
Sad songs, remind me of friends
And the way that it is, I could leave it all
And I ask myself, would you care at all?
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It sounds to me like this song is about a guy who is depressed and reminiscing about times past. He looks for any sign telling him things will get better but he just can\'t see it. He has nothing to look forward to, nothing to strive for and he wonders if anyone would notice if he just ceased to exist. He feels like he has no impact on the world around him and therefore, would make not impact on his exit from it. No one should have to feel this way..
@GenocidalGerbi that's kinda how I've interpreted it too, it's as though in that moment he's seeing street lights which has him thinking of fairgrounds and better times but can't see the road signs pointing to the "fairgrounds" (better times) although he's tried a 100 times. Also he's wondering if his love would notice or care if he were to just disappear but he still has his music and memories, even if some of them are sad they still mean something to him and it's something he can always rely on till the end.<br /> Or I could just be reading too much into it and maybe projecting myself onto the song-either way it's a wonderful, melancholic and beautiful song like so much of their music. And I agree no one should have to feel like that, at least not alone