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.
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
The very moment when
I fell and let you in
Sirens went off inside
“Mind what you do,” they cried
Looking up from the pen
I saw that stupid grin
Say “There’s a future here
What have you got to fear?
That I’ve wasted all my time on you
Think about the good things to come instead
Take your time. don’t lose your head
I can’t help but think of all I’ve wasted
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
Though I can say I know
Just what it’s like to go
Where smarter people won’t
I’d rather say I don’t
Every could have been
Another moment spent
Stopping to rubberneck
At all the mental wrecks
How I’ve waste all my time on you
Think of all the good things you have instead
Take your time to rest your head
I can’t help but think of all I’ve wasted
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
So near to the aim
There I found myself alone
On my own
And away from all that we said
Words wasted
I guess you might as well
Have put me in a cell
It’s like I’m doing time
To get it off my mind
If I could only stop
And start it from the top
Of any better way
Where I could never say
That I wasted all my time
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
The very moment when
I fell and let you in
Sirens went off inside
“Mind what you do,” they cried
Looking up from the pen
I saw that stupid grin
Say “There’s a future here
What have you got to fear?
That I’ve wasted all my time on you
Think about the good things to come instead
Take your time. don’t lose your head
I can’t help but think of all I’ve wasted
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
Though I can say I know
Just what it’s like to go
Where smarter people won’t
I’d rather say I don’t
Every could have been
Another moment spent
Stopping to rubberneck
At all the mental wrecks
How I’ve waste all my time on you
Think of all the good things you have instead
Take your time to rest your head
I can’t help but think of all I’ve wasted
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
So near to the aim
There I found myself alone
On my own
And away from all that we said
Words wasted
I guess you might as well
Have put me in a cell
It’s like I’m doing time
To get it off my mind
If I could only stop
And start it from the top
Of any better way
Where I could never say
That I wasted all my time
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time on you
I wasted all my time
Lyrics submitted by NotCoolZeus
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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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