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.
Sometimes I can't move my feet it seems
As if I'm stuck in the ground somehow like a tree
As if I can't even breathe
And my screams come whispering out
As if nobody can even see me
Like a ghost
I can't see myself sometimes
Then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I had it
Sometimes I feel lost
As I pull you out like strings of memories
Wish I could weave them into you
And I could figure the whole damn puzzle out
But then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me then what I would sing for
If I had it all
Oh
I could take anything
If I had no greed to big
Just poison tainting the green
Remembering time
Much younger than me now
When my breath was light
When the world raised me kind
Here the mother comforts child
Every moment was waking up
But now I have grown tired
If I had it all
Oh I'd fuck it up sure
If I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I were a king
If I had everything
Piece by piece
If had you
If I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Then why in the world would I sing
If I had it all
As if I'm stuck in the ground somehow like a tree
As if I can't even breathe
And my screams come whispering out
As if nobody can even see me
Like a ghost
I can't see myself sometimes
Then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I had it
Sometimes I feel lost
As I pull you out like strings of memories
Wish I could weave them into you
And I could figure the whole damn puzzle out
But then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me then what I would sing for
If I had it all
Oh
I could take anything
If I had no greed to big
Just poison tainting the green
Remembering time
Much younger than me now
When my breath was light
When the world raised me kind
Here the mother comforts child
Every moment was waking up
But now I have grown tired
If I had it all
Oh I'd fuck it up sure
If I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I were a king
If I had everything
Piece by piece
If had you
If I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Then why in the world would I sing
If I had it all
Lyrics submitted by Amsie, edited by Mellow_Harsher
If I Had It All Lyrics as written by David Matthews Glen Ballard
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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As a sailor myself, its very obvious. This song is about the lone cowboy saying screw the rest of the world, I'm going out alone, away from you guys and all I need is my pony. There's been other songs and stories where they would just ride off into the dessert, but on a boat on the sea, you are the King, and you don't have to answer to anyone.