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.
ellen and ben
they met at someone's house warming party
they didn't like each other at first
but i was still there
i heard them talking as they found their raincoats
they made a date expecting the worst
ellen went home
she made a snack and went up on her rooftop
and didn't think about ben at all
she stayed up for hours
just watching all the drunk folks find their taxis
because all in all it was a good night
soco in bed
a sunny sunday watching john mclaughlin
and having sex again and again
i stopped by
because ellen had my copy of nebraska
they never even put on their clothes
hung for a while
but everytime i tried to ask them something
they started making out again
i thought it was rude
i couldn't tell you why
ellen and ben
they may as well have run off to havana
and simply dissapeared for a year
they show up at shows
but less and less and saying 'hi' to no one
and why they ever came wasn't clear
they got a new place
but neither of their names were in the phonebook
so no one really knew where they were
i thought it was cheap
but i couldn't tell you why
when i was ten
i had this book of modern fighter planes
with f15s and MiGs
that and a bowl of Breyer's Mint Chip was life at its apex
the chewing of pens
the ocean city girls out on the boardwalk singing oh oh oh yeah yeah yeah
ellen and ben
i heard they broke up loudly at a wedding
and never saw each other again
it seems kind of weird
they made each other feel like they could die but
they couldn't stay the slightest of friends
well i'm doing fine
i'm staying busy hanging with my nephew
and trying to keep my eyes on the prize
you know how it goes
and so do i so call me if you can now
you know how i love a surprise
they met at someone's house warming party
they didn't like each other at first
but i was still there
i heard them talking as they found their raincoats
they made a date expecting the worst
ellen went home
she made a snack and went up on her rooftop
and didn't think about ben at all
she stayed up for hours
just watching all the drunk folks find their taxis
because all in all it was a good night
soco in bed
a sunny sunday watching john mclaughlin
and having sex again and again
i stopped by
because ellen had my copy of nebraska
they never even put on their clothes
hung for a while
but everytime i tried to ask them something
they started making out again
i thought it was rude
i couldn't tell you why
ellen and ben
they may as well have run off to havana
and simply dissapeared for a year
they show up at shows
but less and less and saying 'hi' to no one
and why they ever came wasn't clear
they got a new place
but neither of their names were in the phonebook
so no one really knew where they were
i thought it was cheap
but i couldn't tell you why
when i was ten
i had this book of modern fighter planes
with f15s and MiGs
that and a bowl of Breyer's Mint Chip was life at its apex
the chewing of pens
the ocean city girls out on the boardwalk singing oh oh oh yeah yeah yeah
ellen and ben
i heard they broke up loudly at a wedding
and never saw each other again
it seems kind of weird
they made each other feel like they could die but
they couldn't stay the slightest of friends
well i'm doing fine
i'm staying busy hanging with my nephew
and trying to keep my eyes on the prize
you know how it goes
and so do i so call me if you can now
you know how i love a surprise
Lyrics submitted by plosion, edited by peanutbuttermerkin
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TG, so well put. This humble, simple-sounding song is a great capper to the Plan's recording career--it might as well be a fond farewell to the fans as well...that relationships (even in a band, sure)change and sometimes end...but life goes on. It also works as a straight-ahead story of this couple, told 'dispassionately and objectively,' or so the narrator would have you believe (and how about that sidebar in the lyrics...fascinating). I love songs that don't reveal everything and make you wonder a bit. What a band this was.