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.
Now I think I know why
You sounded so strange on the telephone
It’s hard when you discover
What keeps you going keeps you all alone
Dreams so real you thought the smoke might never clear
Now you hide it all behind endless cigarettes and tears
Somebody waits for the time I know will never come
You get yourself so high
Then you fall down feeling blue
One day you’ll wake up and realize you've had enough
There's a thousand shining moments
Waiting just to happen to you
Wait until you're stronger
There's no sense leaving when you're down so low
Well it takes the heart a little longer
To see the point in finally letting go
You lose your touch out there standing in the rain
When it's all too much you feel like slipping down again
Somebody waits for the time I know will never come
You get yourself so high
Then you fall down feeling blue
One day you'll wake up and realize you've had enough
There's a thousand shining moments
Waiting just to happen to you
Somebody waits for the time I know will never come
You get yourself so high
Then you fall down feeling blue
One day you'll wake up and realize you've had enough
There's a thousand shining moments
Waiting just to happen to you
You sounded so strange on the telephone
It’s hard when you discover
What keeps you going keeps you all alone
Dreams so real you thought the smoke might never clear
Now you hide it all behind endless cigarettes and tears
Somebody waits for the time I know will never come
You get yourself so high
Then you fall down feeling blue
One day you’ll wake up and realize you've had enough
There's a thousand shining moments
Waiting just to happen to you
Wait until you're stronger
There's no sense leaving when you're down so low
Well it takes the heart a little longer
To see the point in finally letting go
You lose your touch out there standing in the rain
When it's all too much you feel like slipping down again
Somebody waits for the time I know will never come
You get yourself so high
Then you fall down feeling blue
One day you'll wake up and realize you've had enough
There's a thousand shining moments
Waiting just to happen to you
Somebody waits for the time I know will never come
You get yourself so high
Then you fall down feeling blue
One day you'll wake up and realize you've had enough
There's a thousand shining moments
Waiting just to happen to you
Lyrics submitted by geekusa
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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.”
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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I don't think it has to be about a relationship really, everyone jumps to that conclusion. To me, it's about being sick of your life. I definatly feel like this song, I just hope that day that I wake up and realize that I have had enough comes soon.