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.
Dead as dead can be
The doctor tells me
But I just can't believe him
Ever the optimistic one
I'm sure of your ability to become
My perfect enemy
Wake up and face me
Don't play dead 'cause maybe
Someday I will walk away and say
You disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way
Leaning over you here
Cold and catatonic
I catch a brief reflection
What you could and might have been
It's your right and your ability
To become my perfect enemy
Wake up (why can't you?)
And face me (come on now)
Don't play dead (don't play dead)
'Cause maybe (because maybe)
Someday I will walk away and say
You disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
You're better off this
You're better off this
Maybe you're better off
Wake up (why can't you?)
And face me (come on now)
Don't play dead (don't play dead)
'Cause maybe (because maybe)
Someday I will walk away and say
You fucking disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way
Go ahead and play dead
I know that you can hear this
Go ahead and play dead
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
You fucking disappoint me
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
The doctor tells me
But I just can't believe him
Ever the optimistic one
I'm sure of your ability to become
My perfect enemy
Wake up and face me
Don't play dead 'cause maybe
Someday I will walk away and say
You disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way
Leaning over you here
Cold and catatonic
I catch a brief reflection
What you could and might have been
It's your right and your ability
To become my perfect enemy
Wake up (why can't you?)
And face me (come on now)
Don't play dead (don't play dead)
'Cause maybe (because maybe)
Someday I will walk away and say
You disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
Maybe you're better off this way
You're better off this
You're better off this
Maybe you're better off
Wake up (why can't you?)
And face me (come on now)
Don't play dead (don't play dead)
'Cause maybe (because maybe)
Someday I will walk away and say
You fucking disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way
Go ahead and play dead
I know that you can hear this
Go ahead and play dead
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
Why can't you turn and face me?
You fucking disappoint me
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Passive-aggressive bullshit
Lyrics submitted by ab0ve, edited by stringray, fallenwarrior
Passive Lyrics as written by Danny Lohner Billy Howerdel
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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Great version of a great song,
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In my opinion... this song is written about Maynards mom Judith who was in a comma for a long time. After suffering from a brain anuerysm she became paralyzed an then fell into a comma. Maynard is describing his experience of seeing her in a coma after trying to convince her to give up her religion. He talks about the docter saying she is dead but really he is "ever the optimistic one" that she will "wake up" and continue the argument on whether God is real or not, becoming his "perfect enemy". But the problem is that Judith probably never argued with him about God but rather used what seemed to be "Passive aggressive" tactics as in she probably just prayed for his salvation and never became his enemy, which is not what he wanted. This disappoints him so he yells "wake up and face me, don't play dead" and later says "you fucking disappoint me". It seems to fit and makes the most sense to me since his mother is a central theme in his music. Maynard is a fucking genius.
This is a great take on the lyrics. I agree to a point; could definitely be about his mom and her coma and her jump into religious “passive-agressive” forgiveness to God.<br /> <br /> But I also feel like this is his jump into using drugs, because of how he feels about his mother being in a coma, more than his conflict with God. The "perfect enemy" being himself, on drugs he cannot convince himself to stop, so he’s “better off this way.” <br /> <br /> "Leaning over you here <br /> Cold and catatonic<br /> I catch a brief reflection<br /> What you could and might have been<br /> It's your right and your ability<br /> To become my perfect enemy”<br /> <br /> Could be a double meaning for his heroin use (he is destroying his life because her life is destroyed), or visiting his mother in the hospital. Cold and Catatonic describes both situations and could be a merging of the two situations.
I don't know Brendon,<br /> If he wanted to talk about his drug use I think the lyrics would be more inwardly reflecting instead of talking about someone else.