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.
You held the door looking over your shoulder
Face to the floor, it was already over
They took a good look at you
They knew that you wouldn't follow through
Just stood there and laughed at you, what could I do?
Warm sand underneath my feet
No promises left for you to keep
Fortune smiling back at me
Forgetting the things that could have been
I pulled at your dress but you took no notice
Left me to guess your desperate motives
Left here as unfamiliar eyes
Held you and pushed me aside
Aching in blame I watched from inside
Warm sand underneath my feet
No promises left for you to keep
Fortune smiling back at me
Forgetting the things that could have been
The things that might have been
The things that should have been
It's all I'd ever dream of
It's all I'd ever hope to touch whenever I'd reach up
Warm sand underneath my feet
No promises left for you to keep
Fortune smiling back at me
Forgetting the things that could have been
The things that might have been
The things that should have been
Face to the floor, it was already over
They took a good look at you
They knew that you wouldn't follow through
Just stood there and laughed at you, what could I do?
Warm sand underneath my feet
No promises left for you to keep
Fortune smiling back at me
Forgetting the things that could have been
I pulled at your dress but you took no notice
Left me to guess your desperate motives
Left here as unfamiliar eyes
Held you and pushed me aside
Aching in blame I watched from inside
Warm sand underneath my feet
No promises left for you to keep
Fortune smiling back at me
Forgetting the things that could have been
The things that might have been
The things that should have been
It's all I'd ever dream of
It's all I'd ever hope to touch whenever I'd reach up
Warm sand underneath my feet
No promises left for you to keep
Fortune smiling back at me
Forgetting the things that could have been
The things that might have been
The things that should have been
Lyrics submitted by fieroavian
Warm Sand Lyrics as written by Murray Hauge Julie Thompson
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It feels like she's talking about looking back on her life and accepting the way things went without judgment or regrets. Frankly, the first and third verses are inscrutable. Any thoughts?
I remember when I first heard this song I pictured her comforting someone after a job interview gone wrong. Kind of unusual subject matter for a song, but that's what came to mind. The first verse in particular lends itself to that interpretation.
But now after reading through the lyrics, I don't think it's about another person at all. The other person she's comforting is herself. She's trying to impress someone or fit in with a group in the first and third verses and she's struggling between keeping up the false persona she thinks will ingratiate herself with others, while the real her is pulling at her dress and doing whatever she can to shake herself out of it, if that makes any sense. When she's at the beach, in the warm sand, she's at peace with herself. No more warring sides to her, the real her and the false front; no, she is one person again, and she's comfortable with herself. No regrets, as noodleincident says. No worries about her past expectations, what she could've or should've done or been, just enjoying the moment.
It seems to me more like a child looking back with blame at their mother. 'I pulled at your dress but you took no notice' seems very much in that vein. I don't know much about Tina. Maybe it's autobiographical, maybe just a story of childhood abandonment. That's how it reads to me. Now she's grown up and 'ffree'.
I think the child looking back with some regret interpretation, lends itself well to this song, but in subsequent live versions, Tina sings, "I pulled at your vest.." instead of 'dress.' This substitution of lyric seems to indicate this song could be about a lover. Tina Dico identifies as bisexual so with that knowledge, the song becomes even more inscrutable.