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.
It's four in the afternoon
I'm on a flight leaving L.A.
Trying to think about my life
My youth scattered along the highway
Hotel rooms and headlines
I've made a living with a song
Just a guitar as my companion
Wanting desperately to belong
Fame is filled with spoiled children
They grow fat on fantasy
I guess that's why I'm leaving
I crave reality
So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Goodbye yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
I did not find paradise
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind searching
For what was missing in my life
I'm embarrassed to say the rest is a rock and roll cliche
I hit the bottom when I reached the top
I never knew it was you who was breaking my heart
I thought you had to love me
You did not
Yes a heart can hallucinate
If it's completely starved for love
Can even make monsters seem like
Angels from above
You forged my love like a weapon
And turned it against me like a knife
You broke my last heart-string
But you opened up my eyes
So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Goodbye yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
That was not love in your eyes
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind wanting
What was missing in my life
Dreaming is a good thing cause it brings new things to life
Pretending is an ending that perpetuates a lie
Forgetting what you are
Seeing for what you've been told
And growing up is not the absence of dreaming
It's being able to understand the difference between the ones you can hold
And the ones that you've been sold
Well, truth is stranger than fiction
And this is my chance to get it right
Life is much better without all of your pretty lies
So Goodbye Alice in Wonderland
You can keep your yellow brick road
Cause there is a difference between dreaming and pretending
That was not love in your eyes
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind wanting
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind wishing
That you were what was missing from my life
I'm on a flight leaving L.A.
Trying to think about my life
My youth scattered along the highway
Hotel rooms and headlines
I've made a living with a song
Just a guitar as my companion
Wanting desperately to belong
Fame is filled with spoiled children
They grow fat on fantasy
I guess that's why I'm leaving
I crave reality
So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Goodbye yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
I did not find paradise
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind searching
For what was missing in my life
I'm embarrassed to say the rest is a rock and roll cliche
I hit the bottom when I reached the top
I never knew it was you who was breaking my heart
I thought you had to love me
You did not
Yes a heart can hallucinate
If it's completely starved for love
Can even make monsters seem like
Angels from above
You forged my love like a weapon
And turned it against me like a knife
You broke my last heart-string
But you opened up my eyes
So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Goodbye yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
That was not love in your eyes
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind wanting
What was missing in my life
Dreaming is a good thing cause it brings new things to life
Pretending is an ending that perpetuates a lie
Forgetting what you are
Seeing for what you've been told
And growing up is not the absence of dreaming
It's being able to understand the difference between the ones you can hold
And the ones that you've been sold
Well, truth is stranger than fiction
And this is my chance to get it right
Life is much better without all of your pretty lies
So Goodbye Alice in Wonderland
You can keep your yellow brick road
Cause there is a difference between dreaming and pretending
That was not love in your eyes
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind wanting
It was only a reflection of my lonely mind wishing
That you were what was missing from my life
Lyrics submitted by rebeccaw, edited by musicman73
Goodbye Alice in Wonderland Lyrics as written by Jewel Kilcher
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I like the video for this.