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.
Whoa!
Oh yeah yeah
I'm changing lanes and talkin' on the phone
Drivin' way too fast.
And the interstate's jammed with gunners like me
Afraid of comin' in last.
But somewhere in the race we run,
We're coming undone
And days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by,
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by,
Oh and a woo-hoo
Out on the roof just the other night
I watched the world flash by,
Headlights, taillights,
Running through a river of neon signs.
But somewhere in the rush I felt,
We're losing ourselves
And days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by,
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
Days go by,
Oh and a woo-hoo
Yeah the days go by
Oh and a woo-hoo
We think about tomorrow then it slips away.
Oh, yes, it does.
We talk about forever but we've only got today
And the days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window as the cars go by
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin',
You better start livin',
Better start livin' right now!
'Cause days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by,
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by,
Oh and a woo-hoo
Yeah these days go by
Oh and a woo-hoo
Oh!
So take 'em by the hand,
They're yours and mine.
Take 'em by the hand,
And live your life.
Take 'em by the hand,
Don't let 'em all fly by!
Come on, come on now,
Yeah!
Come on now!
Oh and a woo-hoo!
Don't you know the days go by
Oh yeah yeah
I'm changing lanes and talkin' on the phone
Drivin' way too fast.
And the interstate's jammed with gunners like me
Afraid of comin' in last.
But somewhere in the race we run,
We're coming undone
And days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by,
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by,
Oh and a woo-hoo
Out on the roof just the other night
I watched the world flash by,
Headlights, taillights,
Running through a river of neon signs.
But somewhere in the rush I felt,
We're losing ourselves
And days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by,
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
Days go by,
Oh and a woo-hoo
Yeah the days go by
Oh and a woo-hoo
We think about tomorrow then it slips away.
Oh, yes, it does.
We talk about forever but we've only got today
And the days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window as the cars go by
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin',
You better start livin',
Better start livin' right now!
'Cause days go by,
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by,
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by,
Oh and a woo-hoo
Yeah these days go by
Oh and a woo-hoo
Oh!
So take 'em by the hand,
They're yours and mine.
Take 'em by the hand,
And live your life.
Take 'em by the hand,
Don't let 'em all fly by!
Come on, come on now,
Yeah!
Come on now!
Oh and a woo-hoo!
Don't you know the days go by
Lyrics submitted by defweezard
Days Go By Lyrics as written by Monty Powell Keith Lionel Urban
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this is probly his most meaningful song. I agree with .one.last.try. - this song makes me look back and wonder what the heck I've been doing all these years, and I'm not even 20 yet.
once again Keith has done it for me:) ;) and DAMN do the days go by!! but how lovely they are:)
This song really hits me right now... I'm goin through the socalled quarter life crisis, looking back on the first 25 years of my life and trying to see what I've done right or wrong to get here. And realizing that what we all don't do enough of is living for right now. You never know how great today can be until you live it to the fullest.
quarter life crisis that's a new one ha ha
interesting how it's such an upbeat song and it makes you happy, but it's about life slipping away before you know it. i do like the guitar part at the end, after 'come on now'. such a great song and it makes me think of my friend garrett.
I love this song for two reasons: first, it actually has a deep meaning to it and second, i just love the lyrics.
Days go by I can feel 'em flying Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by It's all we've been given So you better start livin' right now 'Cause days go by
Being, a teenager, i have no clue what I'm to do in life, and nor should I, at least not now. But, this song has you living in the NOW, don't get too caught up in it all.
Also, I love the head out the window and the wind. My parents make fun of me because i fall asleep with my head out the window going down highways. (:
It was Friday, October 14, 2005, 2:34:22 PM that I first downloaded this song, and I was 20 years old. Lots of trauma in my life between 2002 and 2005 caused this song to impact me in a way that forced me to face the cold hard facts of life, and what route most people in this world take for that matter. I decided to change my life so that one day I would not look back on songs like these and feel that kind of pent up list of regrets Keith creates in this song.
It is currently Friday, November 9th, 2018, 9:15:05 AM and I am at present time 33 years old. Easily looking back now and knowing it was the best that decision I ever made, heeding the simple warning of this song. In fact, I have indeed "lived some" in the last 13 years. I do not feel any major "time based" regrets even as I am listening to it right now on repeat 13 years later, what I get is mostly just nostalgia. Live, people, that is the message and it is right there in your face. Stop to smell the roses every now and then because if you don't, this song becomes an undeniable reality for you.
Last stanza, words to live by:
"So take 'em by the hand They're yours and mine Take 'em by the hand And live your life Take 'em by the hand Don't let 'em all fly by Come on, Come on now Don't you know the days go by"