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.
One day shy of eight years old
When grandma passed away
I was a broken hearted little boy
Blowing out that birthday cake
How I cried when the sky let go
With a cold and lonesome rain
Mama smiled, said, "Don't be sad child
Grandma's watching you today"
'Cause there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And her tears are pouring down
That's how you know she's watching
Wishing she could be here now
And sometimes if you're lonely
Just remember she can see
There's holes in the floor of Heaven
And she's watching over you and me
Seasons come and seasons go
Nothing stays the same
I grew up, fell in love
Met a girl who took my name
Year by year, we made a life
In this sleepy little town
I thought we'd grow old together
Lord, I sure do miss her now
But there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And her tears are pouring down
That's how you know she's watching
Wishing she could be here now
And sometimes when I'm lonely
I remember she can see
There's holes in the floor of Heaven
And she's watching over you and me
Well, my little girl is 23
I walk her down the aisle
It's a shame her mom can't be here now
To see her lovely smile
They throw the rice, I catch her eye
As the rain starts coming down
She takes my hand, says, "Daddy don't be sad
'Cause I know mama's watching now"
And there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And her tears are pouring down
That's how you know she's watching
Wishing she could be here now
And sometimes when I'm lonely
I remember she can see
Yes, there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And she's watching over you and me
Watching over you and me
Watching over you and me
Watching over you and me
When grandma passed away
I was a broken hearted little boy
Blowing out that birthday cake
How I cried when the sky let go
With a cold and lonesome rain
Mama smiled, said, "Don't be sad child
Grandma's watching you today"
'Cause there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And her tears are pouring down
That's how you know she's watching
Wishing she could be here now
And sometimes if you're lonely
Just remember she can see
There's holes in the floor of Heaven
And she's watching over you and me
Seasons come and seasons go
Nothing stays the same
I grew up, fell in love
Met a girl who took my name
Year by year, we made a life
In this sleepy little town
I thought we'd grow old together
Lord, I sure do miss her now
But there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And her tears are pouring down
That's how you know she's watching
Wishing she could be here now
And sometimes when I'm lonely
I remember she can see
There's holes in the floor of Heaven
And she's watching over you and me
Well, my little girl is 23
I walk her down the aisle
It's a shame her mom can't be here now
To see her lovely smile
They throw the rice, I catch her eye
As the rain starts coming down
She takes my hand, says, "Daddy don't be sad
'Cause I know mama's watching now"
And there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And her tears are pouring down
That's how you know she's watching
Wishing she could be here now
And sometimes when I'm lonely
I remember she can see
Yes, there's holes in the floor of Heaven
And she's watching over you and me
Watching over you and me
Watching over you and me
Watching over you and me
Lyrics submitted by Shattered Dreams
Holes in the Floor of Heaven Lyrics as written by Steve Noel Wariner Billy Kirsch
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
You are never alone, if you have someone in your heart. Never dwell on the death of a loved one, as they are still watching over you, and would want you to be happy.
I love this song, even though it's sad. I lost my grandfather when I was 9. He was a huge part of my life. When I miss him, I just remember that he's looking down and watching over me.
this song started playing wen i was at camp.... i had never heard it and yet i started crying like a baby... nobody knew wat was wrong and i never told them because i never figured it out either. then i realized why it made me so sad....death is scary and sad and when someone you love dies all you want is to believe they are still with you. but i wasnt like that wen my gramma died. i shut everything out and stayed by myself alot, mostly because i didnt want to face the truth: that gramma was gone. when i heard this song i started crying because i felt ashamed. ashamed that i shut everything out and pretend that i was okay and i didnt need help. if gramma had been watching me the whole time then what would she think i remembered all the time it had raines since her death...my b day the time i won my first horseshow, even when my mom and i made up for as huge fight. it really healed me, now thinking, even if i knew it wasnt likely, that gramma was right there with me the whole time.
This is probably one of the worst songs ever. Let me understand what the narrator is saying...the kid is sad because grandma's dead, and his mother tells him it's OK, grandma's in heaven and crying so hard it's raining out. Thanks Mom, I feel better knowing grandma is dead AND miserably sad too!
This is probably one of the worse interpretations I've read on this website. Everyone's entitled to their opinion but your understanding of the song is even worse. The point is that during ones life there will be happy and sad times and their loved ones that have passed will always be with them, guiding them, celebrating with them and ultimately watching over them every step of the way.