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.
Can't stand by myself
Hate to sleep alone
Surprises always help
So I take somebody home
To find out how I feel
Feel like just a baby
Portrait of a lady
Poster of a girl
Satisfy myself
Avoid beginners
Who long to shut my mouth
'Til I take one of them home
'Cause I know how it feels
Filling in the blanks
Looking on the bright side
When there is no bright side
Coming in your pants
For the off chance
With a poster of a girl
Hate to sleep alone
Surprises always help
So I take somebody home
To find out how I feel
Feel like just a baby
Portrait of a lady
Poster of a girl
Satisfy myself
Avoid beginners
Who long to shut my mouth
'Til I take one of them home
'Cause I know how it feels
Filling in the blanks
Looking on the bright side
When there is no bright side
Coming in your pants
For the off chance
With a poster of a girl
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Great version of a great song,
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this song is about a girl that doesnt know herself and needs someone to tell her. thats why she cant stand being by herself becuase when she is alone she doesnt know who she is. she has to go with what society wants her to be. shes doing things she doesnt nessesarily want to.
Here's the french bit:
Incapable de rester toute seule Je deteste dormir sans une présence Les surprises semblent alléger ma solitude Alors je ramène quelqu'un dans mon lit Afin de découvrir comment je me sens Comme un bébé Portrait d'une femme Affiche d'une fille
Me satisfaire Eviter les novices Ceux qui cherchent à me faire taire Jusqu'à ce que je rentre avec l'un d'eux Car je connais la sensation De chercher le fil d'or Et de ne jamais le trouver (Coming in your pants) Qui ne pense qu'à coucher avec une fille d'affiche
Je sais que tu n'aimes pas ta réalité Tu sais que je n'aime pas ta réalité Tu sais que je n'aime pas ma réalité Personne ne sait ce que c'est
On ne peut pas fabriquer la vérité
This song is about one of those girls who doesnt know who she is, therefore she sleeps around just to have someone to be close to. She feels like just an image, just something pretty to look at that doesnt think or feel. I think there are a lot of people in the world who are like this, trying to validate their simple existance by having sex with strangers.
Incapable of staying along I hate sleeping without someone there Surprises seem to lighten my solitude So I draw someone back to my bed Just to find out how I feel Like a baby Portrait of a lady Poster of a girl
To satisfy myself. To avoid novices - those who want to make me shut up until I come back with one of them so I know how it feels to look for a Golden Boy and to never find him (coming in your pants), thinking of nothing but fucking a poster of a girl
Je sais que tu n'aimes pas ta réalité Tu sais que je n'aime pas ta réalité Tu sais que je n'aime pas ma réalité Personne ne sait ce que c'est
On ne peut pas fabriquer la vérité
I hope that was ok, my French is ropey.
@_ellie So the French bit is basically just the entire song's lyrics spoken in French lol
This song reminds me of so many people in my life, and, sadly, a bit of me. The woman in the song never seems to fall in love. No one can satisfy that part of herself. She’s too complex, too much for them to understand. Even so, she still longs for a man, even if it is just his touch, which is why she can’t stand by herself or sleep alone. Guys fall for her, long for her, and she takes some of them home. It isn’t for love. She’s satisfying herself, her basic needs. She avoids the beginners, but if she takes one of them home, their eyes are opened to a whole new world. She knows how it’s like to be them…she used to be optimistic about love as well, but experience has taught her otherwise.
Metric = love.
yeah i think it's about a prostitute who is just starting out. the french part really adds something to the sexy vibe of the song. i think the girl is only sleeping with random people to fill some sort of hole. damn that sounded so wrong!
this is my favorite song on Live it Out. It's really sad too though, makes me depressed yet happy every time I listen to it...
this is my favorite song on Live it Out. It's really sad too though, makes me depressed yet happy every time I listen to it...
im pretty sure there releasing this as the second single off of live it out
yup dano, im so sure they did a music video for it, they shot it in toronto ( near where i live :) it's gonan be 60's parisian style