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.
The bar closes early on the Sabbath day
So me and my kid we hit the park to play
Then it'd start to rain so we walk home again
He asked why he was born
I don't know what to say
I don't feel guilty and I don't feel sad
This motherfucking life is the best he's had
I said I've been there, sonny, and it ain't that bad
I took my hits from the shits back when I was a lad
So long ago and even though I tried
I couldn't make him see
The light that he had cast in front of me
And even though I cried
I couldn't make him be the very thing I needed
His mother would make a scene when I come home late
She looked like she's dying and she's 28
I never loved that whore, I never will no more
Except for a month back in '84
The jam was playing and my heart stood still
Gazing at a shadow on the window sill
So long ago and even though I tried
I couldn't make her see
I wasn't quite the man she thought I'd be
And even though I cried
I couldn't make her be the very thing I needed
And even though I tried
I couldn't make her see
I wasn't quite the man she thought I'd be
And even though I cried
I couldn't make her be the very thing I needed
Could she be the very thing I needed?
Could she be the very thing
The very thing
Push yourself away from your one best friend
Who's going to love you when you reach the end?
Who will?
Who will?
Who will?
So me and my kid we hit the park to play
Then it'd start to rain so we walk home again
He asked why he was born
I don't know what to say
I don't feel guilty and I don't feel sad
This motherfucking life is the best he's had
I said I've been there, sonny, and it ain't that bad
I took my hits from the shits back when I was a lad
So long ago and even though I tried
I couldn't make him see
The light that he had cast in front of me
And even though I cried
I couldn't make him be the very thing I needed
His mother would make a scene when I come home late
She looked like she's dying and she's 28
I never loved that whore, I never will no more
Except for a month back in '84
The jam was playing and my heart stood still
Gazing at a shadow on the window sill
So long ago and even though I tried
I couldn't make her see
I wasn't quite the man she thought I'd be
And even though I cried
I couldn't make her be the very thing I needed
And even though I tried
I couldn't make her see
I wasn't quite the man she thought I'd be
And even though I cried
I couldn't make her be the very thing I needed
Could she be the very thing I needed?
Could she be the very thing
The very thing
Push yourself away from your one best friend
Who's going to love you when you reach the end?
Who will?
Who will?
Who will?
Lyrics submitted by soapboxracer
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Actually, I think you guys have it backwards. It's about a guy trying to cope with the fact that his life with the woman he knocked up and their child ain't cutting it and Amy's vocals at the end are the woman in the relationship telling him that if he leaves them, the guilt will make it so that no one will ever be able to love him.