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.
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
I found her on a night of fire and noise
Wild bells rang in a wild sky
I knew from that moment on
That I'd love her till the day that I died
And I kissed away a thousand tears
My lady of the various sorrows
Some begged, some borrowed, some stolen
Some kept safe for tomorrow
On and endless night, silver star spangled
The bells from the chapel went jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
She was given to me to put things right
And I stacked all my accomplishments beside her
Yet I seemed so obsolete and small
I found god and all his devils inside her
In my bed she cast the blizzard out
A mock sun blazed upon her head
So completely filled with light she was
Her shadow fanged and hairy and mad
Our love-lines grew hopelessly tangled
And the bells from the chapel went jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
She had a heart full of love and devotion
She had a mind full of tyranny and terror
Well, I try, I do, I really try
But I just err, baby, I do, I error
So come find me, my darling one
I'm down to the grounds, the very dregs
Ah, here she comes, blocking the sun
Blood running down the inside of her legs
The moon in the sky is battered and mangled
And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle
Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
All things move toward their end
I knew before I met her that I would lose her
I swear I made every effort to be good to her
I made every effort not to abuse her
Crazy bracelets on her wrists and her ankles
And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
I found her on a night of fire and noise
Wild bells rang in a wild sky
I knew from that moment on
That I'd love her till the day that I died
And I kissed away a thousand tears
My lady of the various sorrows
Some begged, some borrowed, some stolen
Some kept safe for tomorrow
On and endless night, silver star spangled
The bells from the chapel went jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
She was given to me to put things right
And I stacked all my accomplishments beside her
Yet I seemed so obsolete and small
I found god and all his devils inside her
In my bed she cast the blizzard out
A mock sun blazed upon her head
So completely filled with light she was
Her shadow fanged and hairy and mad
Our love-lines grew hopelessly tangled
And the bells from the chapel went jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
She had a heart full of love and devotion
She had a mind full of tyranny and terror
Well, I try, I do, I really try
But I just err, baby, I do, I error
So come find me, my darling one
I'm down to the grounds, the very dregs
Ah, here she comes, blocking the sun
Blood running down the inside of her legs
The moon in the sky is battered and mangled
And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle
Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
All things move toward their end
I knew before I met her that I would lose her
I swear I made every effort to be good to her
I made every effort not to abuse her
Crazy bracelets on her wrists and her ankles
And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Lyrics submitted by Songmeaningsuser
Do You Love Me? Lyrics as written by Nick Cave Martin Casey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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I believe this is more personal than fictional. I just read an interview where he passingly mentions that this is a personal song, and it makes sense. I don't know that anyone's being killed (perhaps hard to believe from a Nick Cave song) but i just don't see it.
I think niahm's close with the mental disorder. Always got the image of hospital bands from "crazy braclets" and the sweeping highs and lows of this woman seem to suggest this as well. She is many conflicting things, perhaps at separate times, or simultaneously. Whichever the case, this enigma of a woman is infatuating to him, and he write glorious and terrible things about her.
What has always stuck with me most (perhaps in that it's tattooed on me....or maybe thats why i did it...either way) is the line "all things move toward their end. i knew before i met her that i would lose her" I know this feeling, and its so remarkably and simply stated here. This intangible sensation you can't place that this great thing is fleeting, and the recognition of that at the outset. Prophetic and sad. She was a demon, and an angel, and in the end, she is a memory and a song.