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.
ELPHABA
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl:
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl:
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl:
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl:
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl:
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl:
Lyrics submitted by killstar
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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.”
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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! I AM THE FIRST TO COMMENT!...... Ahem....sorry... I love this song it is so beautiful, Wicked is by far one of my top 3 musicals ever
Beautiful song.
Love this song... This song made me want to go see Wicked. Maybe next time it comes into town?
This song is so, so painfully true. Lovely!!
Just beautiful. The lyrics explain themselves, really.
This song is beautiful & amazingly true for me :(... Really want to see this musical as the music is truely amazing!
I really enjoy this song, especially the part that says:
"Every so often, we long to steal, to the land of what might have been, but that doesn't soften the ache we feel when reality sets back in."
i sang this song my school and it came true and found out the meaning a few weeks before i performed it. i sang it with all my heart. and ill never say i regret it
To be honest, I love this song, and I've seen Wicked four times. But it reminds me of all girls that have unrequited love. Like I just got dumped less than twelve hours ago. And because I've been watching old Nickelodeon shows - this song fits Helga Pataki from "Hey Arnold', being completely in love but never having that love returned.
The point of this song is not only the idea that she's not getting the guy. It's she has to finally accept she's different from everyone else. That her dream of being accepted and the same as other girls will not be met no matter how popular she may be made.
This song is shattering not only because she's accepting that her wish of having Fiyero couldn't come true, but she's accepting she'll never be normal and that there is no way she can have the things that a normal girl could have. Every dream she'd ever had is crashing around her as she sees herself for what she is in reality, "not that girl."