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.
She's your adolescent dream,
Schoolboy stuff, a sticky sweet romance.
And she makes you want to scream,
Wishing you could get inside her pants.
So, you fantasize away.
And while you're squeezing her, you thought you heard her saying...
"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do."
So, you call her on the phone
To talk about the teachers that you hate.
And she says she's all alone,
And her parents won't be coming home til late.
There's a ringing in your brain,
Cause you could've sworn you though you heard her saying...
"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do."
And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
Til she's sitting on your face.
You're alone with her at last,
And you're waiting til you think the time is right.
Cause you've heard she's pretty fast.
And you're hoping that she'll give you some tonight.
So, you start to make your play,
Cause you could've sworn you thought you heard her saying...
"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do."
And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
Til she's sitting on your face.
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do...
Schoolboy stuff, a sticky sweet romance.
And she makes you want to scream,
Wishing you could get inside her pants.
So, you fantasize away.
And while you're squeezing her, you thought you heard her saying...
"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do."
So, you call her on the phone
To talk about the teachers that you hate.
And she says she's all alone,
And her parents won't be coming home til late.
There's a ringing in your brain,
Cause you could've sworn you though you heard her saying...
"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do."
And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
Til she's sitting on your face.
You're alone with her at last,
And you're waiting til you think the time is right.
Cause you've heard she's pretty fast.
And you're hoping that she'll give you some tonight.
So, you start to make your play,
Cause you could've sworn you thought you heard her saying...
"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do."
And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
Til she's sitting on your face.
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, but I do...
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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Great version of a great song,
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I had forgotten about the line involving cunnilingus. What a vivd description, for 1979! Very cool, indeed. :-)
I first heard the Knack in 1979 and loved their fun upbeat style of music and bought the album. It wasn't until I played the album for the first time that I realized the radio version of this song was cleaned up.
"Wishing you could get inside her pants" on the album was "wishing she was giving you a chance" on the radio. OK, that was cool. Plenty of songs in the 1950's and 1960's were cleaned up for the radio, but most of that was changing minor cusswords like damn or hell.
But when I heard "till she's sitting on your face" I thought it was just my dirty mind hearing things that weren't there. Then I played the song again and yep, those were the REAL words. The clean radio edit line was "when she puts you in your place."
This just takes me back to my junior high days, when this song came out, having a crush on a neighbor girl, and wishing she would. She never did.
Another ones of those songs that need no explenation.
I remember singing this song around school and was scolded by a teacher asking me if I knew what it was about. I mean come on... I was only 9 years old! I think it was about 3 years later when I understood what the song was about.
Song nails it. I remember thinking of any reason to call a girl I had a crush on and man if I didn't use the 'teach X is an idiot' excuse as reason for calling her. Then, she says it: I'm alone and the folks won't be coming home 'till late. I sure did cover some miles on my cheese 10 speed bike back in the day.
This is a great song. It annoyed scores of feminists in 1979 and earned the Knack a reputation as mysoginists, but it's pure fun.