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.
Well you don't fit in, thank god.
But you don't know what you've got,
So you try to be like them, but you're not
And you're almost dead, almost dead, you're almost dead
And I wish I could hang out up in the sky and be the light to shine you home
So I write another fucking song about the darkness
And how you're not alone
You try to find a hole
Deep enough to lie in
There's comfort in the cold, I know
When you're almost dead, almost dead, you're almost dead
But you don't know what you've got,
So you try to be like them, but you're not
And you're almost dead, almost dead, you're almost dead
And I wish I could hang out up in the sky and be the light to shine you home
So I write another fucking song about the darkness
And how you're not alone
You try to find a hole
Deep enough to lie in
There's comfort in the cold, I know
When you're almost dead, almost dead, you're almost dead
Lyrics submitted by 16996602
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this song is amazing. she's talking to a friend or someone that she cares about. The friend is different in some way, and they are depressed because of this. But she is saying that being different is a good thing, and they should be happy they aren't like everyone else. And she wants to protect them and tell them they aren't alone.