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.
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
I won't leave you waiting in between
And the cigarette you bummed from me is almost burning out
You suck it till your fingers burn, then you throw it to the ground
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
Even after everything we've seen seen
In this sterile room with blinding lights and faces pointing down
I only want to scream but still I just can't make a sound
Now hold my hand, I'll hold my breath
There's nothing in this world we really own
And Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out
The only thing I'd feel is less alone
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
I won't leave you waiting in this dream
While you watch the people speaking words you can't quite comprehend
You ask me if I'd pinch you but my fingers wouldn't bend
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
Just like I was when we were seventeen
I guess that's only been a year but still it feels like 34
I don't feel like I am living in the same skin anymore
Now hold my hand, I'll hold my breath
There's nothing in this world we really own
And Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out
The only thing I'd feel is less alone
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
Even when my soul's an amputee
And my bleeding heart is sinking in the lake inside my chest
So I grab what I can cling to and I leave behind the rest
Now hold my hand, I'll hold my breath
There's nothing in this world we really own
And Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out
The only thing I'd feel is less alone
Now hold my hand, and take my breath
And leave behind the things you'll never own
And Jesus Christ, please tear my heart out
I wanna feel a little less alone
I won't leave you waiting in between
And the cigarette you bummed from me is almost burning out
You suck it till your fingers burn, then you throw it to the ground
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
Even after everything we've seen seen
In this sterile room with blinding lights and faces pointing down
I only want to scream but still I just can't make a sound
Now hold my hand, I'll hold my breath
There's nothing in this world we really own
And Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out
The only thing I'd feel is less alone
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
I won't leave you waiting in this dream
While you watch the people speaking words you can't quite comprehend
You ask me if I'd pinch you but my fingers wouldn't bend
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
Just like I was when we were seventeen
I guess that's only been a year but still it feels like 34
I don't feel like I am living in the same skin anymore
Now hold my hand, I'll hold my breath
There's nothing in this world we really own
And Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out
The only thing I'd feel is less alone
I'll be right behind you, Josephine
Even when my soul's an amputee
And my bleeding heart is sinking in the lake inside my chest
So I grab what I can cling to and I leave behind the rest
Now hold my hand, I'll hold my breath
There's nothing in this world we really own
And Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out
The only thing I'd feel is less alone
Now hold my hand, and take my breath
And leave behind the things you'll never own
And Jesus Christ, please tear my heart out
I wanna feel a little less alone
Lyrics submitted by Revealing_Too_Much
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When I hear this song, I picture at first a young woman standing outside the hospital trying to hurry and smoke a cigarette to get back inside where her boyfriend is in critical condition and in a coma. She's not leaving him and he's saying, "Jesus Christ, if you tore my heart out - the only thing I'd feel is less alone." meaning he can't feel a thing in the state he's in, but if he were without his heart and didn't still love "Josephine" so much, he'd feel a lot less lonely laying there in his comatose state. (I am led to believe he's comatose because of "in this sterile room with blinding light and faces pointed down" and "you asked me if I'd pinch you but my fingers wouldn't bend").
He's saying that he'll be right behind her in spirit "even when my soul's an amputee" which means when his soul is detached from his body. Such a brilliant, brilliant line. Josh Woodward is a genius. When he's saying "there's nothing in this world we really own" he's referring to all the material things and people that we can't hold on to and can't take with us...and how heartbreaking that feels looking at the one you love while the wall of life and near-death is separating you. Judging by "I leave behind the rest", I think he dies near the end of the song.
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I just heard this song several months ago and it's become one of my all-time favorites already. Josh Woodward is a virtual unknown except in internet circles, right now, but he's easily more talented than most you hear on the radio these days. I'm a lifelong fan, now.
...this song literally just left me stunned. I can't believe that someone this good is so unknown. This song's sad obviously "And jesus christ, please tear my heart out." very nice interp dresdendoll ! I wanna see him in concert so bad right now.