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've got that lefty curse
Where everything I do is flipped
And awkwardly reversed
You're seldom known and barely missed
I always put myself
In destructive situations
I need oxygen
To be exposed where no one goes, where no one's been
When it all comes crashing
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight. (sing it)
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight.
Somebody get my phone
So I can throw it in a public
Pool and watch it float
And as it slowly sinking down,
Become a social ghost
Inside a box, cut at the top
To let some light shine in
To remind me what I've done and where I've been
When it all comes crashingâ?¦
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight. (sing it)
Now we've got a big, big, big, big
Mess on our hands, on our hands.
Don't give in, don't give up,
I'll be gone.
You don't look innocent enough.
We're too young to be critics
We won't miss anything at all
Don't give in, don't give up
I don't look innocent with this big big mess on,
I'll say something else.
Oh, we've got a big, big mess,
Oh, we've got a big, big mess,
A big, big mess,
Now we've got a big, big mess,
A big, big mess
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight. (sing it)
Now we've got a big big
Mess on our hands tonight.
Now we've got a big, big, big, big
Mess on our hands
Don't give in, don't give up
I'll be gone.
I don't look innocent enough
We're too young to be cynics
We won't wish any harm at all
Don't give in, don't give up
No one looks innocent with this big big mess on our hands tonight.
When it all comes crashing.
Where everything I do is flipped
And awkwardly reversed
You're seldom known and barely missed
I always put myself
In destructive situations
I need oxygen
To be exposed where no one goes, where no one's been
When it all comes crashing
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight. (sing it)
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight.
Somebody get my phone
So I can throw it in a public
Pool and watch it float
And as it slowly sinking down,
Become a social ghost
Inside a box, cut at the top
To let some light shine in
To remind me what I've done and where I've been
When it all comes crashingâ?¦
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight. (sing it)
Now we've got a big, big, big, big
Mess on our hands, on our hands.
Don't give in, don't give up,
I'll be gone.
You don't look innocent enough.
We're too young to be critics
We won't miss anything at all
Don't give in, don't give up
I don't look innocent with this big big mess on,
I'll say something else.
Oh, we've got a big, big mess,
Oh, we've got a big, big mess,
A big, big mess,
Now we've got a big, big mess,
A big, big mess
Now we've got a big, big
Mess on our hands tonight. (sing it)
Now we've got a big big
Mess on our hands tonight.
Now we've got a big, big, big, big
Mess on our hands
Don't give in, don't give up
I'll be gone.
I don't look innocent enough
We're too young to be cynics
We won't wish any harm at all
Don't give in, don't give up
No one looks innocent with this big big mess on our hands tonight.
When it all comes crashing.
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands Lyrics as written by Michael Carden Andy Mrotek
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
this song is amazing. the lyrics are taken to the extreme
I've got that lefty curse Where everything that I do is flipped and awkwardly reversed You're seldom known and barely missed
he's left handed, and as the saying goes, you're cursed if you are. you drag your hand over what you write, you can't write staight. so and so, it's a superstition.
I always put myself in destructive situations I need oxygen to be exposed where no one goes Where no one's been
he always gets into 'destructive situations' because he has bad luck, and he needs oxygen, or he needs to breathe just to be where no one else has been, because he has it bad.
When it all comes crashing...
.. when it all comes down and is at it's worse point.
Now we've got a big, big mess on our hands tonight Now we've got a big, big mess on our hands tonight .. self explanatory.
Somebody get my phone So I can throw it in a public pool and watch it float
.. again. self explanatory. it's his social life, wathcing how his works.
And as it's slowly sinking down, become a social ghost so it slowly sinks down, and he realized he doesn't talk to many people. he is a social ghost.
Inside a box, cut out the top to let some light shine in
the pool..' a box with the top cut off' and he let the light shine in, his happiness? not really sure..
To remind me of what I've done and where I've been When it all comes crashing... .. again.
it's all i got. and i didn't help at all.. but i was bored, and TAI rocks so yeah. talk about this, cause i wanna know what it really does mean