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.
Would you wait if I came running home to you?
Or if I moved right down the street a block or two?
Distance is never on our side
It only seems to make our dreams collide
And you have gone on to someone new
Would you wait if I wrote you a perfect song tonight?
To make your heart stand still and make your chest grow tight
But I'll never write a perfect line
And I don't know why I even waste my time and try, whoa
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, yeah
Cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
And there are things that I don't have the patience for
And when I go to my room I leave an open door
Cause I can't stand to feel alone
And when you come around I'm feeling more at home, whoa
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, yeah
Cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
Don't pass me by
Give me another chance tonight
To make your heavy heart so light that you can fly
Cause every time
I see the light behind your eyes
The whole thing catches me in a moment by surprise
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, yeah
Cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa, whoa
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
Yeah, cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
Yeah, cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
Or if I moved right down the street a block or two?
Distance is never on our side
It only seems to make our dreams collide
And you have gone on to someone new
Would you wait if I wrote you a perfect song tonight?
To make your heart stand still and make your chest grow tight
But I'll never write a perfect line
And I don't know why I even waste my time and try, whoa
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, yeah
Cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
And there are things that I don't have the patience for
And when I go to my room I leave an open door
Cause I can't stand to feel alone
And when you come around I'm feeling more at home, whoa
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, yeah
Cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
Don't pass me by
Give me another chance tonight
To make your heavy heart so light that you can fly
Cause every time
I see the light behind your eyes
The whole thing catches me in a moment by surprise
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, yeah
Cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa, whoa
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
Yeah, cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
And for the longest time
I couldn't love her to save my life
Never a moment of peace in my mind, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
Yeah, cause in the longest line
The front and the back are the same sometimes
And taking a number has taken my time, whoa
(Don't pass me by)
Lyrics submitted by fedorov1fan
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
ok...we'll call the guy Mike, and we'll call the girl Cameron. Mike likes Cameron, vise versa. But Mike thinks that their dreams are different and that if he ever ask out Cameron, they might just break up cause they're not meant to be together. so they never really went out guys...instead, to get over Cameron, Mike tried to date a diferent girl. We'll call this other girl Jane. so mike went out with jane...but he realized that he's just using jane to get over cameron-hence the line-"i couldn't love her to SAVE my life." but he realized that too late since Cameron has already found another guy. now, mike wants to get cameron back...stronger than ever.. asking for another chance...and hoping that cameron won't "pass him by."
Honestly fedorovfan, do you have connections with the music business or something? You added this in February, didn't they just put this song on their Myspace last week?
As for the meaning, he thinks that their relationship would be really great and would work out, and he just wants her to realize that. "Don't pass me by, give me another chance tonight" He wants her back, I'm guessing...
i think this song is about how they were together... but he wasnt coppletely into it.... and now she has gone he wants her back. and he realises how much he misses her. OR!! someone who liked him for a long time, and he didnt like them much back. but now he does like them, but they have moved on! im not sure which of the two.. anyone else got any ideas?
I think it's something along the lines of mmnts_frver_fded's cases. This song is about a girl and a guy, and the girl really loved the guy but the guy wasn't as into the relationship as she was. Eventually the girl went 'on to someone new' and I think at that point the guy realized that he really did care about her more than he initially let on, but he just took what he had before for granted. So now the guy wants another chance with the girl to prove that he really does care.
This song = amazing. the Cd is completely radd. Every song. Every note. Amazing.
This is how I see it... A man feels alone in his relationship, he begins to drift in his feelings. The couple grows distant, and she wants to leave, but then he gets that spark. 'taking a number' I think is keyed with realization, meaning that it took him a long time to get a hold on himself, as for the front and back of the lines being the same, I think it means that he couldn't tell by her actions, that she was disappointed with him. It all looked the same/ordinary to him.
i agree with MacabrePoet92. it makes sense. you might have to wait for the love to re-kindle.
Sherwood makes my heart smile so big