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.
Rolling through the canyon blasting heartbreaker
I see your famous face riding next to me
We smile at each other 'cause we know we know each other
But damn if I'm going to talk to you again
I always thought that you were funny
I always thought we could be friends
But the way you treated her in the end...
All the horses and all the men
Couldn't bring her back again
We tried so hard
We couldn't save her day
All the millions and billions
Of stars that shine into her eyes
Are barely bright enough to light her way
So she covered herself with sorrow and shame
And smoke and mirrors and fame
And fake love, angry love, bad love, and sad love
And damn if I didn't almost do the same
And now sometimes I think I see her
And I can almost hear her cry
I hear those chilling words she chose to say goodbye
All the horses and all the men
Couldn't bring her back again
We tried so hard
We couldn't save her day
All the millions and billions
Of stars that shine into her eyes
Are barely bright enough to light her way
He was predictable, cliche, and cruel to you
He made it ugly, and he made it high-school
He said I love you, I need you, I want you, I'll feed you
I get you, I've got you, I'll catch you and I'll keep you
My sweet, you will never be sad again
He said my sweet, you will never be sad again
All the horses and all the men
Couldn't bring her back again
We tried so hard
We couldn't save her day
All the millions and billions
Of stars that shine into her eyes
I swear sometimes I can almost hear her say
We're just bones and a name
We all go out the way we came
So don't you try to tell me that love is all we need
I see your famous face riding next to me
We smile at each other 'cause we know we know each other
But damn if I'm going to talk to you again
I always thought that you were funny
I always thought we could be friends
But the way you treated her in the end...
All the horses and all the men
Couldn't bring her back again
We tried so hard
We couldn't save her day
All the millions and billions
Of stars that shine into her eyes
Are barely bright enough to light her way
So she covered herself with sorrow and shame
And smoke and mirrors and fame
And fake love, angry love, bad love, and sad love
And damn if I didn't almost do the same
And now sometimes I think I see her
And I can almost hear her cry
I hear those chilling words she chose to say goodbye
All the horses and all the men
Couldn't bring her back again
We tried so hard
We couldn't save her day
All the millions and billions
Of stars that shine into her eyes
Are barely bright enough to light her way
He was predictable, cliche, and cruel to you
He made it ugly, and he made it high-school
He said I love you, I need you, I want you, I'll feed you
I get you, I've got you, I'll catch you and I'll keep you
My sweet, you will never be sad again
He said my sweet, you will never be sad again
All the horses and all the men
Couldn't bring her back again
We tried so hard
We couldn't save her day
All the millions and billions
Of stars that shine into her eyes
I swear sometimes I can almost hear her say
We're just bones and a name
We all go out the way we came
So don't you try to tell me that love is all we need
Lyrics submitted by BrownBabu84
Bones And A Name Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
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Yeah, in an interview with Nina she said it's about Louise & Dave Grohl...
Q - One song on the album that really struck me was “Bones and a Name.” What’s the story behind that one?
Nina - "The song is about what happened with Louise and Dave Grohl. I was [once] driving up into the hills, and I saw Dave in a car right next to me. We looked at each other and then both looked away. Yeah, sure, it’d be fun to hang out with [Dave] and talk to [him] again but he really destroyed my best friend.