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.
There's a boxfull of showergels I've left around the world
In the toilets and bathrooms I've been
Chips of my youth fallen off along the way
I've been a long time falling down.
Fuck it I love you, there you go
Three little words on a mobile phone
When are you coming home?
When are you coming home?
Don't want to be alone
Been careless with my friends
Even harder on myself
There's A few stars in the sky I've killed
Pieces of my heart broken off along the way
I've been a long way falling down.
Pretending I'm pretending that everything's ok
So many masks I'm wearing my own face
I can feel my toes burning from my deeds along the way
Before you get up you've got to go down.
Getting trounced being beaten at every turn
I record my mistakes but I never learn
Are you coming home?
When are you coming home?
Don't want to be alone
In the toilets and bathrooms I've been
Chips of my youth fallen off along the way
I've been a long time falling down.
Fuck it I love you, there you go
Three little words on a mobile phone
When are you coming home?
When are you coming home?
Don't want to be alone
Been careless with my friends
Even harder on myself
There's A few stars in the sky I've killed
Pieces of my heart broken off along the way
I've been a long way falling down.
Pretending I'm pretending that everything's ok
So many masks I'm wearing my own face
I can feel my toes burning from my deeds along the way
Before you get up you've got to go down.
Getting trounced being beaten at every turn
I record my mistakes but I never learn
Are you coming home?
When are you coming home?
Don't want to be alone
Lyrics submitted by middledistancerunner
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Agreed, his accent is very nice, and very thickly Scottish, hahah. This song is interesting for the fact that it seems like he's saying "I love you" (or rather, "Fuck it, I love you" hahah) over a "mobile phone". This reminds me strongly of how today's generation communicates so heavily through cell phones, text messages, and Internet outlets. It's like he can't even tell her to her face that he loves her, he sends it through a text. "Pretending I’m pretending that everything’s ok So many masks I’m wearing my own face" is a common lament out of many people of our generation, especially regarding love. They feel as if they can't just be themselves, and plus, it's easier to be someone you're not nowadays, with Internet outlets and the easy, informal nature of text messages and IMs. "I record my mistakes but I never learn" also seems to me to be reminiscent of blogging, or IMing, or texting. They fact that something you say in a text, IM, or blog can be saved and thus looked upon later can be a good thing, but he obviously is finding it detrimental, because he can't learn from his own mistakes anyway. All in all, a very good, and sweet, song.