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.
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I'm gone
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so sweet to you
You won't realize I'm gone
You won't realize I'm gone
Many people wanna make money, make love
Make friends, make peace with death
But most mainly wanna win the game
They came to win, they want to come out ahead
But you, you're a rock with a heart
Like a socket I can plug into at will
And will you guess when I come around next?
I hope your open sign is blinking still
So marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I'm gone
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I'm gone
You won't realize I've gone
As for me, I would have to agree
I'm as fickle as a paper doll
Being kicked by the wind
When I touch down again
I'll be in someone else's arms
Oh, John, come on
We'll do what married people do
Oh, John (I don't care)
Come on (what you are)
Let's do what Mary and Joseph did (I want to marry you)
Without the kid (I want to marry you)
So marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I've gone
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
Many people wanna make money, make love (marry me, John)
Make friends, make peace with death (marry me, John)
Many people wanna make money, make love (marry me, John)
Make friends, make peace with death (marry me, John)
Many people wanna make money, make love (marry me, John)
Make friends, make peace with death (marry me, John)
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I'm gone
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so sweet to you
You won't realize I'm gone
You won't realize I'm gone
Many people wanna make money, make love
Make friends, make peace with death
But most mainly wanna win the game
They came to win, they want to come out ahead
But you, you're a rock with a heart
Like a socket I can plug into at will
And will you guess when I come around next?
I hope your open sign is blinking still
So marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I'm gone
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I'm gone
You won't realize I've gone
As for me, I would have to agree
I'm as fickle as a paper doll
Being kicked by the wind
When I touch down again
I'll be in someone else's arms
Oh, John, come on
We'll do what married people do
Oh, John (I don't care)
Come on (what you are)
Let's do what Mary and Joseph did (I want to marry you)
Without the kid (I want to marry you)
So marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I've gone
Marry me, John, marry me, John
I'll be so good to you
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
You won't realize I've gone
Many people wanna make money, make love (marry me, John)
Make friends, make peace with death (marry me, John)
Many people wanna make money, make love (marry me, John)
Make friends, make peace with death (marry me, John)
Many people wanna make money, make love (marry me, John)
Make friends, make peace with death (marry me, John)
Lyrics submitted by mistercrinkles
Marry Me Lyrics as written by Anne Erin Clark
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
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Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls did a cover, though I've only heard the live version. It's awesome though, and it'll be on her new album, coming out March-ish, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?"