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 somethings you never get over
Whatever your parents say
First on my list of these three things
Is the sight of my father walking away
Next on my list would be heaven
I already know what it's like
Cause I fell in love when I was 16 with the absolute love of my life
Last on my list would be losing
But someone always needs to win
And thumbing your nose at the boss I suppose just feels like a beautiful thing
And it's something that nobody tells you
You figure it out if you can
Well there's one thing on earth that no one can touch
It's the sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
And I don't know why I love believing
But it's not from lack of loving you
You can't remember when you stopped breathing and I can't remember it too
But I'm coming home tomorrow
And I wanted you to know
That the part of me that can make you smile is the same part that needed to go
And it's something that nobody tells you
You figure it out if you can
Well they can't interfer or get inside of here
To the sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
Of all the things I've had to learn
One won't quit
No matter how I try
One won't quit
It's all that I can stand
One won't won't quit
I'll never learn to say goodbye
But I hope for your sake that you can
And on April 2nd the birth of my heart
The day that the zombie awoke with a start
When I fell for Button and she fell for me
Back in the spring of 1993
January 7th 2005 the birth of my blood came fully to life
When I see St. Peter and ask for my wings
Just leave me that memory and the joy that it brings
It's something that nobody tells you
You figure it out if you can
It's the things that you never get over
Build the character of a man
And if heaven and family and children
Are what's left of me when I die
Then I hope for your sake that you're better than me at this learning to say goodbye
Yeah if heaven and family and children
Are what's left of the race that I ran
Then I'll quietly slip to the slumbering peace of the
sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
I'm satisfied
Whatever your parents say
First on my list of these three things
Is the sight of my father walking away
Next on my list would be heaven
I already know what it's like
Cause I fell in love when I was 16 with the absolute love of my life
Last on my list would be losing
But someone always needs to win
And thumbing your nose at the boss I suppose just feels like a beautiful thing
And it's something that nobody tells you
You figure it out if you can
Well there's one thing on earth that no one can touch
It's the sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
And I don't know why I love believing
But it's not from lack of loving you
You can't remember when you stopped breathing and I can't remember it too
But I'm coming home tomorrow
And I wanted you to know
That the part of me that can make you smile is the same part that needed to go
And it's something that nobody tells you
You figure it out if you can
Well they can't interfer or get inside of here
To the sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
Of all the things I've had to learn
One won't quit
No matter how I try
One won't quit
It's all that I can stand
One won't won't quit
I'll never learn to say goodbye
But I hope for your sake that you can
And on April 2nd the birth of my heart
The day that the zombie awoke with a start
When I fell for Button and she fell for me
Back in the spring of 1993
January 7th 2005 the birth of my blood came fully to life
When I see St. Peter and ask for my wings
Just leave me that memory and the joy that it brings
It's something that nobody tells you
You figure it out if you can
It's the things that you never get over
Build the character of a man
And if heaven and family and children
Are what's left of me when I die
Then I hope for your sake that you're better than me at this learning to say goodbye
Yeah if heaven and family and children
Are what's left of the race that I ran
Then I'll quietly slip to the slumbering peace of the
sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
Yeah the sleep of a satisfied man
I'm satisfied
Lyrics submitted by New Year's Project
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I don't understand why more people don't listen to these guys. They have great songs and Stephen's lyrics are so good at telling a story. See 4th of July or A with love. When you listen to them it's like you're listening to an ordinary person tell his life stories, not a rockstar or rapper talking about a life that most of us can't relate to. They are also amazing live and perform with so much energy. Not to mention that when you meet them they're so down to earth and laid back.
About this song, such an awesome song. He's basically saying that only by doing some simple things, having a family and children, that's all it will take for him to be a 'satisfied man'. Pretty self explanatory but great song.