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.
What a day to be alive
What a day to realize I'm not dead
What a day to save a dime
What a day to die trying
What a way to say good bye
What a wonderful life now, all a lie
What a way that you survive
What a day to say good night
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life"
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life, of my life?
What a day to give a damn
What a day for 'Gone With The Wind'
And what a day to start again
What a day to give up
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life"
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life, of my life?
What a day to visit Seattle
What a day for San Francisco
What a day, holy Toledo
What a day to get in the air and go
What a day to give up smoking
What a day to absorb Jim Beam and
What a day to welcome a baby and to begin breathing
To begin breathing
What a day to visit Seattle
What a day for San Francisco
What a day, holy Toledo
What a day to get in the air and go
What a day to give up smoking
What a day to absorb Jim Beam and
What a day to welcome a baby and to begin breathing
To begin breathing
What a day to realize I'm not dead
What a day to save a dime
What a day to die trying
What a way to say good bye
What a wonderful life now, all a lie
What a way that you survive
What a day to say good night
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life"
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life, of my life?
What a day to give a damn
What a day for 'Gone With The Wind'
And what a day to start again
What a day to give up
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life"
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry
"Bring on the evidence of my life, of my life?
What a day to visit Seattle
What a day for San Francisco
What a day, holy Toledo
What a day to get in the air and go
What a day to give up smoking
What a day to absorb Jim Beam and
What a day to welcome a baby and to begin breathing
To begin breathing
What a day to visit Seattle
What a day for San Francisco
What a day, holy Toledo
What a day to get in the air and go
What a day to give up smoking
What a day to absorb Jim Beam and
What a day to welcome a baby and to begin breathing
To begin breathing
Lyrics submitted by MasterGracey
What a Day Lyrics as written by Greg Laswell
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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this is such a great song, it's kind of melancholy but makes you really love life and all it has to offer.
some lyric corrections:
"what a wonderful life now all a lie, what a way that you survive" and "what a day to absorb jim bean and"
What a wonderful song. So sad, and depressing, but beautiful.
What a song.:P Beautiful. But I feel so torn, I don't know whether to smile or cry, or both. What do you think is happening in the song? I picture him dying or having a near-death experience and sort of floating over and observing everything beautiful he's leaving. ;(
"Bring on the evening hours," I cry "Bring on the evidence of my life"
Like he's going to be judged in heaven.
amazing.
This song isn't really sad at all, it's a confession & a celebration of life! Everyday we make choices but once you have a child your life changes, your priorities change.
"What a day to say goodbye what a wonderful life now all aligned"
He's saying it's a good time to say goodbye to his old ways he has a child & all is right with the world. The evidence of his life at this very moment is his child,
"where to go from here I don't know"
a child doesn't come with instructions so you hope you can be a good parent. He's overwhelmed with joy...I'm smiling right now because I know how he feels!
For me, this song is saying that there is always beauty, and there are always difficulties. I see this song as looking past all of that and saying that amongst the good and the bad, it is always a good day to be alive and experiencing this humanity.