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.
These four years were a suicide
But you volunteered and kept it alive
So you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain
You can't fix what was born to break
So the marriage lives for the children's sake
And you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain
"This is what you signed up for" (Take me off that list)
"This is what you signed up for"
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (No you can't complain)
No you can't complain when you can't come back to me.
These 4 years were a suicide
And you're worse off now 'cause you did survive
But you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain
Life turns out just a stepping stone
You forget yourself
You should have known (That you can't complain)
You should've known better. (No you can't complain)
And now you can't complain when you can't come back to me
"This is what you signed up for" (Take me off that list)
"This is what you signed up for"
But when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
No you can't complain when you can't come back
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
No you can't complain when you can't come back to me
You can't come back to me
This will end (This will end)
If you choose
To do nothing, nothing
This will end (This will end)
If you choose
To do nothing, nothing
This will end (This will end)
If you choose
To do nothing, nothing, nothing
But I can't live like this(I can't live like this)
No I won't be here
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
but you can't complain
to me
But you volunteered and kept it alive
So you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain
You can't fix what was born to break
So the marriage lives for the children's sake
And you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain
"This is what you signed up for" (Take me off that list)
"This is what you signed up for"
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (No you can't complain)
No you can't complain when you can't come back to me.
These 4 years were a suicide
And you're worse off now 'cause you did survive
But you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain, no you can't complain
Life turns out just a stepping stone
You forget yourself
You should have known (That you can't complain)
You should've known better. (No you can't complain)
And now you can't complain when you can't come back to me
"This is what you signed up for" (Take me off that list)
"This is what you signed up for"
But when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
No you can't complain when you can't come back
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
No you can't complain when you can't come back to me
You can't come back to me
This will end (This will end)
If you choose
To do nothing, nothing
This will end (This will end)
If you choose
To do nothing, nothing
This will end (This will end)
If you choose
To do nothing, nothing, nothing
But I can't live like this(I can't live like this)
No I won't be here
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
'Cause I'm so vain (no, you can't complain)
And when tomorrow comes, you're gonna write a song
You're gonna send it out to me
but you can't complain
to me
Lyrics submitted by SubtleAsABrick
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it's def. about adam/his experience with tbs and it's really sad. and i think adam wrote a journal entry with the title of it because he was mad about it.
if you read interviews with fred, you can see that it's about him being in tbs. he wanted to be honest and not edit his songs. i'm not sure what the line about the marriage is about though and if it's referring to his own marriage.