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.
I took a picture of a girl I once knew
I kept it here in case I'd run into you
The look on your face could light up a room
But instead you left
And now I'm sitting with my head on the dashboard
Push the seat back and close my eyes
I had this dream that I was on an airplane
Afraid to fly
So I tipped my head to the side and I whispered
To this man that was in the aisle
I said "Do you know how long it takes before we die?"
And then I rolled awake
Take me back to the person I used to be
When you were there for me
I know it seems like forever
But do me this favor please
Way back when we were stupid
Held grudges just to help us sleep
Oh my God, how ridiculous were we?
I stop your breathin’ every time I'm around, girl
Your body's sweatin’ and your hands start to shake
I know you can't control your eyes
But I know that your looks, they are fake
So tease me once and I swear I’ll forget
How it feels when you’ve got nothing left
We’ll take it slow and only work at it sometimes
Oh yeah
Take me back to the person I used to be
When you were there for me
I know it seems like forever
But do me this favor please
Way back when we were stupid
Held grudges just to help us sleep
Oh my God, how ridiculous were we?
Woah, woah
I took a picture of a girl I once knew
I kept it here in case I'd run into you
The look on your face could light up a room
But instead you left
And oh you left
Take me back to the person I used to be
When you were there for me
I know it seems like forever
But do me this favor please
Way back when we were stupid
Held grudges just to help us sleep
Oh my God, how ridiculous were we?
Woah, woah
I kept it here in case I'd run into you
The look on your face could light up a room
But instead you left
And now I'm sitting with my head on the dashboard
Push the seat back and close my eyes
I had this dream that I was on an airplane
Afraid to fly
So I tipped my head to the side and I whispered
To this man that was in the aisle
I said "Do you know how long it takes before we die?"
And then I rolled awake
Take me back to the person I used to be
When you were there for me
I know it seems like forever
But do me this favor please
Way back when we were stupid
Held grudges just to help us sleep
Oh my God, how ridiculous were we?
I stop your breathin’ every time I'm around, girl
Your body's sweatin’ and your hands start to shake
I know you can't control your eyes
But I know that your looks, they are fake
So tease me once and I swear I’ll forget
How it feels when you’ve got nothing left
We’ll take it slow and only work at it sometimes
Oh yeah
Take me back to the person I used to be
When you were there for me
I know it seems like forever
But do me this favor please
Way back when we were stupid
Held grudges just to help us sleep
Oh my God, how ridiculous were we?
Woah, woah
I took a picture of a girl I once knew
I kept it here in case I'd run into you
The look on your face could light up a room
But instead you left
And oh you left
Take me back to the person I used to be
When you were there for me
I know it seems like forever
But do me this favor please
Way back when we were stupid
Held grudges just to help us sleep
Oh my God, how ridiculous were we?
Woah, woah
Lyrics submitted by TChandliee, edited by smexybak
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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love this song, love the lyrics
idk why but to me, when he says "I took a picture of a girl I once knew, in case i'd run into her" i think he says that she changed, not for the good, and he kept a picture just in case he'd run into her again as her old self
I stop your breathin everytime Im around girl Your body's sweatin and your hands start to shake I know you can't control your eyes but i know that your looks are fake So tease me once and I swear I'll forget how it feels when youve got nothing left well take it slow and only work at it sometimes
they still love each other i think but they cant be together for some reason. he misses her a lot though, he woulden't even mind if she teased him once because then at least for a while he'd forget how it felt to be so lonely
probably wrong though haha :)
It's "Push MY seat back", not "Push THE seat back".
Great song, though. Probably my favorite.
This song to me is about a girl and boy who used to like eachother ..in middle school (or something like that) and then as they grew older the girl changed and they both grew distant( like everyone does in high school). So now the boy is singing about how he misses all the times they used to share together and how he wants it all back and when he sings " i was on an airplane afraid to fly"...he is saying that he is afraid to move on and change because he wants to cherish the moments they shared.
I love your answer!!
yeah its about a girl who changed. but he changed too, and thats why hes saying "Can you take me back to the person I used to be"
I guess everything changes, and he just wants it back to the way things used to be. afraid of flying I guess, is afraid of moving on, and change.
Since I had a very similar experience, I can kinda relate to this situation. With that said, I think this song means that the guy and girl used to be so great together, laughing with each other over rediculous situations. Then there was some sort of falling out between the two, possibly a change in heart, and the two were began to act differently around each other. When the guy was once with the girl, he was so happy, but now it seems like he's unhappy all the time. The girl, however, seems to not really care about the situation, whereas the guy is longing for the past to be the present again. I hope this is somewhere close to the intended meaning for this song.
I love this song. Sums up my life right now.
I think it's about a boy and this girl they were together then something happened, she left. But he stills thinks of her. This dream makes him see that life is short and that whatever happened between them was stupid and a mistake.
He knows she still wants him. And he'll take her back even if it is just for a night. because maybe it'll bring them back to each other eventually.
"Can you take me back to the person I used to be Back when you were there for me I know it seems like forever but do me a favor please Way back when we were stupid held grudges just to help us sleep Oh my god, how ridiculous were we?"
He just wants things back to the way they were. He sees that what broke them apart was stupid and he wants her to see that too.
in the end he doesn't get her back.
<33
To me, this song is exactly where I'm at.
It's two people, who have moved on and aren't really in each other's lives anymore. They've always had a complicated relationship, definitenly not just friends, but never really went full force with it (we'll take it slow and only work at it sometimes).
& He misses her. He can tell just by how she is around him that she still has feelings for him too (third verse), and they'd both do anything just to get the feeling of comfort they had with each other because without it they "have nothing left."
The little fights are obvious, they're dumb and you only act all stubborn to feel like you have a backbone, when you both know the other person is wayy more important than the stupid little fight. Still, once it's gone.. you'd kill to get back to even that.
I think the fear of flying is being scared to move on.
I think this song is him talking to an old childhood friend. A little girl who was probably his best friend that he grew to love more. They seem to have tried to have a relationship but it didn't work out so they're not friends anymore. and he misses her and how she used to be. he misses their childhood and friendship and just the innocence of it all. i think the whole "afraid to fly" thing is referencing his emotions now that she is missing in his life.
I LOVEE THISS SONGG. its pretty amazing. i listen to it constantly. i think its about a relationship that ends and his fault. hes made many mistakes but now he wants her back, but he doesn't think its possible, but hes giving her reasons why they should be together hoping that they could get back together. haha i guess, i'm not very good with meaningss lol.
he is amazing! and his voice! and this song to me is like my haven! HAHA
i think this song means that he use to have a crush on a girl he once knew and he kept her photography in case he'll run into her, but she left! he's thinking about being without her and all of the things they use to do!