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.
She's starin' at me
I'm sittin', wonderin' what she's thinkin'
Nobody's talkin'
'Cause talkin' just turned into screamin'
And now is I'm yellin' over her
She's yellin' over me
All that that means
Is neither of us is listening
(And what's even worse)
That we don't even remember why were fighting
So both of us are mad for
Nothin'
(Fighting for)
Nothin'
(Crying for)
Nothin'
(Whoa)
But we won't let it go for
Nothin'
(No not for)
Nothin'
This should be nothin' to a love like what we got
Oh, baby
I know sometimes
It's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Can't sleep through the pain)
Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Oh, no, no, no
And it gets me upset, girl
When you're constantly accusing
(Askin' questions like you've already known)
We're fighting this war, baby
When both of us are losing
(This ain't the way that love is supposed to go)
Whoa
(What happened to workin' it out)
We've falled into this place
Where you ain't backin' down
And I ain't backin' down
So what the hell do we do now
It's all for
Nothin'
(Fighting for)
Nothin'
(Crying for)
Nothin'
(Whoa)
But we won't let it go for
Nothin'
(No not for)
Nothin'
This should be nothin' to a love like what we got
Oh, baby
I know sometimes
It's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Can't sleep through the pain)
Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Oh, no, no, no
Oh baby this love ain't gonna be perfect
(Perfect, perfect, oh oh)
And just how good it's gonna be
We can fuss and we can fight
Long as everything alright between us
Before we go to sleep
Baby, we're gonna be happy
I know sometimes
It's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Can't sleep through the pain)
Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Oh, no, no, no
I'm sittin', wonderin' what she's thinkin'
Nobody's talkin'
'Cause talkin' just turned into screamin'
And now is I'm yellin' over her
She's yellin' over me
All that that means
Is neither of us is listening
(And what's even worse)
That we don't even remember why were fighting
So both of us are mad for
Nothin'
(Fighting for)
Nothin'
(Crying for)
Nothin'
(Whoa)
But we won't let it go for
Nothin'
(No not for)
Nothin'
This should be nothin' to a love like what we got
Oh, baby
I know sometimes
It's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Can't sleep through the pain)
Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Oh, no, no, no
And it gets me upset, girl
When you're constantly accusing
(Askin' questions like you've already known)
We're fighting this war, baby
When both of us are losing
(This ain't the way that love is supposed to go)
Whoa
(What happened to workin' it out)
We've falled into this place
Where you ain't backin' down
And I ain't backin' down
So what the hell do we do now
It's all for
Nothin'
(Fighting for)
Nothin'
(Crying for)
Nothin'
(Whoa)
But we won't let it go for
Nothin'
(No not for)
Nothin'
This should be nothin' to a love like what we got
Oh, baby
I know sometimes
It's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Can't sleep through the pain)
Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Oh, no, no, no
Oh baby this love ain't gonna be perfect
(Perfect, perfect, oh oh)
And just how good it's gonna be
We can fuss and we can fight
Long as everything alright between us
Before we go to sleep
Baby, we're gonna be happy
I know sometimes
It's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Can't sleep through the pain)
Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you)
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Oh, no, no, no
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he is saying that when people are in a great relationship and then get into a fight, that they shouldmake up because in the end they still love each other and one fight shouldnt get in the way of that.