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.
Fingers scratching blackboards
Make cowards of the brave
A natural reaction
From the cradle to the grave
Rats and bats and spiders
And little things that crawl
Never make me tremble
I'm bothered, not at all
Then I saw you
Something new inside of me
But what's this shakin'?
You made me shiver
Shiver
Cemetery midnights
Walking on the dead
Never seemed to matter
It's all inside your head
Names are only letters
Mentioned on a stone
And if you're going somewhere
You're going it alone
Then I saw you
Something new inside of me
Felt this shakin'
You gave me shivers
Magic charms and voodoo
And all those other spells
Never made impressions
And I never slept so well
If I had a nightmare
I'm sure that I would know
I really don't remember
But I'm sure it isn't so
Then I saw you
Something new inside of me
What's this shakin'?
Turn out the light, it won't matter
A bucket of blood, I'm still fine
A black cat's only a color
But you can do it every time
Make cowards of the brave
A natural reaction
From the cradle to the grave
Rats and bats and spiders
And little things that crawl
Never make me tremble
I'm bothered, not at all
Then I saw you
Something new inside of me
But what's this shakin'?
You made me shiver
Shiver
Cemetery midnights
Walking on the dead
Never seemed to matter
It's all inside your head
Names are only letters
Mentioned on a stone
And if you're going somewhere
You're going it alone
Then I saw you
Something new inside of me
Felt this shakin'
You gave me shivers
Magic charms and voodoo
And all those other spells
Never made impressions
And I never slept so well
If I had a nightmare
I'm sure that I would know
I really don't remember
But I'm sure it isn't so
Then I saw you
Something new inside of me
What's this shakin'?
Turn out the light, it won't matter
A bucket of blood, I'm still fine
A black cat's only a color
But you can do it every time
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