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.
Never in all of my life
Have I seen eyes as empty as these streets of my city
On a Saturday night,
All the green of your eyes says "Go, leave it all behind."
But I don't need to be reminded a change is gonna come.
I can feel it on the tip of your tongue.
And I feel alive.
We met up once we'd settled the sun
Between the heat and the work week
The fear is we could use some sleep
But sleep to the superfluous man means better use for beds
And I'll bet I'm coming home alone tonight.
I don't need to be reminded that this is how it was.
I moved on, I passed a billboard down my block
That asks if I've had enough, and aloud I say "I've had too much,"
When the truth is, I'm just getting started.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And I feel alive.
One of us sings, and one of us drinks,
And one of us has nothing at all.
So he calls us all sheep
I'm the Little Bo Peep of the bunch.
(I take their tales and I'm ready to go)
The he swears he's gotta take this call
Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon.
We were the get rich quick kids,
We never got it right
So we settled for the center of town
Where all the rich white kids is out looking for a fight
Got the blond one staring me down.
And I really wanna take a swing
I can't help but remember James Dean
See we are part of the few who agree
That hey, he lived life fast
But he died.
He died.
He died.
Me, I'm gonna live forever.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And for the first time
In a long time
I feel alive
Have I seen eyes as empty as these streets of my city
On a Saturday night,
All the green of your eyes says "Go, leave it all behind."
But I don't need to be reminded a change is gonna come.
I can feel it on the tip of your tongue.
And I feel alive.
We met up once we'd settled the sun
Between the heat and the work week
The fear is we could use some sleep
But sleep to the superfluous man means better use for beds
And I'll bet I'm coming home alone tonight.
I don't need to be reminded that this is how it was.
I moved on, I passed a billboard down my block
That asks if I've had enough, and aloud I say "I've had too much,"
When the truth is, I'm just getting started.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And I feel alive.
One of us sings, and one of us drinks,
And one of us has nothing at all.
So he calls us all sheep
I'm the Little Bo Peep of the bunch.
(I take their tales and I'm ready to go)
The he swears he's gotta take this call
Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon.
We were the get rich quick kids,
We never got it right
So we settled for the center of town
Where all the rich white kids is out looking for a fight
Got the blond one staring me down.
And I really wanna take a swing
I can't help but remember James Dean
See we are part of the few who agree
That hey, he lived life fast
But he died.
He died.
He died.
Me, I'm gonna live forever.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And for the first time
In a long time
I feel alive
Lyrics submitted by SomthinCorporat
Barlights Lyrics as written by Jack Antonoff Andrew Dost
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I met Nate from the band last night and he said that this is his favorite song to play live from Aim & Ignite. :) I definitely agree with @xbaba35x about the 2nd verse- how the lines "Then he swears he's gotta take this call/ Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon" is about Jack and Steel Train.
My favorite song from my favorite record this year.
I think the song is about a night out with a group of friends and Nate starts to realize that they're all moving in different directions. And he's tired of the busy nightlife and the dangers involved. He talks about getting into a fight but realizes it's something he couldn't do because he loves where his life is leading him and he thinks he is going to live forever.
The gospel choir=money in a song that can get by on the lyrics alone.
This is a really good song!
I think the verse with the sheep is about his band now and how he feels it's not as solid as he'd like. But I'm only guessing. It just sounds like it because there's three of them, and he "takes their tales" and is ready to write the lyrics and sing. And Jack maybe isn't able to fully commit because of Steel Train and such, so he has to take other calls, other roles. just a thought.
amazing song. Not my favorite by Fun but that isnt a insult to the song in anyway since there all amazing.
I love the Rebel Without a Cause reference (rich white kids fighting, the outsider kid wanting to take him on, the immortal young love mentality). More than that, I love how he finishes the Dean reference with the lyrics about his life and death. Hell, the song's about living life while young, Dean HAD to be included.
I always think about the first Assassin’s Creed book where Ezio goes out and fights the rich kids and then takes the money for alcohol and the hospital bills
After the last "Me, I'm gonna live forever", he sings "Think I'm gonna live forever", then "Know I'm gonna live forever".
I love this song. I met Nate at a concert a few months ago and asked him what his favorite song to play live was and he that it was this one and What The Fuck (at that time).
Second verse- "Then he swears he's gotta take this call/ Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon" I think is about Jack and how he's involved in Steel Train and fun.
I love the James Dean part. Genious.
I just picture downtown Tempe when I hear this.. I love listening to fun., reminds me so much of AZ.