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.
Don't act like you can't act
I always think you do it
You better learn to shake hands
Treat me like your mother
Don't act like you can't act
Stand up like a man
You better learn to shake hands
And treat me like your mother
You came up, too late
You came up, too late now
You came up, too late
To do a thing
Come on look me in the eye
You wanna try to tell a lie
I'll bet you can't and you know why?
I'm just like your mother
Look me in the eye now
You wanna try to tell a lie
You can't and you know why?
I'm just like your mother
You came up, too late
You came up, too late now
You came up, too late
Play dumb, play dead, play straight
Who's got it figured out?
(Play dumb, play dead, play straight)
Who's got it figured out? play straight
Time to manipulate
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
Am I too,
Am I late
Am I too
Am I late
Am I, am I, am I, am I,
Am I too
Late
Who's got it figured out
Left right, left right got it figured out
Who's got it figured out play straight
Stand up like a man
You better learn to shake hands
Look me in the eye now
And treat me like your mother
Come on, look me in the eye
You wanna try to tell a lie?
You can't and you know why?
I'm just like your mother
Play dumb, play dead
Tryin' to manipulate
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
Who's got it figured out
Left right, left right got it figured out
Who's got it figured out, play straight
Tryin' to manipulate
Who's got it figured out
(Left, left right) left right left right
Who's got it figured out, play straight
Tryin' to manipulate
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
Who's got it figured out, play straight
I always think you do it
You better learn to shake hands
Treat me like your mother
Don't act like you can't act
Stand up like a man
You better learn to shake hands
And treat me like your mother
You came up, too late
You came up, too late now
You came up, too late
To do a thing
Come on look me in the eye
You wanna try to tell a lie
I'll bet you can't and you know why?
I'm just like your mother
Look me in the eye now
You wanna try to tell a lie
You can't and you know why?
I'm just like your mother
You came up, too late
You came up, too late now
You came up, too late
Play dumb, play dead, play straight
Who's got it figured out?
(Play dumb, play dead, play straight)
Who's got it figured out? play straight
Time to manipulate
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
M-a-n-i-p-u-late
Am I too,
Am I late
Am I too
Am I late
Am I, am I, am I, am I,
Am I too
Late
Who's got it figured out
Left right, left right got it figured out
Who's got it figured out play straight
Stand up like a man
You better learn to shake hands
Look me in the eye now
And treat me like your mother
Come on, look me in the eye
You wanna try to tell a lie?
You can't and you know why?
I'm just like your mother
Play dumb, play dead
Tryin' to manipulate
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
Who's got it figured out
Left right, left right got it figured out
Who's got it figured out, play straight
Tryin' to manipulate
Who's got it figured out
(Left, left right) left right left right
Who's got it figured out, play straight
Tryin' to manipulate
You blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie
You blink when you lie
Who's got it figured out, play straight
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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Great version of a great song,
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This is just a song about a couple at loggerheads. She wants him to stand up and be a man and treat her with respect, and he wants her to stop being a lying manipulative bitch. I know how he feels!
The blink when you breathe and you breathe when you lie bit is basically saying she lies all the time (we breathe all the time). It's just another way of saying the joke, "I know when you're lying, your lips move!"
Check out my spoof of the video... youtube.com/watch