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.
Oh my God, I'm such a terrible mess.
I'm turned on by the tabloids, you would never have guessed,
that I'm a sucker for their gossip, man I take it too far.
I bottle up my Hollywood, and watch them name their kids after cars.
I'm finding me out,
I'm having my doubts,
I'm losing the best of me.
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm wasting my days, I throw them away,
Losing it all on these sick little games.
Fell in love, she was the friend of a sister,
of somebody famous - at least for a day.
Expensive habits and a taste for the town,
had me chasing down red carpets, and watching all my friends slip away,
They're finding me out,
I'm having my doubts,
I'm losing the best of me.
Dressed up as myself, to live in the shadow, of who I'm supposed to be.
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm wasting my days, I throw them away,
Losing it all on these sick little games.
If I play my cards right I can make the big time,
I could be a reason to stare.
Caught up in the spotlight, shaking from the stage fright,
How did I end up here?
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm wasting my days, I throw them away,
Losing it all on these sick little games.
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm turned on by the tabloids, you would never have guessed,
that I'm a sucker for their gossip, man I take it too far.
I bottle up my Hollywood, and watch them name their kids after cars.
I'm finding me out,
I'm having my doubts,
I'm losing the best of me.
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm wasting my days, I throw them away,
Losing it all on these sick little games.
Fell in love, she was the friend of a sister,
of somebody famous - at least for a day.
Expensive habits and a taste for the town,
had me chasing down red carpets, and watching all my friends slip away,
They're finding me out,
I'm having my doubts,
I'm losing the best of me.
Dressed up as myself, to live in the shadow, of who I'm supposed to be.
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm wasting my days, I throw them away,
Losing it all on these sick little games.
If I play my cards right I can make the big time,
I could be a reason to stare.
Caught up in the spotlight, shaking from the stage fright,
How did I end up here?
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
I'm wasting my days, I throw them away,
Losing it all on these sick little games.
We're all part of the same, sick little games,
And I need a get-away (get away)
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
Sick Little Games Lyrics as written by Robert Ryan Dawson Jack Bassam Barakat
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I see what Alex is trying to say. He's from a small town in Maryland, he grew up there with all of his friends,until ATL got very successful with their music, they ended up having to spend a lot of time in LA and NYC. You can see it's based on them having to be away from all their close ones, and they describe the fact that they meet 'fake' people in those cities. It's more based on LA. He thinks he isn't the right person to end up walking on a red carpet in LA, like they do for example at the woodie awards or mtv awards. He never expected this to happen, and still isn't sure if it's right, so he does not wants to be part of it, he's just throwing away days in such city, and just wants to stay home where he'd belong. He wonders how on earth he ended up there, so the whole point of this song is, to get away from somewhere you're not sure wether it's the place for you, and avoid friends slipping away, because of being away for such a long time, due to their musical career. I'm from LA, and i don't like that fact Alex wrote that kids are named after cars, friend of a famous person....etc. It's because in reality, people in LA or NYC aren't like that, 98 percent of the people here are middle class folks, raising families, and they surely don't name their kids after cars, and i know that, People are normal here, not fake, a lot of people have the image of ppl not being real here, i don't see it that way, maybe cause i'm from here, but i understand what alex is trying to say, he's from somewhere else, and may not belong to such place, because of all his friends back home. I totally get him, i wouldn't want to leave LA for NYC for example. because of my friends and families. It;s based on sticking to where you belong to and friends.
i'm from maryland. i love where they're from, towson has the best mall EVER. they had a signing there the other day, i went to the mall that day but didn't go to the signing.<br /> i remember when they only had 1 all time low shirt in select hot topics ONLY in maryland. i was so eager to get it... that was so long ago. <br /> now i walk by the HUGE group of people there to see them, laughing at all their fan girls (some who wrote lyrics ALL over their bodies...). it's pretty great when you know a band from the start and you watch them grow to something bigger than you ever expected. <br /> same thing happened to me with the jonas brothers; (i laughed at the ATL fangirls when i'm a JB fangirl myself haha i'm lame) watching them get dropped from their label, seeing them in small clubs with 50 people or less and then it seemed like overnight everything changed. now they are selling out arenas across the world, and everyone knows them. <br /> i'm smiling while writing this. i love reminiscing.<br /> <br /> anyways, i love your explanation it's pretty dead on.