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.
Who wants to see
A black and blue rainbow?
Not you or me
But there are things we should know
There’s a reason for everything
And a season for everything
The total of which is you
So you gotta see everything
Just to be everything
If you don’t you’ll never know you
Always you’ll find
Chaos and confusion
Open your mind
Draw your own conclusions
There’s a reason for insanity
A season for it
All of it’s happening now
Just contain the insanity, maintain it
With a smile for every frown
If the vibrations aren’t quite right
And you don’t know what to do
Don’t inherit the uptight
Don’t you know it’s up to you
Stay above the fuss and the fight
Baby the light will shine through
All things are true
No matter how they feel
They’re part of you
Just live the part that’s real
There’s a reason for living
And a season for giving
Always a light above
We are all of us living
Therefore all of us giving
And the reason for it all is love
A black and blue rainbow?
Not you or me
But there are things we should know
There’s a reason for everything
And a season for everything
The total of which is you
So you gotta see everything
Just to be everything
If you don’t you’ll never know you
Always you’ll find
Chaos and confusion
Open your mind
Draw your own conclusions
There’s a reason for insanity
A season for it
All of it’s happening now
Just contain the insanity, maintain it
With a smile for every frown
If the vibrations aren’t quite right
And you don’t know what to do
Don’t inherit the uptight
Don’t you know it’s up to you
Stay above the fuss and the fight
Baby the light will shine through
All things are true
No matter how they feel
They’re part of you
Just live the part that’s real
There’s a reason for living
And a season for giving
Always a light above
We are all of us living
Therefore all of us giving
And the reason for it all is love
Lyrics submitted by Parabar
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Great version of a great song,
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Thanks so much for posting these lyrics - I love this song for both the music and the lyrics. I play this song on the guitar and I wanted to get the lyrics right, so I looked this up. I was struggling with this line "Just contain the insanity". I think this is probably right - the meaning does seem to fit, but I'm still not totally sure. It sounds like he's saying "with sanity", so I'm thinking it sounds like "Just pretain with sanity", but pretain is not a word, so that can't be it, and I can't figure out what else it could be, so this version will have to stand.
On this line, "Baby the light will shine through", I hear it as "Maybe the light will shine through".
On these two lines: "We are all of us living Therefore all of us giving", that could be right, but I hear it as "We are all of us living then for all of us giving". Not totally sure either way.
I sure with artists would settle the matter and publish their own lyrics!