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.
Well it's four in the morning,
Things are getting heavy,
And we both know that it's over, but we both are not ready
And you're talking like a stranger
So I don't know what to do
And I'm callous and I'm cruel, to everyone but you
And the stars shining through our window
And the stars shining through our window
And it's been awhile since I stared at the stars
Yeah, it's been awhile, since I stared at the stars
Spring can be the cruelest of months
But bringing in your life
Yeah we're promising so much
Like the pledge that you gave when you said that you'd always love me
But we both know by autumn you're like the color of leaves
And the stars shining through our window
And the stars shining through our window
And it's been awhile since I stared at the stars
Yeah it's been awhile since I stared at the stars
Well I don't think that it's the end
But I know we can't keep going
Well I don't think that it's the end
But I know we can't keep going
'Cause blue skies are coming but I know that it's hard
Things are getting heavy,
And we both know that it's over, but we both are not ready
And you're talking like a stranger
So I don't know what to do
And I'm callous and I'm cruel, to everyone but you
And the stars shining through our window
And the stars shining through our window
And it's been awhile since I stared at the stars
Yeah, it's been awhile, since I stared at the stars
Spring can be the cruelest of months
But bringing in your life
Yeah we're promising so much
Like the pledge that you gave when you said that you'd always love me
But we both know by autumn you're like the color of leaves
And the stars shining through our window
And the stars shining through our window
And it's been awhile since I stared at the stars
Yeah it's been awhile since I stared at the stars
Well I don't think that it's the end
But I know we can't keep going
Well I don't think that it's the end
But I know we can't keep going
'Cause blue skies are coming but I know that it's hard
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Great version of a great song,
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"I'm callous and I'm cruel, to everyone but you."
I can relate to that and this whole song, good job boys.
This is my favourite NATW song...
about being stuck in a relationship that you are almost so familiar with, if you got rid of it you wouldn't know what to do.
Beautiful, listen to this at 4 in the morning when I can't sleep 'cos he's on my mind
x
It should be "bringing in new life" not "bringing in your life" other than that I think they're spot on!
"Spring can be the cruelest of months" I think is a reference to TS Eliot's 'The Waste Land', which begins "April is the cruelest month."
Amazing, I love this song! It's so gloomy and beautiful, can't get enough of the new album.
this song is my break up, we both know we're over, but we both know we're not ready. it has that same line in blue skies 'i dont think that its the end but i know we cant keep going'. its so heartbreaking, it kills me every time. amazing song though.
for the past three months this song really has been my relationship and now my break-up. knowing that you're going to have to lose somebody because they're changing, they're hardly the person you knew in the first place. it hurts for a while but you know you'll be over it soon enough. this song is particularly special to me as me and my ex used to lay under the sky and watch the stars, and one of the lines in the chorus says "it's been a while since i stared at the stars."
i think the whole song is about how while charlie fink was still with laura marling she was distancing herself from him; "you're talking like a stranger, and i don't know what to do." knowing that the relationship near enough over is always terribly difficult, charlie sings how they both aren't ready to leave each other. but, of course, this really is only because they have been together for so long now that neither of them knew any better but to be together - even if they were unhappy. "we both know that by autumn you're the colour of leaves." i think this means that she is changing and soon enough she'll be a whole different person, and she won't love charlie anymore. the ending of the song says "we know we can't keep going." suggesting that they are closer than ever to finishing. "blue skies are coming but i know that it's hard" really means that things WILL get better, he knows that. but right now, everything positive is being shadowed by the thought of losing laura.