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.
Love, love is a thousand times stronger than me, stronger than you
Well, if you want to be a soldier go marching off to war
You think you're going to be a hero but we've heard it all before, boy
Love, love is a thousand times dearer than me, dearer than you
Well if you want to be a leader, Then go and lead the way
You're never going to give us freedom no matter what you say, boy
I said it'd better come soon
La la la
'Cause love-love is the way
If only we all could hear, It just seems so clear
I just can't believe watching the world what am I seeing?
But I know there's a way, oh there must be a way
Oh, there must come day, come a time when I can be free
'Cause I want to hear her voice, softer than me, softer than you
Whatever will it take me to bring her smile my way
'Cause every time I try to please her, she loves to go in hiding
I said she'd better come soon
Well, if you want to be a soldier go marching off to war
You think you're going to be a hero but we've heard it all before, boy
Love, love is a thousand times dearer than me, dearer than you
Well if you want to be a leader, Then go and lead the way
You're never going to give us freedom no matter what you say, boy
I said it'd better come soon
La la la
'Cause love-love is the way
If only we all could hear, It just seems so clear
I just can't believe watching the world what am I seeing?
But I know there's a way, oh there must be a way
Oh, there must come day, come a time when I can be free
'Cause I want to hear her voice, softer than me, softer than you
Whatever will it take me to bring her smile my way
'Cause every time I try to please her, she loves to go in hiding
I said she'd better come soon
Lyrics submitted by bananahero
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The song ‘Love is A Thousand Times’ is about a person trying to find and show love, interpreting it in different ways. He says in the beginning verse, ‘stronger than me, stronger than you.’ meaning that love is something greater in this universe where love is heavier and more meaningful. ‘Well if you want to be soldier go marching off to war’ ‘You think you’re going to be a hero but we’ve heard it all before, boy’ saying that you can go ahead and try to go off in the world and show and give love because you’re just going to be like everyone else who does it. In the next verse he says ‘dearer than me, dearer than you’ meaning that love is precious and innocent. ‘Well if you want to be a leader, then go and lead the way’ ‘You’re never going to give us freedom no matter what you say, boy’ He’s talking about love in this verse, saying that if love wants to show me path in life then lead me towards it, show me. Because once you find love, once I’m in it, then there’s no turning back no matter how much you deny it. ‘I said it’d better come soon…’ love better come quickly in my life. \n In the next chorus he sings ‘Cause love-love is the way’ Love is the only thing that can show us a better path. ‘If only we all could hear, it just seems so clear’ he’s saying that if only everyone could just listen, than it would be much clearer to understand love better. ‘I just can’t believe watching the world, what am I seeing?’ In that verse, he’s shocked, surprised at how much the world probably doesn\'t have much love in it, how ugly it has gotten over time. Like nowadays, where racism, riots, killing and politics had a critical impact on the world. \nIn the next line, he’s saying that there’s always another way out of this crazy world, where love can finally set all of us free from our troubles. ‘But I know there’s a way, oh there must be a way, Oh there must come a day - come a time when I can be free..’\n ‘Cause I want to hear her voice..’ He’s metaphorically saying that, I want to see love, I want to be loved, I want to hear love. He wants to be in the presence of love and out of the world he saw. ‘Softer than me, Softer than you…’ He explains that love is a very delightful feeling towards each and one of us. ‘Cause every time I try to please her, she loves to go in hiding…’ That line is metaphorically talking about love and how we try to please it, welcome it in different times of our lives and how we try to seek it, yet, it tends to go back into hiding. We don’t get to choose love, it chooses us, it’s saying. ‘I said she’d better come soon…’ Love better find me quickly, the person is desperate on seeking it.