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.
Boxing up the fireworks
Cancel my parade
The street is empty tonight, tonight
Everything is quiet now
The city holds its breathe for me
The spirit has died, it died
Running my whole life to reach this place
And just when I arrive the moment fades out
Will you let me
Stop time
Your hand in mine
Bring me closer as it all gets ripped away
And I said goodbye to the clearest eyes
I wont be with you but I wont be far away
I don�t need an answer
But if you rewrote the past you think you�d just leave me out, leave me out
Will you spin your head around in every crowded room
To see if I can be found, be found
Every single plan you will forget
So do what makes you happy no regrets now
I wont let you
Stop time
Your hand in mine
Bring me closer as it all gets ripped away
And I said goodbye to the clearest eyes
I wont be with you but I wont be far away
I remember when you asked me how
Far that I could throw this love I found
And then I heard you say you�d wait around
I wont let you
Stop time
Your hand in mine
Bring me closer as it all gets ripped away
And I said goodbye to the clearest eyes
I wont be with you but I wont be far away
And this is goodbye, goodbye
This is goodbye, goodbye
The street is empty tonight
The street is empty tonight
Cancel my parade
The street is empty tonight, tonight
Everything is quiet now
The city holds its breathe for me
The spirit has died, it died
Running my whole life to reach this place
And just when I arrive the moment fades out
Will you let me
Stop time
Your hand in mine
Bring me closer as it all gets ripped away
And I said goodbye to the clearest eyes
I wont be with you but I wont be far away
I don�t need an answer
But if you rewrote the past you think you�d just leave me out, leave me out
Will you spin your head around in every crowded room
To see if I can be found, be found
Every single plan you will forget
So do what makes you happy no regrets now
I wont let you
Stop time
Your hand in mine
Bring me closer as it all gets ripped away
And I said goodbye to the clearest eyes
I wont be with you but I wont be far away
I remember when you asked me how
Far that I could throw this love I found
And then I heard you say you�d wait around
I wont let you
Stop time
Your hand in mine
Bring me closer as it all gets ripped away
And I said goodbye to the clearest eyes
I wont be with you but I wont be far away
And this is goodbye, goodbye
This is goodbye, goodbye
The street is empty tonight
The street is empty tonight
Lyrics submitted by pongo131
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I feel like the first verse is talking about trying so hard for something, and then when you finally get it, you have to leave it. The first verse when he talks about "Running my whole life to reach this place, And just when I arrive the moment fades out" is like how you finally get one thing that you have wanted for so long, and then you have to let go of it.
The chorus is talking about how he's asking someone (I assume its a girlfriend or a girl that he was fond of) if they will slow down and spend as much time as they can with him until he has to go, and how he "said goodbye to the clearest eyes" Is having to say goodbye to the eyes of someone you care about deeply. But that last line is a reassurance, that even though he isn't there personally, he will always be there with that person in their heart.
I get from the second verse that he's thinking it would have been easier on whoever he had to leave, if he just hadn't been in their life at all. Then he seems to be asking that, if the person is going to be missing him when he is gone, and would be looking for him at parties, even though they know he won't be there. The last two lines make me think of all the "plans" you had with a partner, and how you might hold them close to you for so long, and they may forget about them right away. And that when he's gone, he wants whoever he is leaving to do what makes them happy.
I feel like the "I remember when you asked me how" part is that the person he is leaving saying that they would wait for him (still assuming this is about a girlfriend) and then when the lone "I won't let you" is him telling them not to, telling her that she needs to move on.
The last group of lyrics makes me think that he is just saying goodbye to her, no matter how hard it hurts, they both need to move on.
I see it as a song about growing up in a way, and how stuff will come up and you have to say goodbye to people, no matter how bad you don't want to. This could be nowhere near what they were going for, but its what I had gotten out of it!
That's a beautiful interpretation of this song.. i can see where it sounds like they're talking about a girl, but personally it sounds to me like the song is about Ryan Key's perspective of getting to a very successful point in the band, and having to leave along with everyone else for their hiatus. i believe that he finally found what he loved in music, and, having to step away from it, he found hurt him immensely. that perspective of pain in saying goodbye is still there, i just feel like it's on a larger scale.