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.
People never change
They seem to stay the same
They wear different clothes
But play the same games
Many different ways
To say the same thing
Searching for the right words
The ones that would make you stay
Exchanging the way things were
For they way that they should be
Yeah
And choosing theses words
Is saying to her
The things that she never heard
But always deserved
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything,
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
Oh I'm not even really sure
Who made this mess
And who threw what punch
But I could not care less
All I know is that I'm here
And you are not, oh
Once I put this wasted pride aside
Nothing's all I got, oh
Exchanging the way things were
For they way that they should be, yeah
And choosing theses words
Is saying to her
The things that she never heard
But always deserved
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
Oh
Somebody make it stop
Yeah
And pick me up
And just dust me off, oh
The rainy day flood
Will drowned all this love
Trapped at the bottom now
Please dig me up
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
They seem to stay the same
They wear different clothes
But play the same games
Many different ways
To say the same thing
Searching for the right words
The ones that would make you stay
Exchanging the way things were
For they way that they should be
Yeah
And choosing theses words
Is saying to her
The things that she never heard
But always deserved
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything,
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
Oh I'm not even really sure
Who made this mess
And who threw what punch
But I could not care less
All I know is that I'm here
And you are not, oh
Once I put this wasted pride aside
Nothing's all I got, oh
Exchanging the way things were
For they way that they should be, yeah
And choosing theses words
Is saying to her
The things that she never heard
But always deserved
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
Oh
Somebody make it stop
Yeah
And pick me up
And just dust me off, oh
The rainy day flood
Will drowned all this love
Trapped at the bottom now
Please dig me up
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
I figured what it is all about
It's you that I could never live without
Your everything
The air that I breathe
Stupid not to know it all along
And everything I ever did was wrong
Sadly it's too late for sorry
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