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.
Held your standards close to heart
But late one night you threw them down
Simple promises you said
You'd never break
But now you have
All throughout the morning though
I'm begging, no
Your lips they stay perfectly still
Still
Still
Did he fill the empty spaces
Was he everything I'm not?
There's no force behind my mouth
But in just three words
He brings you down
There's a movement
Out the door
I swear but no
Your lips they stay perfectly still
Still
Still (still)
Still (still)
But late one night you threw them down
Simple promises you said
You'd never break
But now you have
All throughout the morning though
I'm begging, no
Your lips they stay perfectly still
Still
Still
Did he fill the empty spaces
Was he everything I'm not?
There's no force behind my mouth
But in just three words
He brings you down
There's a movement
Out the door
I swear but no
Your lips they stay perfectly still
Still
Still (still)
Still (still)
Lyrics submitted by slidingonthewalls
Still Lyrics as written by Jack Steadman
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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this is probably one of the most beautiful songs i have ever listened to.
i may be wrong, but i think it's that the person he loved turned into something she said she'd never be. she broke her promises and it hurt him. he told her how he's feeling ("all throughout the morning though I'm begging no") and apparently she doesn't care anymore ("your lips they stay perfectly still"). then this third person appears and he feels even worse because he gives her everything he couldn't give her ("did he fill the empty spaces. was he everything I'm not?").
“I wrote this in Hamburg. It’s the most personal song, really naked. It’s about getting cheated on. I sent it to our manager and he was speechless. I thought, ‘Thats exactly what i wanted." - Jack Steadman
I can't get over how heartbreakingly beautiful this song is. It's just completely raw. One of my favourites from the brilliant new album.
ouch.
Its the question we all want to know when love ends .... "why" Even though there is no way to explain and no answer will be good enough.
I love the simplicity his lyrics yet they say so much. I agree its the ending of a relationship he felt that would never end. Seems like he may taken her love for granted, thinking it would always be there and then it was gone in what seems like an instant.
This is heartwrenchingly close to a personal experience of mine. Everybody has standards and promises in love, that you should never break. The promise of you to another and nobody else. But when this promise is broken... So is a heart.
"she" has broken these promises with another man, thrown them down because of "just three words".
The questions are asked: "Did he fill the empty spaces was he everything I'm not?"
But of course she has nothing to say... Her lips stay still. She just walks out the door without saying a word. This song so perfectly portrays that heartache and feeling of being lost.
I think this song is clearly about cheating
"Held your standards close to heart but late one night you threw them down Simple promises you said you'd never break but now you have" The girl he loved turned into the person she promised she would never be, a cheater.
"All throughout the morning though I'm begging no your lips they stay perfectly still" This is the part about the confrontation. He finds out that she cheated on him, and he's heartbroken, asking for it to be a lie, but of course she has nothing to say and her lips "stay perfectly still".
"Did he fill the empty spaces was he everything I'm not? There's no force behind my mouth but in just three words he brings you down" This is where the questions are asked, where he wonders what the person who she chetead with had that he didn't, if that person was able to give her what he couldn't and also how the power of "just three words" changed her completly breaking all of her promises.
"There's a movement out the door I swear but no your lips they stay perfectly still" This it's the end of it all. I think he still expects an answer to why she did it, but she knows that she could never say what he wated to hear so she just walks out the door without saying anything.
I honestly think this is the best song by Bombay Bicycle Club and what I love the most about it besides these beautiful lyrics it's the fragility of his voice when he sings it, 'cause he shows every bit of pain and sadness that a person on this situation would feel.