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.
What if I told you that your time was up,
That as every second passes there's a moment gone,
In 23 hours the sun is gonna set forever,
Would you hug a little tighter,
Would you let go first,
Would you focus on love then forget the hurt,
Live in the moment or wish your life away,
How would you spend you last night on Earth,
Would you kiss your enemies,
Say sorry first,
Would you take enough time to say your last goodbye,
All the little battles that you never won,
All the music and the opera never sung,
Emotions that were silent all these years,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
You can't smell the roses,
No it's not a rehearsal,
You only get one life so make it right,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
So live every moment like this is the last night on Earth,
Because this is the last night on Earth,
What if I told you that I had regrets,
I would trade in all my happiness for one last kiss,
For a minute or two lying by your side,
What I chose a road no-body walked,
If I arted all my promises with empty talk,
If I knew back then the things that I know now,
I would tell you that I love you then we'd all get low
There are Peaks and there are Valley's,
You've got to know,
Second chance,
You've really comes around
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
You can't smell the roses,
No it's not a rehearsal,
You only get one life so make it right,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
So live every moment like this is the last night on Earth,
cuz this is the last night on Earth,
If I could have my time again,
I would make sure,
You knew just how I felt,
cuz I went away for much too long,
And the seasons change,
Without me,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
You can't smell the roses,
No it's not a rehearsal,
You only get one life so make it right,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
So live every moment like this is the last night on Earth,
cuz this is the last night on Earth,
cuz this is the last night on Earth.
That as every second passes there's a moment gone,
In 23 hours the sun is gonna set forever,
Would you hug a little tighter,
Would you let go first,
Would you focus on love then forget the hurt,
Live in the moment or wish your life away,
How would you spend you last night on Earth,
Would you kiss your enemies,
Say sorry first,
Would you take enough time to say your last goodbye,
All the little battles that you never won,
All the music and the opera never sung,
Emotions that were silent all these years,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
You can't smell the roses,
No it's not a rehearsal,
You only get one life so make it right,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
So live every moment like this is the last night on Earth,
Because this is the last night on Earth,
What if I told you that I had regrets,
I would trade in all my happiness for one last kiss,
For a minute or two lying by your side,
What I chose a road no-body walked,
If I arted all my promises with empty talk,
If I knew back then the things that I know now,
I would tell you that I love you then we'd all get low
There are Peaks and there are Valley's,
You've got to know,
Second chance,
You've really comes around
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
You can't smell the roses,
No it's not a rehearsal,
You only get one life so make it right,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
So live every moment like this is the last night on Earth,
cuz this is the last night on Earth,
If I could have my time again,
I would make sure,
You knew just how I felt,
cuz I went away for much too long,
And the seasons change,
Without me,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
You can't smell the roses,
No it's not a rehearsal,
You only get one life so make it right,
You can't smell the roses when you're gone,
So live every moment like this is the last night on Earth,
cuz this is the last night on Earth,
cuz this is the last night on Earth.
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
what a gorgeous song, it is amazin, true story, darrens music is getting better and better : )