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.
My better self still knows
That meaning comes and goes
What is innate?
I do not know
But meaning comes and it goes
Each and every attempt
A bit of substance spent
Despite the effort I have planned
You seem to lose what I've meant
If I don't use words
Then each sound goes unheard
Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs
Symbols suggest they are fit to possess
A purpose in function
That cannot be met
Those who created know
There is an ebb and flow
Only the value given shows
That meaning comes and goes
My better self still knows
That meaning comes and goes
What is innate?
I do not know
But meaning comes and it goes
If I don't use words
Then each sound goes unheard
Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs
But symbols suggest they are fit to possess
A purpose in function
That cannot be met
If I don't use words
Then each sound goes unheard
Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs
But symbols suggest they are fit to possess
A purpose in function
That cannot be met
My better self still knows
That meaning comes and goes
What is innate?
I do not know
But meaning comes and goes
That meaning comes and goes
What is innate?
I do not know
But meaning comes and it goes
Each and every attempt
A bit of substance spent
Despite the effort I have planned
You seem to lose what I've meant
If I don't use words
Then each sound goes unheard
Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs
Symbols suggest they are fit to possess
A purpose in function
That cannot be met
Those who created know
There is an ebb and flow
Only the value given shows
That meaning comes and goes
My better self still knows
That meaning comes and goes
What is innate?
I do not know
But meaning comes and it goes
If I don't use words
Then each sound goes unheard
Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs
But symbols suggest they are fit to possess
A purpose in function
That cannot be met
If I don't use words
Then each sound goes unheard
Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs
But symbols suggest they are fit to possess
A purpose in function
That cannot be met
My better self still knows
That meaning comes and goes
What is innate?
I do not know
But meaning comes and goes
Lyrics submitted by laxlaxlax, edited by calculatorwatch
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Correct lyrics:
My better self still knows That meaning comes and goes What is innate? I do not know But meaning comes and it goes
Each and every attempt A bit of substance spent Despite the effort I have planned You seem to lose what I've meant
If I don't use words Then each sound goes unheard Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs Symbols suggest they are fit to possess A purpose in function That cannot be met
Those who created know There is an ebb and flow Only the value given shows That meaning comes and goes
My better self still knows That meaning comes and goes What is innate? I do not know But meaning comes and it goes
If I don't use words Then each sound goes unheard Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs But symbols suggest they are fit to possess A purpose in function That cannot be met
If I don't use words Then each sound goes unheard Utterly senseless without nouns and verbs But symbols suggest they are fit to possess A purpose in function That cannot be met
My better self still knows That meaning comes and goes What is innate? I do not know But meaning comes and goes
~Such a cool song. I think it's just about how true meaning is really carried by the things we can't put into words. As she says, we need words to communicate ideas, but in order to understand the real meaning behind those ideas we need to rely on nonverbal symbols and the values that others put on them. That's why we can have miscommunications and the things we say can be taken the wrong way even when we use the right words to say them. It definitely implies some sort of struggle to relate to someone and the frustration of realizing there's no way to get across to that person when they can't understand the meaning behind what you're saying.