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.
Another year has passed me by
Still I look a myself and cry
What kind of man have I become?
All of the years I've spent in search of myself
And I'm still in the dark
'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone
Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness
I'm a lonely soldier off to war
Sent away to die, never quite knowing why
Sometimes it makes no sense at all
Ten Thousand people look my way
But they can't see the way that I feel
Nobody even cares to try
I spend my life and sell my soul on the road
And I'm still in the dark
'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone
Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness
I'm a lonely soldier lost at sea
Drifting with the tide
Never quite knowing why
Sometimes it makes no sense at all
(I'm alive)
Looking for love I'm a man with emotion
(And my heart's on fire)
I'm dying of thirst in the middle of the ocean
I'm alive!
Still I look a myself and cry
What kind of man have I become?
All of the years I've spent in search of myself
And I'm still in the dark
'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone
Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness
I'm a lonely soldier off to war
Sent away to die, never quite knowing why
Sometimes it makes no sense at all
Ten Thousand people look my way
But they can't see the way that I feel
Nobody even cares to try
I spend my life and sell my soul on the road
And I'm still in the dark
'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone
Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness
I'm a lonely soldier lost at sea
Drifting with the tide
Never quite knowing why
Sometimes it makes no sense at all
(I'm alive)
Looking for love I'm a man with emotion
(And my heart's on fire)
I'm dying of thirst in the middle of the ocean
I'm alive!
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Man in the Wilderness Lyrics as written by Tommy Shaw
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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[Verse 1] Another year has passed me by Still I look at myself and cry What kind of man have I become? All of the years I've spent in search of myself And I'm still in the dark 'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone
[Chorus] Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness I'm a lonely soldier off to war Sent away to die, never quite knowing why Sometimes it makes no sense at all Makes no sense at all
[Verse 2] Ten thousand people look my way But they can't see the way that I feel Nobody even cares to try I spend my life and sell my soul on the road And I'm still in the dark 'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone
[Chorus] Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness I'm a lonely sailor lost at sea Drifting with the tide, never quite knowing why Sometimes it makes no sense at all
[Bridge] (I'm alive) Looking for love, I'm a man with emotion (And my heart's on fire) I'm dying of thirst in the middle of the ocean (I'm alive)
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus 1] Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness I'm a lonely soldier off to war Sent away to die, never quite knowing why Sometimes it makes no sense Sometimes it makes no sense Sometimes it makes no sense at all Makes no sense at all
[Outro] At all Can't find the meaning of it all Yeah Can't find the light alone, oh