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.
He was a clubland caller, he was younger than he felt
Settled like a moth down in the east-end Neon belt
Well he used to be a believer, â??til the city got its grip
Now if there's any holiness left, Well he can't remember it
She was a high-rise butterfly, crashed in â??92
Into some veiled little suburb that they bulldozed through
Where the little fat angels guard the harvest like they should
Well its downtown now but it used to be the woods
It used to be the woods
And, oh its a lonely little town
And oh, its a lonely little tune
And if my name is on that list I guess I'll see you soon
First he heard her voice and then he saw her face
She shone just like a crucifix, an instrument of grace
And they got on like children, they got a hotel room
They got a new religion, a needle and a spoon
And they gave thanks to the heavens, but the devil held their hands
And they walked that great divide between Disciples and partisans
And the brown and the Bible, they were never quite enough
But the life that grew inside her well that felt a bit like love
felt a bit like love
And, oh its a lonely little town
And oh, its a lonely little tune
And if my name is on that list I guess I'll see you soon
And if my name is on that list I guess I'll see you soon
The seasons are a metronome, the rhythm and the wild
The winter took his heart away, the spring it took her child
And the honeyed breath of summer is sweet and overgrown
But its always autumn sings "its not too late To find your way back home"
To find your way back home"
And a bell sometimes reminds them, or the singing in the wind
The striking of a match, the smell of Paraffin
And some folks are drawn to the flames, and some just want to hide
But the lonely are the prettiest of all, they burn from the inside
They burn from the inside
Yeah, the lonely are the prettiest of all, they burn from the inside
Settled like a moth down in the east-end Neon belt
Well he used to be a believer, â??til the city got its grip
Now if there's any holiness left, Well he can't remember it
She was a high-rise butterfly, crashed in â??92
Into some veiled little suburb that they bulldozed through
Where the little fat angels guard the harvest like they should
Well its downtown now but it used to be the woods
It used to be the woods
And, oh its a lonely little town
And oh, its a lonely little tune
And if my name is on that list I guess I'll see you soon
First he heard her voice and then he saw her face
She shone just like a crucifix, an instrument of grace
And they got on like children, they got a hotel room
They got a new religion, a needle and a spoon
And they gave thanks to the heavens, but the devil held their hands
And they walked that great divide between Disciples and partisans
And the brown and the Bible, they were never quite enough
But the life that grew inside her well that felt a bit like love
felt a bit like love
And, oh its a lonely little town
And oh, its a lonely little tune
And if my name is on that list I guess I'll see you soon
And if my name is on that list I guess I'll see you soon
The seasons are a metronome, the rhythm and the wild
The winter took his heart away, the spring it took her child
And the honeyed breath of summer is sweet and overgrown
But its always autumn sings "its not too late To find your way back home"
To find your way back home"
And a bell sometimes reminds them, or the singing in the wind
The striking of a match, the smell of Paraffin
And some folks are drawn to the flames, and some just want to hide
But the lonely are the prettiest of all, they burn from the inside
They burn from the inside
Yeah, the lonely are the prettiest of all, they burn from the inside
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The List Lyrics as written by Thea Gilmore
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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