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.
So you thought it would happen
Good love, goodbye
I know where no one can reach you
No, I don't mind
It's your world, why would you fake it?
These days go by
As you turn around-ow-ow-ow
Other people want to keep in touch
Something happens and it's not enough
Never thought that it would mean so much
Other people want to keep in touch
Heaven won't keep us together
Right place at the wrong time
It takes all kinds of weather
Distant new skies
Somewhere no one can reach us
These days go by
As you turn around-ow-ow-ow
Other people want to keep in touch
Something happens and it's not enough
Never thought that it would mean so much
Other people want to keep in touch
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Good love, goodbye
I know where no one can reach you
No, I don't mind
It's your world, why would you fake it?
These days go by
As you turn around-ow-ow-ow
Other people want to keep in touch
Something happens and it's not enough
Never thought that it would mean so much
Other people want to keep in touch
Heaven won't keep us together
Right place at the wrong time
It takes all kinds of weather
Distant new skies
Somewhere no one can reach us
These days go by
As you turn around-ow-ow-ow
Other people want to keep in touch
Something happens and it's not enough
Never thought that it would mean so much
Other people want to keep in touch
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Was it ever quite enough?
Lyrics submitted by kissingthebeehive
Other People Lyrics as written by Victoria Legrand Alex Scally
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I feel like this is just the natural losing of friends that everyone goes through in the high school to college, college to "real world". Everyone starts with the best intentions of keeping in touch, but naturally you lose friends and you're left with the friends that you have in your current area and only the best of friends from those periods in your life. They might make an attempt to maintain the relationship, but it's just not enough for you.
Is it about a relationship being broken up by external factors?
I think it's 'Heaven will keep us together' not 'help me keep us together', makes more sense why it would be right place at the wrong time.
Also it sounds like 'Distant blue skies. Some where no one can reach us'
I agree with both corrections, good ears!
If you actually got the CD you'd know for sure -- the lyrics above are correct according to the band!
I think the song emphasizes the progression of a relationship drifting apart and eventually ending once the final soft straw is pulled away. The song talks about how others can end things with ease "Good love, goodbye" showing closure of the relationship ending, but not acceptance.
Being left and letting the other go in a relationship is one part, but the hardest part is the acceptance and discovery that occurs after. "Never thought it would mean so much" supports the point that a "self-discovery" (if you would) period post-relationship is a large compartment of what the song talks about, how you can go through blame/ anger about what you did or didn't do during the time together, as "other people want to keep in touch" but how the relationship or people are not Other people.
i think it is the ending of a relationship where both of them agree to end it. One person may feel like this is the end and speak about it " No I don't mind It's your world why would you fake it"
To me this chorus is clearly about being famous and having to shake off people who were never your true friends but kind of pretended to be back in the day. It's actually kind of disenchanting; the whole, "We're famous now, leave us alone" vibe.
F-off. Apparently someone has returned to town. LMBO I bet you brush your teeth the same way and the same number of strokes three times daily and over the last 40 years. Pretty much sums up your life.