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.
Valentine told me who's to go
Feelings he's treasured most of all
The teachers and the football stars
It's in his tiny face
It's in his scrawny hand
Valentine sold his soul
He's got something to say
It's Valentine's day
The rhythm of the crowd
Teddy and Judy down
Valentine sees it all
He's got something to say
It's Valentine's day
Valentine told me how he feels
If all the world were under his heels
Or stumbling through the mall
It's in his tiny face
It's in his scrawny hands
Valentine knows it all
He's got something to say
It's Valentine's day
(Yeah)
(Yeah)
Valentine, Valentine
(Yeah)
(Woo, woo)
Valentine, Valentine
It's in his scrawny hand
It's in his icy heart
It's happening today
Valentine, Valentine
It's in his scrawny hands
It's in his icy heart
It's happening today
Valentine, Valentine
Feelings he's treasured most of all
The teachers and the football stars
It's in his tiny face
It's in his scrawny hand
Valentine sold his soul
He's got something to say
It's Valentine's day
The rhythm of the crowd
Teddy and Judy down
Valentine sees it all
He's got something to say
It's Valentine's day
Valentine told me how he feels
If all the world were under his heels
Or stumbling through the mall
It's in his tiny face
It's in his scrawny hands
Valentine knows it all
He's got something to say
It's Valentine's day
(Yeah)
(Yeah)
Valentine, Valentine
(Yeah)
(Woo, woo)
Valentine, Valentine
It's in his scrawny hand
It's in his icy heart
It's happening today
Valentine, Valentine
It's in his scrawny hands
It's in his icy heart
It's happening today
Valentine, Valentine
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Valentine's Day Lyrics as written by David Bowie
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It's funny how something as tragic as a high school shooting can be sung in such an upbeat way.
"Valentine told me who's to go Feelings he treasured most of all The teachers and the football stars "
I assume it's about a troubled and very frustrated kid confessing to his best (and only) friend what's his plans are...and pointing out the future victims.
"It's in his tiny face It's in his scrawny hands Valentine sold his soul He's got something to say It's Valentine's day"
Well, we actually get to know how this boy is (short and skinny maybe?), he´s probably those kind of kids that would get bullied or ignored. Maybe that's why he resents the so called "football stars", he is not one of them. And he is gonna do something about it, carrying a gun and his fellow classmates lives in his hands.
"The rhythm of the crowd Benny and Judy down "
Are screams of horror music to his ears? His shot down his first victims.
"Valentine told me how he feels If all the world were under his heels Or stumbling through the mall "
Valentine might want to know how it feels to be successful or respected, it's his only fulfilling goal. Must have taken a lot of abuse from his classmates to get to this point. I don't really get the "stumbling through the mall" line.
"It's in his scrawny hands It's in his tiny heart It's happening today Valentine, Valentine"
Well, Valentine's heart must be the size of a pebble, he just exploded, he wouldn't mind tearing human lives apart, his tormented mind is a product of all the filth he's been fed-up with.
Sure, we can't know what's going on in these mass murderer's minds. Are they born crazy or has society made them crazy?
In the end, Bowie is nuts himself but handles it in a beautiful way.I hope that "The Next Day"will serve as inspiration to a new generation of musicians. Hell, this song is so good!
I'm thinking the 'stumbling through the mall' line relates to the many types of shooting locations there have been. Not all shooters go to the school. There have been theater shootings, mall shootings, high school shootings. Bowie is one to draw from different things that make up the soul of something.
I believe to to be nothing more than a misplaced m, and it should be 'stumbling through them all'