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.
I remember when daddy said
What do you want to be?
I said I wanna be a mermaid and to live under the sea
Well I knew it wouldn't work out as I looked down to my feet
Then my granddad paid me my very first record
And that's when it changed for me
It made me smile, made me sing, made my worries fly away
Lifting me up, setting me free
I could be Billie Holiday
In the silence hard to think about
When in reality you gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
I went to sit by the keys
To work on my first song
I had the melodies in my head
But they were coming out all wrong
Then I worked out some harmonies, that went, (Woah)
And then that sweet sound spoke to me
And told where I belong
It made me smile, made me sing, made my worries fly away
Lifting me up, setting me free
I could be Billie Holiday
In the silence hard to think about
When in reality you gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Oh, fly away
Oh, so naturally
Oh, toss the stress away
'Cause I know, yeah I know,
It'll make you feel alright, ooh, yeah
It made me smile, made me sing, made my worries fly away
Lifting me up, setting me free
I could be Billie Holiday
In the silence hard to think about
When in reality you gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Relax, and let it happen naturally
What do you want to be?
I said I wanna be a mermaid and to live under the sea
Well I knew it wouldn't work out as I looked down to my feet
Then my granddad paid me my very first record
And that's when it changed for me
It made me smile, made me sing, made my worries fly away
Lifting me up, setting me free
I could be Billie Holiday
In the silence hard to think about
When in reality you gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
I went to sit by the keys
To work on my first song
I had the melodies in my head
But they were coming out all wrong
Then I worked out some harmonies, that went, (Woah)
And then that sweet sound spoke to me
And told where I belong
It made me smile, made me sing, made my worries fly away
Lifting me up, setting me free
I could be Billie Holiday
In the silence hard to think about
When in reality you gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Oh, fly away
Oh, so naturally
Oh, toss the stress away
'Cause I know, yeah I know,
It'll make you feel alright, ooh, yeah
It made me smile, made me sing, made my worries fly away
Lifting me up, setting me free
I could be Billie Holiday
In the silence hard to think about
When in reality you gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Gotta sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Just relax, and let it happen naturally
Sit back
Relax, and let it happen naturally
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