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.
Try putting on a brave face
While everything is giving way
Night can undercut riverbank
Knowing that you might go swimming
But it doesn't matter anyway
Try to look at my reflection
You see it's getting bigger fast
By the time it looks lifesize
I'll be soaking wet wondering how
I ended up on my ass
And I've been here before
I don't need to go back anymore
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
I'm thought of moving on the wrong side
But maybe it's the wrong bed
You can get tangled up
And be arrested trying landing on your feet
And still wind up landing on your head
So when you try to make it look good
Like it was what you wanted all along
Never thought you would wind up
Finding out nothing was quite
As you took for granted all along
I've been here before
And I don't mean to go back anymore
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
Why would I fall back into this shit-storm
I mean, what went wrong
Why would I get it all over me
Maybe I'll squeeze back into this suit
I paid way too much for
'Cause you can feel bad these days for free
I've been here before
And I don't mean to go back anymore
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
I've been here before
I've been here before
I've been here before
Don't need to go back anymore
I've been here before
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
'Cause I've been here before
While everything is giving way
Night can undercut riverbank
Knowing that you might go swimming
But it doesn't matter anyway
Try to look at my reflection
You see it's getting bigger fast
By the time it looks lifesize
I'll be soaking wet wondering how
I ended up on my ass
And I've been here before
I don't need to go back anymore
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
I'm thought of moving on the wrong side
But maybe it's the wrong bed
You can get tangled up
And be arrested trying landing on your feet
And still wind up landing on your head
So when you try to make it look good
Like it was what you wanted all along
Never thought you would wind up
Finding out nothing was quite
As you took for granted all along
I've been here before
And I don't mean to go back anymore
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
Why would I fall back into this shit-storm
I mean, what went wrong
Why would I get it all over me
Maybe I'll squeeze back into this suit
I paid way too much for
'Cause you can feel bad these days for free
I've been here before
And I don't mean to go back anymore
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
I've been here before
I've been here before
I've been here before
Don't need to go back anymore
I've been here before
I've been here before
And I don't need to go back anymore
'Cause I've been here before
Lyrics submitted by Browns0286
Here Before Lyrics as written by Ed Robertson
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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