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.
If I tell you what I really want
You'd just say shut up
You don't really wanna hear it, no
I try to be resolute
You reduce it down to cute
I tell you you're a coward
You say I'm a prostitute
When the mascara's dry
I know you've got something to hide
Can't you just say it, say it, say it,
Say it one time
Speak your mind
Ooooh say it, say it, say it
I would show up as someone else
What's it like when you're yourself
I'd tell you what I want
But I keep it kind of cryptic
I'm a zoetrope cyber on the tip of a trip
They tell you what you want
Tell you what I need
But I'd hate you if you miss it
I'd like to take a stranger's face in my hands
And kiss the taste of nowhere to hide
Yeah the taste of nowhere to hide
Oh, just say it, say it, say it, say it one time
Speak your mind
Ooh say it, say it, say it
Here comes the breakdown
It's a life where there's no one round
Say it, say it, say it
What's going on here
I swear you'll disappear if you don't
Say it, say it, say it
Take it down now to the core
Or speak no more
You're just a cheap lout
You're just an escape route
But you know, you know, you know
What makes you try again
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
You'd just say shut up
You don't really wanna hear it, no
I try to be resolute
You reduce it down to cute
I tell you you're a coward
You say I'm a prostitute
When the mascara's dry
I know you've got something to hide
Can't you just say it, say it, say it,
Say it one time
Speak your mind
Ooooh say it, say it, say it
I would show up as someone else
What's it like when you're yourself
I'd tell you what I want
But I keep it kind of cryptic
I'm a zoetrope cyber on the tip of a trip
They tell you what you want
Tell you what I need
But I'd hate you if you miss it
I'd like to take a stranger's face in my hands
And kiss the taste of nowhere to hide
Yeah the taste of nowhere to hide
Oh, just say it, say it, say it, say it one time
Speak your mind
Ooh say it, say it, say it
Here comes the breakdown
It's a life where there's no one round
Say it, say it, say it
What's going on here
I swear you'll disappear if you don't
Say it, say it, say it
Take it down now to the core
Or speak no more
You're just a cheap lout
You're just an escape route
But you know, you know, you know
What makes you try again
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Say what you mean
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Say It Lyrics as written by Jenkins Stephan Douglas
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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If this really is the last song on the last album, it's a fitting swan song. It's not Jenkins' best work, but it's maybe one of his most fitting for the time and place.
Starts out all right, but when you get into K Flay's spoken word portion, it all connects perfectly and is a great tip of the cap to everyone who has followed the band from the start and not missed an album. Basically just Jenkins addressing 20'ish years of thoughts/doubts in about 2 and a half minutes.
His struggles with writers block pre-Ursa Major, his relationship with Theron aka "that actress" (which inspired much of "Out of the Vein"), nods to the debut album (sleeping on a cot, eating tater tots), his uneasy relationship with critics who always unfairly accused him of peaking with the bands debut album and holding him up to impossible standards.
Just a solid song from top to bottom. Again, not the greatest, but definitely appropriate and if it's the last song we get... it's fitting.