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 haven't seen my ex since we broke up
Probably 'cause he didn't wanna grow up
Now I'm out and wearing something low-cut
'Bout to get attention from a grownup
'Cause you hold me like a woman
In a way I've never felt before
And it makes me wanna hold on
And it makes me wanna be all yours
Guys my age don't know how to treat me
Don't know how to treat me, don't know how to treat me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
Guys my age don't know how to keep me
Don't know how to keep me, don't know how to keep me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
All he ever wanted was to go down
What we supposed to do with all his friends around? (yeah)
Smoking weed, he'd never wanna leave the house
Got an empty cushion on that sofa now
Told him, "good luck with the next one"
Maybe she'll be just as immature
Gotta thank him, he's the reason
That I'll find out what I'm looking for
Guys my age don't know how to treat me
Don't know how to treat me, don't know how to treat me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
Guys my age don't know how to keep me
Don't know how to keep me, don't know how to keep me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
So I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
No, I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
Guys my age don't know how to treat me
Don't know how to please me, don't know how to read me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
Guys my age don't know how to tease me
Don't know how to leave me, don't know how to need me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
So I'm never going back
Don't know, don't know, don't know (don't know, don't know)
No, I'm never going back
Don't know how to touch me, don't know how to love me good
So I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
No, I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
Probably 'cause he didn't wanna grow up
Now I'm out and wearing something low-cut
'Bout to get attention from a grownup
'Cause you hold me like a woman
In a way I've never felt before
And it makes me wanna hold on
And it makes me wanna be all yours
Guys my age don't know how to treat me
Don't know how to treat me, don't know how to treat me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
Guys my age don't know how to keep me
Don't know how to keep me, don't know how to keep me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
All he ever wanted was to go down
What we supposed to do with all his friends around? (yeah)
Smoking weed, he'd never wanna leave the house
Got an empty cushion on that sofa now
Told him, "good luck with the next one"
Maybe she'll be just as immature
Gotta thank him, he's the reason
That I'll find out what I'm looking for
Guys my age don't know how to treat me
Don't know how to treat me, don't know how to treat me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
Guys my age don't know how to keep me
Don't know how to keep me, don't know how to keep me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
So I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
No, I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
Guys my age don't know how to treat me
Don't know how to please me, don't know how to read me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
Guys my age don't know how to tease me
Don't know how to leave me, don't know how to need me
Guys my age don't know how to touch me
Don't know how to love me good
So I'm never going back
Don't know, don't know, don't know (don't know, don't know)
No, I'm never going back
Don't know how to touch me, don't know how to love me good
So I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
No, I'm never going back (never going back, never going back)
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
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I think in the song the girl's basically singing to a guy about how she feels and how 'guys her age' dont know how to treat her right and her last boyfriend didn't treat her right and know she knows what she's looking for because of him. In the last lyrics, "im never going back" I think she's saying she'll never go back to guys like her last boyfriend who treated her bad and who are 'her age'. I think now after her last boy encounter she will be with boys who are older whom she thinks will be better boys and treat her better because they're older and 'more mature."