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.
You can love it, you can leave it
They say you're nothing without it
Don't let them keep you down
What if I don't need it? There's something about it
That just freaks me out
I just want another minute with it, fuck a little, what's the use?
Never superficial you gon' know it when it hit you
Get a little sentimental when I'm off the juice
Yeah, okay we colder than the breeze
But the breeze ain't flowin' like me, motherfucker, hol' up
You don't need to hol' up, yeah
And I can show you how it seem, what it is, what it truly might be
Nothing that you know of, you don't need to hol' up
I'm so above and beyond you, take drugs to make it up
Way up where we on, space shuttle, Elon
Time we don't waste much, fuck and we wake up
Then I have her sing just like Céline Dion
Catch me if you can but, you'll never catch me, damn
Whole lotta, "yes, I am"
All the way in with no exit plan
Already left and the jet don't land
Yeah, the time is ticking
Come take a ride, get inside, this is highly different
I'm talking fly, got the pilot with me
Can I mind my business? Why you trippin'?
Give you somethin' that your eyes can witness
Ooh, too close
I don't understand why you doing the most (ooh)
You can love it, you can leave it
They'll say you're nothing without it
Don't let them keep you down
What if I don't need it? There's something about it
That just freaks me out
I just want another minute with it, fuck a little
What's the use? (what's the use?)
Never superficial, you gon' know it when it hit you
Get a little sentimental when I'm off the juice (turn it up)
Well, I'ma give you what you came for, yeah
Shit, I've worked too hard to have a clue who you are
Set the bar so far above par, we can parlay all day
Crib long range with the yard
I know I should probably pray more, but you gotta love me
'Cause I save the day, spend money
When I had nothing, shit, it wasn't so funny
Made a promise to the homies, nobody'd go hungry
Look how far we came, still they throwin' dirt on my name
But it never worried my brain
Heads turnin' like a hurricane swervin'
Tell the sun, get up outta my shade
They don't get the picture, cut 'em out of my frame, shit
I'm up 30 thou miles plus change
It's been a while but I'm down 'til I'm out
And it is what it is 'til it ain't
Ooh, oh, oh
I just wanna fly, ah
You can love it, you can leave it
And say you're nothing without it
Don't let them keep you down
What if I don't need it? There's something about it
That just freaks me out
I just want another minute with it, fuck a little
What's the use? (what's the use?)
Never superficial, you don't know it when it hit you
Get a little sentimental when I'm off the juice (ooh)
You can love it
It just freaks me out
They say you're nothing without it
Don't let them keep you down
What if I don't need it? There's something about it
That just freaks me out
I just want another minute with it, fuck a little, what's the use?
Never superficial you gon' know it when it hit you
Get a little sentimental when I'm off the juice
Yeah, okay we colder than the breeze
But the breeze ain't flowin' like me, motherfucker, hol' up
You don't need to hol' up, yeah
And I can show you how it seem, what it is, what it truly might be
Nothing that you know of, you don't need to hol' up
I'm so above and beyond you, take drugs to make it up
Way up where we on, space shuttle, Elon
Time we don't waste much, fuck and we wake up
Then I have her sing just like Céline Dion
Catch me if you can but, you'll never catch me, damn
Whole lotta, "yes, I am"
All the way in with no exit plan
Already left and the jet don't land
Yeah, the time is ticking
Come take a ride, get inside, this is highly different
I'm talking fly, got the pilot with me
Can I mind my business? Why you trippin'?
Give you somethin' that your eyes can witness
Ooh, too close
I don't understand why you doing the most (ooh)
You can love it, you can leave it
They'll say you're nothing without it
Don't let them keep you down
What if I don't need it? There's something about it
That just freaks me out
I just want another minute with it, fuck a little
What's the use? (what's the use?)
Never superficial, you gon' know it when it hit you
Get a little sentimental when I'm off the juice (turn it up)
Well, I'ma give you what you came for, yeah
Shit, I've worked too hard to have a clue who you are
Set the bar so far above par, we can parlay all day
Crib long range with the yard
I know I should probably pray more, but you gotta love me
'Cause I save the day, spend money
When I had nothing, shit, it wasn't so funny
Made a promise to the homies, nobody'd go hungry
Look how far we came, still they throwin' dirt on my name
But it never worried my brain
Heads turnin' like a hurricane swervin'
Tell the sun, get up outta my shade
They don't get the picture, cut 'em out of my frame, shit
I'm up 30 thou miles plus change
It's been a while but I'm down 'til I'm out
And it is what it is 'til it ain't
Ooh, oh, oh
I just wanna fly, ah
You can love it, you can leave it
And say you're nothing without it
Don't let them keep you down
What if I don't need it? There's something about it
That just freaks me out
I just want another minute with it, fuck a little
What's the use? (what's the use?)
Never superficial, you don't know it when it hit you
Get a little sentimental when I'm off the juice (ooh)
You can love it
It just freaks me out
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
What's The Use? Lyrics as written by Damon Garrett Riddick Calvin Cordazor Broadus
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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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