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 saw the part of you
That only when you're older, you will see too
You will see too
I held the better cards
But every stroke of luck has gotta bleed through
It's gotta bleed through
You held the balance of the time
That only blindly I could read you
But I could read you
It's like you told me
Go forward slowly
It's not a race to the end
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous
You were the better part
Of every bit of beating heart that I had
Whatever I had
I finally sat alone
Pitch black flesh and bone
Couldn't believe that you were gone
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface (on the surface)
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous (nervous)
Where are we?
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface (on the surface)
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous (nervous)
I saw the part of you
That only when you're older, you will see too
You will see too
That only when you're older, you will see too
You will see too
I held the better cards
But every stroke of luck has gotta bleed through
It's gotta bleed through
You held the balance of the time
That only blindly I could read you
But I could read you
It's like you told me
Go forward slowly
It's not a race to the end
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous
You were the better part
Of every bit of beating heart that I had
Whatever I had
I finally sat alone
Pitch black flesh and bone
Couldn't believe that you were gone
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface (on the surface)
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous (nervous)
Where are we?
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous
Well, you look like yourself
But you're somebody else
Only it ain't on the surface (on the surface)
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you're making me nervous (nervous)
I saw the part of you
That only when you're older, you will see too
You will see too
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