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.
All I wanna be, is with you
In your arms, in our room
Living small, in a big house
I've been having dreams
Have you had them too?
I see me and you
By the door
Rushing in from the rain
At the back of the garden
Do you see that too?
Forever ain't forever if we're not together
I don't wanna put a load of pressure on you
I just wanna tell you, I just wanna tell you
Without you I don't know what I'd do
I've only got one life
And I want you in it, oh
Tell me that you'll never let me go
Or bury my body
Or send it down the river, oh
I could never do it on my own
Sometimes I get sad
At the front, at the back
In the middle of the happiest moments
'Cause good things can go bad
Easily
So I don't wanna slow down
Wanna jump, wanna fly, wanna fall
I wanna hit the ground running
Do you wanna marry me?
I've only got one life
And I want you in it, oh
Tell me that you'll never let me go (never let me go)
Or bury my body
Or send it down the river, oh
I could never do it on my own (do it on my own)
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Without you
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Alone
Forever ain't forever if we're not together
I don't wanna put a load of pressure on you
I just wanna tell you, I just wanna tell you
Without you I don't know what I'd do
We only get one try
I don't wanna miss it, oh
Tell me that you'll never let me go
I've only got one life (I've only got one life)
And I want you in it, oh (I don't wanna miss it)
Tell me that you'll never let me go (I don't wanna do it without you, no)
Or bury my body
Or send it down the river, oh (or send it down the river)
I could never do it on my own ('cause I could never do this on my own)
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Without you (oh) (oh, ain't a life without you)
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Alone
Whoa, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Without you, oh
I could never do this on my own
In your arms, in our room
Living small, in a big house
I've been having dreams
Have you had them too?
I see me and you
By the door
Rushing in from the rain
At the back of the garden
Do you see that too?
Forever ain't forever if we're not together
I don't wanna put a load of pressure on you
I just wanna tell you, I just wanna tell you
Without you I don't know what I'd do
I've only got one life
And I want you in it, oh
Tell me that you'll never let me go
Or bury my body
Or send it down the river, oh
I could never do it on my own
Sometimes I get sad
At the front, at the back
In the middle of the happiest moments
'Cause good things can go bad
Easily
So I don't wanna slow down
Wanna jump, wanna fly, wanna fall
I wanna hit the ground running
Do you wanna marry me?
I've only got one life
And I want you in it, oh
Tell me that you'll never let me go (never let me go)
Or bury my body
Or send it down the river, oh
I could never do it on my own (do it on my own)
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Without you
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Alone
Forever ain't forever if we're not together
I don't wanna put a load of pressure on you
I just wanna tell you, I just wanna tell you
Without you I don't know what I'd do
We only get one try
I don't wanna miss it, oh
Tell me that you'll never let me go
I've only got one life (I've only got one life)
And I want you in it, oh (I don't wanna miss it)
Tell me that you'll never let me go (I don't wanna do it without you, no)
Or bury my body
Or send it down the river, oh (or send it down the river)
I could never do it on my own ('cause I could never do this on my own)
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Without you (oh) (oh, ain't a life without you)
No, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Alone
Whoa, life ain't a life, ain't a life, ain't a life
Without you, oh
I could never do this on my own
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