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.
And I would do anything for love
I'd run right into hell and back
I would do anything for love
I'll never lie to you and that's a fact
But I'll never forget the way you feel right now
Oh no, no way
And I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
I won't do that
Anything for love
I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
I won't do that
Some days it don't come easy
Some days it don't come hard
Some days it don't come at all
And these are the days that never end
Some nights you're breathing fire
Some nights you're carved in ice
Some nights you're like nothing I've ever seen before
Or will again
Maybe I'm crazy
Oh, it's crazy and it's true
I know you can save me
No one else can save me now but you
As long as the planets are turning
As long as the stars are burning
As long as your dreams are coming true
You better believe it!
That I would do anything for love
And I'll be there till the final act
I would do anything for love
And I'll take a vow and seal a pact
But I'll never forgive myself
If we don't go all the way tonight!
I would do anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, I won't do that
I would do anything for love
Anything you've been dreaming of
But I just won't do that
Somedays I pray for silence
Somedays I pray for soul
Somedays I just pray to the God
Of Sex and Drums and Rock 'N' Roll
Some nights I lose the feeling
Some nights I lose control
Some nights I just lose it all
When I watch you dance and the thunder rolls
Maybe I'm lonely
And that's all I'm qualified to be
There's just one and only
The one and only promise I can keep
As long as the wheels are turning
As long as the fires are burning
As long as your prayers are coming true
You better believe it
That I would do anything for love
And you know it's true and that's a fact
I would do anything for love
And there'll never be no turning back
But I'll never do it better than I do it with you
So long, so long
And I would do anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, no, no, I won't do that
I would do anything for love
Anything you've been dreaming of
But I just won't do that
But I'll never stop dreaming of you
Every night of my life, no way
And I would do anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, I won't do that
[Girl:] Will you raise me up?
Will you help me down?
Will you get me right out of this God-forsaken town?
Will you make it all a little less cold?
[Boy:] I can do that!
I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you hold me sacred?
Will you hold me tight?
Can you colorize my life?
I'm so sick of black and white...
Can you make it all a little less old?
[Boy:] I can do that!
Oh, oh, now I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you make me some magic
With your own two hands?
Can you build an emerald city
With these grains of sand?
Can you give me something I can take home?
[Boy:] I can do that!
Oh, oh now, I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you cater to every fantasy I got?
Will you hose me down with holy water
If I get too hot?
Will you take me places I've never known?
[Boy:] I can do that!
Oh, oh now, I can do that!
[Girl:] After a while you'll forget everything
It was a brief interlude and a midsummer night's fling
And you'll see that it's time to move on
[Boy:] I won't do that!
No, I won't do that!
[Girl:] I know the territory, I've been around
It'll all turn to dust and we'll all fall down
And sooner or later, you'll be screwing around...
[Boy:] I won't do that!
No, I won't do that!
Anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, I won't do that
I'd run right into hell and back
I would do anything for love
I'll never lie to you and that's a fact
But I'll never forget the way you feel right now
Oh no, no way
And I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
I won't do that
Anything for love
I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
I won't do that
Some days it don't come easy
Some days it don't come hard
Some days it don't come at all
And these are the days that never end
Some nights you're breathing fire
Some nights you're carved in ice
Some nights you're like nothing I've ever seen before
Or will again
Maybe I'm crazy
Oh, it's crazy and it's true
I know you can save me
No one else can save me now but you
As long as the planets are turning
As long as the stars are burning
As long as your dreams are coming true
You better believe it!
That I would do anything for love
And I'll be there till the final act
I would do anything for love
And I'll take a vow and seal a pact
But I'll never forgive myself
If we don't go all the way tonight!
I would do anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, I won't do that
I would do anything for love
Anything you've been dreaming of
But I just won't do that
Somedays I pray for silence
Somedays I pray for soul
Somedays I just pray to the God
Of Sex and Drums and Rock 'N' Roll
Some nights I lose the feeling
Some nights I lose control
Some nights I just lose it all
When I watch you dance and the thunder rolls
Maybe I'm lonely
And that's all I'm qualified to be
There's just one and only
The one and only promise I can keep
As long as the wheels are turning
As long as the fires are burning
As long as your prayers are coming true
You better believe it
That I would do anything for love
And you know it's true and that's a fact
I would do anything for love
And there'll never be no turning back
But I'll never do it better than I do it with you
So long, so long
And I would do anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, no, no, I won't do that
I would do anything for love
Anything you've been dreaming of
But I just won't do that
But I'll never stop dreaming of you
Every night of my life, no way
And I would do anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, I won't do that
[Girl:] Will you raise me up?
Will you help me down?
Will you get me right out of this God-forsaken town?
Will you make it all a little less cold?
[Boy:] I can do that!
I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you hold me sacred?
Will you hold me tight?
Can you colorize my life?
I'm so sick of black and white...
Can you make it all a little less old?
[Boy:] I can do that!
Oh, oh, now I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you make me some magic
With your own two hands?
Can you build an emerald city
With these grains of sand?
Can you give me something I can take home?
[Boy:] I can do that!
Oh, oh now, I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you cater to every fantasy I got?
Will you hose me down with holy water
If I get too hot?
Will you take me places I've never known?
[Boy:] I can do that!
Oh, oh now, I can do that!
[Girl:] After a while you'll forget everything
It was a brief interlude and a midsummer night's fling
And you'll see that it's time to move on
[Boy:] I won't do that!
No, I won't do that!
[Girl:] I know the territory, I've been around
It'll all turn to dust and we'll all fall down
And sooner or later, you'll be screwing around...
[Boy:] I won't do that!
No, I won't do that!
Anything for love
Oh, I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
No, I won't do that
Lyrics submitted by holmbom
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
wow, I feel so complete or something, because it's been years, and I just now got around to reading the lyrics for this song, and I've always liked it, but the "(But i won't do that part)" always made me think it was about one of those "one foot in the door" kinda of deals... but after reading this, I realize i was totally wrong, and i agree with past comments... i interpret this song now as him singing to someone, strongly trying to convince her that he will do ANYTHING for love, but he will NOT do what she fears he'll do -- he will NOT give up, leave, forget, cheat, whatever...
knowing this now, i see this song in a totally new way. i love it even more. it's a song i could very well be singing. very beautiful. i think everyone would like someone to sing this for them...
now this song has skyrocketed even higher on my list of fave songs. one of those you have to sing along to sometimes, really.