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 believe everything you say
'Cause you're not frightened
The way I've been
So I follow you
Just in case you lose your way
So glad you could let me stay around
The chain link fence you climbed
To make forbidden lakes our own
Yours and mine
And with the ease of sea gulls
We cut the engines and cruise high
In the summer sky
Now I could speak to everything
But there's no room for my voice
When sweet feedback is
Jumping through the hoop of your ear
Ring there goes the phone
And then you're off again
On what the caller brings
So I went and trashed myself at the bar
Confused for nothing thinking you'd be there
I'm so embarrassed 'cause it's you
Who comes to take care of me
Shambling home again with you to lead
And it's not the way I want to go
And I'm mad at you and I'm mad at me
Talking endlessly, not a kind word to say
Till your amber beads of wisdom come
And I want to write it down
Just the way you said it
So I could keep it always
I can't forget the smell
Of summer trees at midnight
Bending backwards to please the wind
You touch the tattoo of the sun
On a warm belly that once carried a baby for a while
Then let the cracked leather jacket round you fold
Red face saints monogrammed in gold
And in this beauty I would not go any further
'Cause I suddenly remembered
We can't live this way forever
Idle daylight
I've never caught you in a lie
Not until now
I feel somehow
The passing of these days gone by
What will you do when the feeling
That you have is through
I need to know
'Cause I'll never stop hanging on to you
And it's times like this that I dread
When there's everything to say
And nothing left
To be said
'Cause you're not frightened
The way I've been
So I follow you
Just in case you lose your way
So glad you could let me stay around
The chain link fence you climbed
To make forbidden lakes our own
Yours and mine
And with the ease of sea gulls
We cut the engines and cruise high
In the summer sky
Now I could speak to everything
But there's no room for my voice
When sweet feedback is
Jumping through the hoop of your ear
Ring there goes the phone
And then you're off again
On what the caller brings
So I went and trashed myself at the bar
Confused for nothing thinking you'd be there
I'm so embarrassed 'cause it's you
Who comes to take care of me
Shambling home again with you to lead
And it's not the way I want to go
And I'm mad at you and I'm mad at me
Talking endlessly, not a kind word to say
Till your amber beads of wisdom come
And I want to write it down
Just the way you said it
So I could keep it always
I can't forget the smell
Of summer trees at midnight
Bending backwards to please the wind
You touch the tattoo of the sun
On a warm belly that once carried a baby for a while
Then let the cracked leather jacket round you fold
Red face saints monogrammed in gold
And in this beauty I would not go any further
'Cause I suddenly remembered
We can't live this way forever
Idle daylight
I've never caught you in a lie
Not until now
I feel somehow
The passing of these days gone by
What will you do when the feeling
That you have is through
I need to know
'Cause I'll never stop hanging on to you
And it's times like this that I dread
When there's everything to say
And nothing left
To be said
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Magical
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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I found this website by accident, so of course I had to see what people thought about one of my favorite songs of all time...This song is great because so many lines in it can be applied to anyone. I agree that when I heard "with everything to say and nothing left to be said...and it makes me sad" just made my respect stephen jenkins so much more. I think everyone has been at that point in a relationship, but its so well put. Also the part about getting trashed at the bar (in order to forget someone? to forget about a fight with someone?) and then it ends up that person ends up being the one to take him home...its like he's saying that he's embarrassed because the situation was out of his control again. Great frickin song!