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.
So you sailed away
Into a gray sky morning.
Now I'm here to stay,
Love can be so boring.
Nothing quite the same now,
I just say your name now.
But its not so bad,
You're only the best
I ever had.
You don't want me back.
You're just the best
I ever had.
So you stole my world,
Now I'm just a phony.
Remembering the girl
Leaves me down and lonely.
Sending in the weather
Make yourself feel better.
But it's not so bad,
You're only the best
I ever had.
You don't need me back.
You're just the best
I ever had.
And it may take some time
To patch me up inside.
But I can't take it
So I run away and hide.
And I may find in time
That you were always right.
You're always right.
So you sailed away,
Into a gray sky morning.
Now I'm here to stay,
Love can be so boring.
What was it you wanted?
Could it be you're haunted?
But its not so bad,
You're only the best
I ever had.
I don't want you back.
You're just the best
I ever had.
The best I ever had.
Best I ever had.
Into a gray sky morning.
Now I'm here to stay,
Love can be so boring.
Nothing quite the same now,
I just say your name now.
But its not so bad,
You're only the best
I ever had.
You don't want me back.
You're just the best
I ever had.
So you stole my world,
Now I'm just a phony.
Remembering the girl
Leaves me down and lonely.
Sending in the weather
Make yourself feel better.
But it's not so bad,
You're only the best
I ever had.
You don't need me back.
You're just the best
I ever had.
And it may take some time
To patch me up inside.
But I can't take it
So I run away and hide.
And I may find in time
That you were always right.
You're always right.
So you sailed away,
Into a gray sky morning.
Now I'm here to stay,
Love can be so boring.
What was it you wanted?
Could it be you're haunted?
But its not so bad,
You're only the best
I ever had.
I don't want you back.
You're just the best
I ever had.
The best I ever had.
Best I ever had.
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Light Up The Sky
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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.
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Best I Ever Had by Vertical Horizon The song actually reminds us of something or someone we had in our life once and they just can’t stay forever. It hurts when the best you ever had has “sailed away”. It shows the stages one will go through. Dealing with the other not wanting you, then not having a need for you. What probably remain in you were memories to deal with, and you know that things will never be the same again. I think the hardest part was the denial stage as mentioned in the lyrics “I don’t want you back”, telling yourself that you’re okay, trying to believe that you’re okay but honestly you are not. Maybe the meaning of this song is getting over with someone, dealing with your loss but I think the most painful is the last part of the lyrics because it makes you see how all that you can do for yourself is to be in denial especially when that’s the best you ever had-“Well it’s not so bad”. And you know that probably getting over with someone is a long process, “it may take some time to patch me up inside”, “I can’t take it so I ran away and hide” and all you can do was try to deal and carry on with it. Well, the song is painful to listen especially if it reminds you of something- a person, a thing, or a situation you been through with. This maybe one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard and I came across this song while browsing the contents of my laptop. Something about this song made me a little bit nostalgic and will always remind me of a friend because we always love to listen to this song. And whenever I hear this song I came close to remember someone whom I also consider the “best I ever had”