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.
Candy says I've come to hate my body
And all that it requires in this world
Candy says I'd like to know completely
What others so discretely talk about
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me
Candy says I hate the quiet places
That cause the smallest taste of what will be
Candy says I hate the big decisions
That cause endless revisions in my mind
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me
And all that it requires in this world
Candy says I'd like to know completely
What others so discretely talk about
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me
Candy says I hate the quiet places
That cause the smallest taste of what will be
Candy says I hate the big decisions
That cause endless revisions in my mind
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me
Lyrics submitted by bubbrock316
Candy Says Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
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.
I don't know what the actual meaning of this song is, but my interpretation would be that it is pertaining to a woman who is displeased with society's focus on sex. This person is trying to release certain ties to material things and just live hiz/herre life the way hee/shee wants.
Shannon Hoon, return soon.
It is a Velvet Underground song. Im not sure of the "meaning", but I think it is safe to say it is about a girl who is recognizing that she is worrying so much about small insignificant aspects of her life that she is no longer enjoying her life.
i think the song is about Self-Actualization that you don't fit society's mold exactly. And also how if you had once had it when you were younger you lose it as you get over. "i'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder." Is a more positive aspect, where you are doing well and you are in the prime of your life. "Im gonna watch them pass me by; when i'm older." Is more of the actualization that your time has passed and you can't keep up with the changes or the simple fact that you don't have it anymore.
this song is about a transvestite who went by Candy Darling..
Well, I don't think it's about "a woman displeased with the society's focus on sex" That's what I thought too, and it's because of that first line:
Candy says I've come to hate my body And all that it requires in this world
I rearranged it in my mind so that it sounded like she hates what the world requires of her body, when actually, it's saying that she doesn't want to have needs.
I don't really think you can get too deep into this song... I feel like it's a lot of inside experiences that we will never know about unless science will someday allow us to bring back Shannon and ask him. ( I hope so.) I think it's basically just a classic song about a troubled free spirit. Oxy-moron, maybe, but for some reason they seem to go hand in hand.
Oh and she worries too much about what people think about her.