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 in your purpose baby
Coming up to the surface and maybe
I'll never see you again, then again, then again, who knows
Make me quiver hands will shiver
Still got all the things that I woulda give her
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
But it's slow going
Something's showing yeah, yeah
They say, love is a stream that will find it's own course
Making due is a thing a thing I will do no more
Whenever you come back I'll be waiting
Trifling the slack no head gating
This is all pure fiction you know that's right
Just pure fiction that's all right
I believe in your purpose baby
Coming up to the surface and maybe
I'll never see you again, then again, then again, who knows
Make me quiver hands will shiver
Still got all the things that I woulda give her
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
But it's slow going
Something's showing yeah, yeah
Coming up to the surface and maybe
I'll never see you again, then again, then again, who knows
Make me quiver hands will shiver
Still got all the things that I woulda give her
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
But it's slow going
Something's showing yeah, yeah
They say, love is a stream that will find it's own course
Making due is a thing a thing I will do no more
Whenever you come back I'll be waiting
Trifling the slack no head gating
This is all pure fiction you know that's right
Just pure fiction that's all right
I believe in your purpose baby
Coming up to the surface and maybe
I'll never see you again, then again, then again, who knows
Make me quiver hands will shiver
Still got all the things that I woulda give her
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
But it's slow going
Something's showing yeah, yeah
Lyrics submitted by pen1234567
Purpose Lyrics as written by Nick Hexum
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
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Great version of a great song,
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personally i thought it was about loving someone and them not loving you back "Whenever you come back, I'll be waiting "
I think this song is about a one night stand...
".....maybe I'll never see you again...then again, who knows...make me quiver...hands will shiver...Whenever you come back, I'll be waiting...this is all pure fiction, you know that's right....it's just pure fiction that's all right...."
maybe 311 meant for it to have some kind of deeper meaning..but...that's what i got out of it.
love. and not getting any. "they say love is a stream, that'll find its own course." great shit, yo.
I agree with ate 16am on his/her post. The song is about the person loving a girl that isn't ready to love him. He isn't trying to make love due just because he wants it to happen so he says he can wait for her. He wants his love to be beautiful and natural like a stream not something forceful. He believes in what she wants to do in life before she is ready for love.
i think it is about someone realizing that the person they thought was better turned out to be not so good...like the hot guy who isn't really nice or intelligent...u know he wants to believe they're better but they're just not....and it is taking time for him to realize
This song is definitely related to "Sweet" on the same album, maybe they divided up the lyrics into two songs?.. Anyway, This is another song about unrequited love-- The guy fell in love with a girl who rocks his world, and he wants to show his love for her and treat her like a queen... But something isn't right about her, and now she's leaving to go far away. Maybe he won't see her again, but he hopes in the back of his mind that he does and that it will work out in the end. He realizes by saying that, he is living in a fantasy.. but he supposes it's okay to dream for a while
I'm going through this EXACT shit right now:
to me, its about a girl that wants to be single, she wants to take a break from this relationship because she isn't sure if she's ready to settle down... the guy, doesn't want her to leave... and it really upsets him, but he understands that she needs too, and has to let her go
to me, this song is talking about two people who feel like they are supose to be together, it's just the timeing is off so they try lying to themseleves that it'll work out in the end but they both know that it can't work even though they both want it to so bad. So they just have to believe that they will be happy in life somehow, their pupose is to make someone else happy. which sucks
I know exactly what this song is saying. It's awesome.
"I believe in you purpose baby coming up to the surface and maybe I'll never see you again then again, who knows"
This tells me that a chick is just using this guy. Perhaps the dude has realized this fact but he'll still be there for her.
"Whenever you come back, I'll be waiting..."
Loved this song on their 3-11 Day DVD