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.
My lover looks me in the eye
Says baby you failed me
If your love is really true
Why don't I feel set free
Aw bail me out baby
I'm not meant for this prision cell
So I fought for him
How could I know he brought it on himself
And now I'd like to say
Final score aside
That even though I failed in your eyes
I tried
I tried
So I bailed him out with all my cash
I bailed him out with my love
Distracted all the prision guards
With stone trumpet from up above
I even pulled the warden over to one side
I said leave for him to foreswear my penance
For his crime
And now I'd like to say
Final score aside
Even though I failed in your eyes
I tried
I tried it
And with all the pain in this world
That my love could go to change
How could I fail at freeing only one man from his own cage
And though it hurts to think of him
Cursing me for one thing
And it hurts to think of me
No longer believing
But in the end they told me
Sorry he isn't good enough
And it finally occurred to me
Why his life is so damn rough
And now I'd like to say
Final score aside
That even though I failed in your eyes
I know I hurt you maybe a lot
Oh blame me til the day that I die
But I tried
I tried
Baby I tried
Yeah
I tried I tried I tried
Says baby you failed me
If your love is really true
Why don't I feel set free
Aw bail me out baby
I'm not meant for this prision cell
So I fought for him
How could I know he brought it on himself
And now I'd like to say
Final score aside
That even though I failed in your eyes
I tried
I tried
So I bailed him out with all my cash
I bailed him out with my love
Distracted all the prision guards
With stone trumpet from up above
I even pulled the warden over to one side
I said leave for him to foreswear my penance
For his crime
And now I'd like to say
Final score aside
Even though I failed in your eyes
I tried
I tried it
And with all the pain in this world
That my love could go to change
How could I fail at freeing only one man from his own cage
And though it hurts to think of him
Cursing me for one thing
And it hurts to think of me
No longer believing
But in the end they told me
Sorry he isn't good enough
And it finally occurred to me
Why his life is so damn rough
And now I'd like to say
Final score aside
That even though I failed in your eyes
I know I hurt you maybe a lot
Oh blame me til the day that I die
But I tried
I tried
Baby I tried
Yeah
I tried I tried I tried
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.