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.
You think you're gonna live your life alone
In darkness
And seclusion
Yeah I know
You've been out there
Tried to mix with those animals
And it just left you full of humiliated confusion
So you stagger back home
And wait for nothing
But the solitary refinement of your room spits you back out onto the street
And now you're desperate
And in need of human contact
And then
You meet me
And you whole world changes
Because everything I say is everything you've ever wanted to hear
So you drop all your defenses and you drop all your fears
And you trust me completely
I'm perfect
In every way
Cause I make you feel so strong and so powerful inside
You feel so lucky
But your ego obscures reality
And you never bother to wonder why
Things are going so well
You want to know why?
'Cause I'm a liar
Yeah I'm a liar
I'll tear your mind out
I'll burn your soul
I'll turn you into me
I'll turn you into me
'Cause I'm a liar, a liar
A liar, a liar
I'll hide behind a smile
And understanding eyes
And I'll tell you things that you already know
So you can say
I really identify with you, so much
And all the time that you're needing me
Is just the time that I'm bleeding you
Don't you get it yet?
I'll come to you like an affliction
And I'll leave you like an addiction
You'll never forget me
You want to know why?
'Cause I'm a liar
Yeah I'm a liar
I'll rip your mind out
I'll burn your soul
I'll turn you into me
I'll turn you into me
'Cause I'm a liar, a liar
Liar, liar, liar, liar
I don't know why I feel the need to lie
And cause you so much pain
Maybe it's something inside
Maybe it's something I can't explain
'Cause all I do
Is mess you up and lie to you
I'm a liar
Oh, I am a liar
If you'll give me one more chance
I swear that I will never lie to you again
Because now I see the destructive power of a lie
They're stronger than truth
I can't believe I ever hurt you
I swear
I will never to you lie again, please
Just give me one more chance
I will never lie to you again
I swear
That I will never tell a lie
I will never tell a lie
No, no
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Sucker
Sucker!
Oh, sucker
I am a liar
Yeah, I am a liar
Yeah I like it
I feel good
Oh I am a liar
Yeah
I lie
I lie
I lie
Oh, I lie
Oh I lie
I lie
Yeah
Oh I'm a liar
I lie
Yeah
I like it
I feel good
I'll lie again
And again
I'll lie again and again
And I'll keep lying
I promise
In darkness
And seclusion
Yeah I know
You've been out there
Tried to mix with those animals
And it just left you full of humiliated confusion
So you stagger back home
And wait for nothing
But the solitary refinement of your room spits you back out onto the street
And now you're desperate
And in need of human contact
And then
You meet me
And you whole world changes
Because everything I say is everything you've ever wanted to hear
So you drop all your defenses and you drop all your fears
And you trust me completely
I'm perfect
In every way
Cause I make you feel so strong and so powerful inside
You feel so lucky
But your ego obscures reality
And you never bother to wonder why
Things are going so well
You want to know why?
'Cause I'm a liar
Yeah I'm a liar
I'll tear your mind out
I'll burn your soul
I'll turn you into me
I'll turn you into me
'Cause I'm a liar, a liar
A liar, a liar
I'll hide behind a smile
And understanding eyes
And I'll tell you things that you already know
So you can say
I really identify with you, so much
And all the time that you're needing me
Is just the time that I'm bleeding you
Don't you get it yet?
I'll come to you like an affliction
And I'll leave you like an addiction
You'll never forget me
You want to know why?
'Cause I'm a liar
Yeah I'm a liar
I'll rip your mind out
I'll burn your soul
I'll turn you into me
I'll turn you into me
'Cause I'm a liar, a liar
Liar, liar, liar, liar
I don't know why I feel the need to lie
And cause you so much pain
Maybe it's something inside
Maybe it's something I can't explain
'Cause all I do
Is mess you up and lie to you
I'm a liar
Oh, I am a liar
If you'll give me one more chance
I swear that I will never lie to you again
Because now I see the destructive power of a lie
They're stronger than truth
I can't believe I ever hurt you
I swear
I will never to you lie again, please
Just give me one more chance
I will never lie to you again
I swear
That I will never tell a lie
I will never tell a lie
No, no
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Sucker
Sucker!
Oh, sucker
I am a liar
Yeah, I am a liar
Yeah I like it
I feel good
Oh I am a liar
Yeah
I lie
I lie
I lie
Oh, I lie
Oh I lie
I lie
Yeah
Oh I'm a liar
I lie
Yeah
I like it
I feel good
I'll lie again
And again
I'll lie again and again
And I'll keep lying
I promise
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
Liar Lyrics as written by Noel Hogan Dolores Mary O'rordan
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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