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.
Love
Devotion
Feeling
Emotion
Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence
The return to innocence
And if you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny
Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance
To return to innocence
That's not the beginning of the end
That's the return to yourself
The return to innocence
That's return to innocence
Devotion
Feeling
Emotion
Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence
The return to innocence
And if you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny
Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance
To return to innocence
That's not the beginning of the end
That's the return to yourself
The return to innocence
That's return to innocence
Lyrics submitted by Pet_Virus, edited by Spartacus967
Return to Innocence Lyrics as written by M.c. Curly
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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one of those rare songs that can make me weep by the time i get to the end. so inexplicably heavenly. the video, even more so. it makes me want to grab the very moments of life that we cherish, hold them close to my heart and never let go. human life is not perfection, but going back to a period in our lives when the trivial petty things didn't matter and little gestures meant the world to us... life was simple and beautiful. we aren't able to recreate that at the stage of life that we're at right now because we concern ourselves with things that won't mean a thing when we approach the end of our years. worrying about materialistic status, what other people "might think", constantly holding back how you truly feel because being expressive is wrong, never seizing an opportunity because you 'think' you might fail etc. are the things i'm reminded of when i listen to this song. going back to a care-free, pure, and child-like innocence towards the world would help us truly understand and appreciate life... and this song conveys that best.
This song makes me feel so nostalgic and happy. It takes me back in time to when i was a child.
I think the song is saying that you should let go of all the negative. Remember when you were a child and you were so innocent and you didn't have to worry about what we now worry about as adults. Well why can't it be like that, We're the same people we're doing it to ourselves so we should change and in doing so we find what we think we lost.
Show our true selves, don't hide anymore. we get caught up protecting ourselves that we miss out. If your'e gay you're gay, if your'e sad your're sad etc. We hide from fear of what people will think but at the end of the day we're the same. we're our biggest critics and the song is our inner child screaming wake up. Thats my opinion xxxxx
I used to listen to this song a lot as a kid, like ten years old, and laugh at the chanting, I thought it was just the funniest thing when I was younger. As I grew older, I listened to this song more recently, the first time I heard it after maturing, I cried through it, it was so warming and comforting in this world where I'm normally completely lost, to hear, dont care what people say, just follow your own way, that alway helped a lot and still does.
I cried when I heard this song because I felt I couldn't return to myself.
I know what you're saying orangecrush i'm very lost and confused at the moment wondering who i am and if i have a place in this world and i listen to this song and i desperately want this but it's not easy. I'll find it eventually but not right now xxxx
@orangecrush you're not alone, iam cried too, every i feel hopeless i was hear this song and crying after that. so sad
what does this song mean to me? wow, thats a good question - i think that its saying people should return to the way they were before new technology. when i think of this, i think of how the earth wouldve looked before man ruined it with skyscrapers, and how much less complications there were, and how much more efficient humans were, its a beautiful song.
to me, this song is an invitation to forget all the hassles of adulthood and remember what it ws like to be a child; regain that "innocence" and wonder of it all. see the world and everybody in it with open eyes, an open mind, and an open heart. and to leap into love without looking!
We humans have made our life more and more complex. The solutions for these complexities are relatively more complex. Hence, its a vicious circle.
This song urges its listeners to return to the simplicities of life. Remain content with what you are and the way you are.
I would just like to add that, strive for achieving something but simultaneously remain content with your actual self.
I agree with what everyone's saying. Its like we should look into ourselves to see what's right for us. the world isn't always right, society, your friends, etc. ultimately 'your return to innocence' is like reflecting what's important to you and staying true to yourself. It doesn't mean I live it, but I feel like that's the message of the song. I like the video too, everything is going in backwards and they live such simple lives. I kind of would like to live like that myself with loved ones and all and not worry about career this or a car etc. But I live in the opposite place and I have to take care of business. That's cool that younger people like this song too :D
It has a theme of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and the importance of following one's path in life.
"Just look into your heart, my friend; that will be the return to yourself." The key to self-discovery is to look within and trust your feelings and emotions.
"The return to innocence" that the process of self-discovery is also a return to a state of pure, uncorrupted understanding of yourself. The lyrics also seem to suggest you should not be swayed by societal expectations and should instead believe in your destiny and follow your path.
"Don't give up and use the chance to return to innocence" is an encouragement to keep moving forward in the process of self-discovery and to not give up in the face of challenges.
Yeah, whenever I feel myself getting down, I just listen to this song and I feel better. Its a great song!