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.
Darkness falls like
A black leather jacket
And melts into the sidewalk
Like a sleeping drunk
In the streets, the wind
Throws yesterday's headlines around
Another night comes and goes
So for awhile back then
There was someplace to go
Somewhere more home than a house
A family of choice not an accident
But sometimes as soon as something
Gets started it's over
Now the days are much shorter
And the people from the good part of town
All come around, but the something is missing
Even though there's more there now
I shrug off my attempts to explain
How a torn T-shirt made it all danger again
I don't like flashbacks in movies
I like the story to proceed
I don't like talking about the old days
Except if it tells where the future will lead
So we take a walk down this haunted hall
Or stumble through a shattered recall
I know there's nothing to relive
It's just he shape of it all
I don't want it different
I don't want it again
But value for value
I'd never want it to end
You thin of the old friends
And faced no more to be seen
You think how much fun
A line-up would mean
And once that tape starts playing
It's too hard to make it rewind
That one special face takes over your mind
That end of the run
We almost won
The end of the run
We had our fun
The end of the run
The end of the run
I knew it then
It won't be back again
We stood in the cold night
Though we should be warm in the back of the lot
With me in your arms
The sun was falling
The grey rain was poring
The cars were all dirty and slow
We both had our kiss
And out of the depths and darkness
With my eyes closed
I still see you fine
That was the season
We make our dreams come true
There was no limit to what we could do
The end of the run
We almost won
The end of the run
We had our fun
The end of the run
I knew it then
He won't be back again
Once that tape starts playing
It's too hard to make it rewind
With my eyes closed I still see you fine
That was the season
We make our dreams come true
There was no limit tot what we could do
The end of the run
We almost won
The end of the run
We had our fun
The end of the run
I knew it then
He won't be back again
A black leather jacket
And melts into the sidewalk
Like a sleeping drunk
In the streets, the wind
Throws yesterday's headlines around
Another night comes and goes
So for awhile back then
There was someplace to go
Somewhere more home than a house
A family of choice not an accident
But sometimes as soon as something
Gets started it's over
Now the days are much shorter
And the people from the good part of town
All come around, but the something is missing
Even though there's more there now
I shrug off my attempts to explain
How a torn T-shirt made it all danger again
I don't like flashbacks in movies
I like the story to proceed
I don't like talking about the old days
Except if it tells where the future will lead
So we take a walk down this haunted hall
Or stumble through a shattered recall
I know there's nothing to relive
It's just he shape of it all
I don't want it different
I don't want it again
But value for value
I'd never want it to end
You thin of the old friends
And faced no more to be seen
You think how much fun
A line-up would mean
And once that tape starts playing
It's too hard to make it rewind
That one special face takes over your mind
That end of the run
We almost won
The end of the run
We had our fun
The end of the run
The end of the run
I knew it then
It won't be back again
We stood in the cold night
Though we should be warm in the back of the lot
With me in your arms
The sun was falling
The grey rain was poring
The cars were all dirty and slow
We both had our kiss
And out of the depths and darkness
With my eyes closed
I still see you fine
That was the season
We make our dreams come true
There was no limit to what we could do
The end of the run
We almost won
The end of the run
We had our fun
The end of the run
I knew it then
He won't be back again
Once that tape starts playing
It's too hard to make it rewind
With my eyes closed I still see you fine
That was the season
We make our dreams come true
There was no limit tot what we could do
The end of the run
We almost won
The end of the run
We had our fun
The end of the run
I knew it then
He won't be back again
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
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