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.
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in leavin'
Somebody's gonna give you back
What you've been givin'
And I hope that I'm around
To watch 'em knock you down
It's like you to love 'em and leave 'em
Just like you loved me and left me
It's like you to do that sort of thing
Over and over again
You're a fool hearted man
I hear you've been askin' about me
From some of my friends
Well, you'd better believe
I'm not goin' through that again
You're the kind of man
A woman thinks she can change
Oh, but the only thing changin'
Is my way of thinkin'
And I'm thinkin' that maybe someday
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in losin'
Somebody's gonna do to you
What you've been doin'
And I hope that I'm around
To watch 'em knock you down
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in hurtin'
Somebody's gonna leave you
With your fire burnin'
And no way to put it out
Baby, there ain't no doubt
You're a fool hearted man
Yeah, you're the kind of man
A woman thinks she can change
But the only thing changin'
Is my way of thinkin'
And I'm thinkin' that maybe someday
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in leavin'
Somebody's gonna give you back
What you've been givin'
And I hope that I'm around, ha
To watch 'em knock you down
Oh, it's like you to love 'em and leave 'em
Just like you loved me and left me
It's like you to do that sort of thing
Over and over again
You're a fool hearted man
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in leavin'
Somebody's gonna give you back
What you've been givin'
And I hope that I'm around
To watch 'em knock you down
Oh, it's like you to love 'em and leave 'em
Just like you loved me and left me
It's like you to do that sort of thing
Over and over again
You're a fool hearted man
Oh, a fool hearted man
Oh, whoa
Oh, a fool hearted man, ooh
Oh, a fool hearted man
A lesson in leavin'
Somebody's gonna give you back
What you've been givin'
And I hope that I'm around
To watch 'em knock you down
It's like you to love 'em and leave 'em
Just like you loved me and left me
It's like you to do that sort of thing
Over and over again
You're a fool hearted man
I hear you've been askin' about me
From some of my friends
Well, you'd better believe
I'm not goin' through that again
You're the kind of man
A woman thinks she can change
Oh, but the only thing changin'
Is my way of thinkin'
And I'm thinkin' that maybe someday
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in losin'
Somebody's gonna do to you
What you've been doin'
And I hope that I'm around
To watch 'em knock you down
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in hurtin'
Somebody's gonna leave you
With your fire burnin'
And no way to put it out
Baby, there ain't no doubt
You're a fool hearted man
Yeah, you're the kind of man
A woman thinks she can change
But the only thing changin'
Is my way of thinkin'
And I'm thinkin' that maybe someday
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in leavin'
Somebody's gonna give you back
What you've been givin'
And I hope that I'm around, ha
To watch 'em knock you down
Oh, it's like you to love 'em and leave 'em
Just like you loved me and left me
It's like you to do that sort of thing
Over and over again
You're a fool hearted man
Somebody's gonna give you
A lesson in leavin'
Somebody's gonna give you back
What you've been givin'
And I hope that I'm around
To watch 'em knock you down
Oh, it's like you to love 'em and leave 'em
Just like you loved me and left me
It's like you to do that sort of thing
Over and over again
You're a fool hearted man
Oh, a fool hearted man
Oh, whoa
Oh, a fool hearted man, ooh
Oh, a fool hearted man
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Lesson in Leavin' Lyrics as written by Randy Goodrum Brent Maher
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., 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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damnit...jess was right.
payback!
somebodys gonna give you a lesson in leavin somebodys gonna give to you what you've been givin, And I hope that I'm around To watch 'em knock you down
amazing lyrics! she wants her ex or about to be ex to feel what she's felt. and she wants to watch them get knocked down