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.
Running out of time again
Where did you go wrong this time?
When your problems overwhelm you
Go get drunk it's party time
Take a quaalude, relax your mind
Relax your body too!
Run from problems but
You'll never get away
No one loves you, and you
Wonder why?
Sitting there with your mouth full of beer
Your eyes are glazed, your face is red
Who's gonna pick you up and use you for tonight?
And when you're on the streets
With a needle in your arm
Selling your body for another fix
Who's gonna pick you up and take you home with them tonight? Not me!
Running out of breath again you're an Old Maid, but you're only 15
You're losing your little girl's charm
Cry all night but you'll never get it back
Don't be afraid, it's not too late
Save yourself, I need you here
Wearing off, wearing out
I can't think about this cause it makes me sick
Where did you go wrong this time?
When your problems overwhelm you
Go get drunk it's party time
Take a quaalude, relax your mind
Relax your body too!
Run from problems but
You'll never get away
No one loves you, and you
Wonder why?
Sitting there with your mouth full of beer
Your eyes are glazed, your face is red
Who's gonna pick you up and use you for tonight?
And when you're on the streets
With a needle in your arm
Selling your body for another fix
Who's gonna pick you up and take you home with them tonight? Not me!
Running out of breath again you're an Old Maid, but you're only 15
You're losing your little girl's charm
Cry all night but you'll never get it back
Don't be afraid, it's not too late
Save yourself, I need you here
Wearing off, wearing out
I can't think about this cause it makes me sick
Lyrics submitted by Psychedeliasmith
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Pretty easy to understand. Bout a girl with emotional problems, probably from uninterested parents, who turns to drugs and prostitution for cash. The girl is quickly losing her innocence "you're an old maid, you're only 15" and he wants to save her.
This was the first song I ever heard by the Descendents, and one of the first punk songs I ever heard, period. It completely changed the way I thought about music.
yeah, this song is basically about a girl who always makes bad decesions, uses alcohol and drugs to erase problems, resorts to postitution for drug money and Milo tries desperately but fails to save her from herself. and yeah kick ass song
one of my fav. if not my fav. songs by the Descedents awesome song by a kick ass band
another killer song by a strong band
Simple explanation for the song, as stated by the posters above. It makes me wonder if Milo ever knew anyone like this, after all, a lot of the Descendents songs deal very specifically with issues and themes that young people face-which one of the many reasons why they've become such an influential punk band.
@River Wolf I'm sure they did know people like this, the drug culture was big in the '70s when these guys and a lot of the original hardcore bands were growing up. Lots of kids in the original punk scene got hooked on heroin (Darby Crash, the guy in the Dickies, the Stooges & MC5, Will Shatter of Flipper), and it wrecked a lot of those bands. Drugs were enough of a problem that the hardcore scene spawned the straight edge movement (Minor Threat, etc.) Anyway that's all ancient history but these problems have a way of coming back around for new generations to wrestle with!
I heard this song the other day for the first time in a while. And I realized I know far too many 15 year old maids.
this song really means a lot to me because a really good friend of mine is exactly like the girl in the song. she runs away from life through alcohol and now she's currently a heroin addict, doing tricks to get cash for her dope. I wish I save her cause I know what its like to be drug addict but the only thing I can do is wait for her to come to me. great song. great album. great band.
Kick ass song.
freewebs.com/thejakesite
"This was the first song I ever heard by the Descendents, and one of the first punk songs I ever heard, period. It completely changed the way I thought about music." i guess that goes for me too
So she turns tricks and is a junkie ay? whats her number bro?