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.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
Look what he's made you do to your arm again,
He said he'd come round but he's gone out with his friends,
And I know how it feels to be your age
and feel the world is caving in.
Another drama by the kitchen sink tonight,
You said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives,
Another week off school won't do you any good,
And I know how it feels to be your age.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
Come back with me, and find out what you really want,
Come home with me you'll only have to do it once,
'cause I know what it feels like to be your age,
You only have to do it once,
And never again.
Another drama by the kitchen sink tonight,
You said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives,
Another week off school won't do you any good,
And I know how it feels to be your age.
You know I'm not so young,
I spend an hour getting ready every day,
And still I end up looking more or less the same,
But I could show you,
a thing or two.
Oh, I could show you the ropes,
Yes I could show you the ropes,
And I would cut my hair for you,
'Cause I know how it feels.
I know how it feels to be your age,
I know how it feels to be your age,
Oh, how I'd love to feel a girl your age,
Your age,
Once and never again.
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
Look what he's made you do to your arm again,
He said he'd come round but he's gone out with his friends,
And I know how it feels to be your age
and feel the world is caving in.
Another drama by the kitchen sink tonight,
You said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives,
Another week off school won't do you any good,
And I know how it feels to be your age.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
Come back with me, and find out what you really want,
Come home with me you'll only have to do it once,
'cause I know what it feels like to be your age,
You only have to do it once,
And never again.
Another drama by the kitchen sink tonight,
You said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives,
Another week off school won't do you any good,
And I know how it feels to be your age.
You know I'm not so young,
I spend an hour getting ready every day,
And still I end up looking more or less the same,
But I could show you,
a thing or two.
Oh, I could show you the ropes,
Yes I could show you the ropes,
And I would cut my hair for you,
'Cause I know how it feels.
I know how it feels to be your age,
I know how it feels to be your age,
Oh, how I'd love to feel a girl your age,
Your age,
Once and never again.
Lyrics submitted by Jenezzy
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I think that this song is about a mother who has a daughter who has an abusive boyfriend: "you sais you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives" it could mean that she slits her wrists but alot of lyrics in the song hint at an abusive boyfriend, who treates her like shit, and her mother understands and wants to help wat do you think?
thats what i thought at first ... until she goes on about how she wants to feel a girl her age (lesbian sex really). The song is trying to convince her he boyfriend is sh** and a waste of her time. She trying to convince her to have a one night stand, and that she can teach her a few thing whether it be about life or about how to have great sex "But I could show you, a thing or two." "Come back with me, and find out what you really want" "Only have to do it once" etc
That's mostly right, except it's not lesbian sex. The song was written by a man, it just happens to be sung by a woman.
I agree with the abusive boyfriend thinking. But I dont think it's about sex at all, I believe that the mother is saying to the daughter why waste your life on this boyfriend? In saying "Come back with me and find out what you really want" I think the mother is trying to convey that being 19, the daughter needs to fuck the boyfriend off and live a bit without him so she can see what she really wants. The mother wants to be her age, and shes saying she will regret the things shes doing.
Nice explanation, hadn't actually thought of it like that. what about the line "Oh, how I'd love to feel a girl your age"? That seems to imply a sexual nature to the song. Not that that rules out the mother theory, it just makes it a bit more unlikely.
I think 'feel a girl' might mean 'feel like a girl'. The motherly advice seems right to me as 'you're only 19, you don't need a boyfriend' seems to be telling the girl that because she's so young she doesn't need to cling to this boy.
"look what he's made you do to your arm again" and "you said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives"
the boy hurts her so much emotionally that she self harms
I agree with jenessy, its probabout trying lesbian sex.
Sorry to disappoint you, it isn't about lesbian sex. The song is from a man's point of view. Mr Cox may well claim to write from an androgynous perspective, but he's no Brett Anderson, let me tell you. Still, amazing song.
yeah i agree about the self harming. i basically think that she's young, she really likes this guy, he treats her a bit crap, has no time for her "he said he'd come round byt he's gone out with his friends" which leads her to self harm. this song is definately deeper than you first imagine. absoloutely brillliant though. great band. x