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.
Tim, wish you were born a girl
So I could've been your boyfriend
I know it's not possible now
I just never met a girl I like half as much as you
And we could lay around in bed, stay there all day
Or at least until the afternoon
And I could make you spaghetti with tomato sauce
With just a touch of oregano and a parsley stem
And then when you got sick
I could take the day off work
I could've made you chicken soup
And we could watch soap operas
Oh, those TV dramas
I could catch your cold
And you could take care of me
If I could've met you at school, or met you at work
It would have changed everything
Those years of losing, confusion and insecurity
They would have been shared
They would have been easier
Tim, wish you were born a girl
So I could've been your fiance
I'm not saying you can't be all these things for me
But it's just not the same because you're a man
And so am I
So I could've been your boyfriend
I know it's not possible now
I just never met a girl I like half as much as you
And we could lay around in bed, stay there all day
Or at least until the afternoon
And I could make you spaghetti with tomato sauce
With just a touch of oregano and a parsley stem
And then when you got sick
I could take the day off work
I could've made you chicken soup
And we could watch soap operas
Oh, those TV dramas
I could catch your cold
And you could take care of me
If I could've met you at school, or met you at work
It would have changed everything
Those years of losing, confusion and insecurity
They would have been shared
They would have been easier
Tim, wish you were born a girl
So I could've been your fiance
I'm not saying you can't be all these things for me
But it's just not the same because you're a man
And so am I
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Aw. I believe the singer here has a strong emotional (romantic) attraction towards Tim, but he is heterosexual (and Tim probably is too), so there is no physical or sexual desire towards Tim. I think the best term to describe his feelings would be homoromantic. It's sweet, but sad.
I agree.
It's a wonderfully sweet and endearing song...I like that Kevin Barnes isn't afraid to sing about such things...when two guys are very close in real life, things that are said by this song usually go UNSAID and I think it's beautiful to get them all out there. Everything this band does is surreal magic and I love 'em, they are worlds above a lot of music out there today...
Love this song, it's so silly, and a great song to annoy all the Tims of the world with by singing it to them constantly! I love the line about spaghetti especially because it's endearing how he knows just the way he likes it, "with just a touch of oregan and a parsley stem". Says alot about a bestfriendship and how you just know everything about each other, even the trivial things.
when i was in high school i heard this song and i emailed kevin to ask him if he was gay because i was completely in love with him over this song. his reply was yes, he is indeed very happy.
this song meant so much to me then, and it still does now that i'm listening to it years after not having heard it. i wish they never went electric, the innocence of their earlier sound is lost.
i know a guy named tim who was born a girl. convenient.
is it weird that this song makes me cry?
this is my favorite song by of montreal.
fortunately this kind of thing is now legal in the great commonwealth of MA. Can i get an amen?!?!?
i said some like this to a friend in middle school. they aren't my friend anymore.
i remember the first time i heard this song i started laughing when he says
"But it's just not the same because you're a man And so am I"
it just sounded so cute and honest. i love it.