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.
And if I say to you tomorrow
Take my hand, child come with me
It's to a castle I will take you
Where what's to be, they say will be
Catch the wind, see us spin
Sail away leave today
Way up high in the sky, hey, whoa
But the wind won't blow
You really shouldn't go
It only goes to show
That you will be mine
By takin' our time, ooh
And if you say to me tomorrow
Oh what fun it all would be
Then what's to stop us, pretty baby
But what is and what should never be
Catch the wind, see us spin
Sail away, leave today
Way up high in the sky, hey whoa
But the wind won't blow
You really shouldn't go
Only goes to show
That you will be mine
By takin' our time, ooh
So if you wake up with the sunrise
And all your dreams are still as new
And happiness is what you need so bad
Girl, the answer lies with you, yeah
Catch the wind, see us spin
Sail away, leave today
Way up high in the sky, hey whoa
But the wind won't blow
You really shouldn't go
Only goes to show
That you will be mine
By takin' our time, ooh
Hey, oh
Oh the wind won't blow and we really shouldn't go
And it only goes to show-ow-ow
Catch the wind, we're gonna see it spin
We're gonna sail, little girl
Do do do, bop bop a do-oh
My my my my my my my yeah
Everybody I know seems to know me well
But does anybody know I'm gonna move like hell
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, Lord
Baby, baby, baby, oh, right now, yeah
No, no, no, no, no, come on, now
Take my hand, child come with me
It's to a castle I will take you
Where what's to be, they say will be
Catch the wind, see us spin
Sail away leave today
Way up high in the sky, hey, whoa
But the wind won't blow
You really shouldn't go
It only goes to show
That you will be mine
By takin' our time, ooh
And if you say to me tomorrow
Oh what fun it all would be
Then what's to stop us, pretty baby
But what is and what should never be
Catch the wind, see us spin
Sail away, leave today
Way up high in the sky, hey whoa
But the wind won't blow
You really shouldn't go
Only goes to show
That you will be mine
By takin' our time, ooh
So if you wake up with the sunrise
And all your dreams are still as new
And happiness is what you need so bad
Girl, the answer lies with you, yeah
Catch the wind, see us spin
Sail away, leave today
Way up high in the sky, hey whoa
But the wind won't blow
You really shouldn't go
Only goes to show
That you will be mine
By takin' our time, ooh
Hey, oh
Oh the wind won't blow and we really shouldn't go
And it only goes to show-ow-ow
Catch the wind, we're gonna see it spin
We're gonna sail, little girl
Do do do, bop bop a do-oh
My my my my my my my yeah
Everybody I know seems to know me well
But does anybody know I'm gonna move like hell
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, Lord
Baby, baby, baby, oh, right now, yeah
No, no, no, no, no, come on, now
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by Mellow_Harsher
What Is and What Should Never Be Lyrics as written by James Patrick Page Robert Anthony Plant
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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To expand on what taylorsapien wrote, it's about confidence and believeing in yourself, especially when dealing with relationships. As I have learned though my life experiences, this is where most guys totally blow it. Women want men who will take their hand and lead, without controlling or being a jerk. In this song, the guy tells the girl he is gonna take her where she wants to be and that once they arrive there, she will find that she is right where she wants to be. Confidence. But her happiness still lies with her, so she's not controlled by him. She melts, he's got his babe. How did these guys write so well??? One of my favorite Zeppelin songs.
Again, one of my favorite Zeppelin songs. I see it as a song about a man taking away a child or a young woman to a place to escape from reality. The castle is a dream, or a fantasy world in the girl's imagination.
"Then what's to stop us, pretty baby. But What Is And What Should Never Be" Basically, the things in reality the girl see happening and does not want to see happening. This could range to a lot of different things.
"So if you wake up with the sunrise, and all your dreams are still as new," She has woken from her dream, and finds the dreams still fresh in her mind. The next line tells the girl, that if she wants what is in her dream or imagination, than she can find it in herself.
The chorus and the last stanza I haven't really given much thought to yet. But when I do, you can be sure that I will tell you all what I think it means.
I think this song is about a guy who is daydreaming about a girl. The guitars and beat on the verses suggest lazy imaginings. But, the pumped up, hard rock riff of the chorus suggests feeling the excitement of love. <br /> <br /> I would think this is to a girl the singer likes and would like to make her feel good. 'And happiness is what you need so bad' suggests that the guy wants to make her happy.<br /> <br /> The guy dreams of taking her off to some perfect place in the sky where they can be together. It also suggests that if she feels this way, too, that she should decide whether she likes him or not.<br /> <br /> <br /> This is one of my favorite Led Zep songs....It's so beautiful. It's like a classic crush song of a guy dreaming magically of a girl. He wants her so bad he can just taste it. This is him tasting it. Love it!!!!
Its about a romance Plant had with his wife's younger sister<br />
it's a dream world that once again, zeppelin creates their perfect woman and the perfect place to make love to her at, a castle that can only be reached by immagination. or a magic carpet ride.
honestly, this song is quite self explanatory. "what is and what should never be" clearly relates to a relationship with a female. basically this song is in hope of favoring "what is" as she will be his by them "takin our(their) time..." it's not that hard to interpret. what is and what should never be is pretty much the age old question of asking out a girl and or trying to "mack" it, seeing if she is feeling you. in this song, zeppelin speaks of the force, the force being "what is and what should never be" taking charge of all attempts at relationships, whether they be long term or short term, most likely sexually related relationships. nothing wrong with ones of that sort, they're always the best. -PEACE-
One thing that might help people decide is look about 5 second from the end of the song turn the music up really high, he says "I want you" quietly
Its not as deep as all that.... Plant was way into his wife's sister... he was dating both of them and married Maureen because he got her pregnant.... its about the sister and forbidden love...
yup, that is exactly what I have heard too. I think it was talked about in Hammer of the Gods.
"And if you say to me tomorrow, oh what fun it all would be. Then what's to stop us, pretty baby. But What Is And What Should Never Be."
I always see that line as somewhat Lolita-esque,
I agree with Atemporal somewhat on the meaning. But i believe the song is less about finding a chemistry, but instead a choice for a woman who has a man that wants her and needs to move. He promises her that the future with him will be bright.
"And if you say to me tomorrow, oh what fun it all would be. Then what's to stop us, pretty baby. But What Is And What Should Never Be. "
That Is and What should Never Be is dependant on whether she wants to go with him. And from the last line of the song it is clear that he is going whether she goes with him or not.
I agree with Atemporal somewhat on the meaning. But i believe the song is less about finding a chemistry, but instead a choice for a woman who has a man that wants her and needs to move. He promises her that the future with him will be bright.
"And if you say to me tomorrow, oh what fun it all would be. Then what's to stop us, pretty baby. But What Is And What Should Never Be. "
That Is and What should Never Be is dependant on whether she wants to go with him. And from the last line of the song it is clear that he is going whether she goes with him or not.
Our lives never mirror the dreams that paint our smiles, but that is why we dream, to smile.