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.
I can't sleep tonight
Everybody's saying everything is alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all of these lights
Sunny days, where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
I can't stand myself
I'm being held up by invisible men
Still life on a shelf when
I've got my mind on something else
Sunny days, oh, where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue sky go?
Oh why is it raining so?
It's so cold
I can't sleep tonight
Everybody's saying everything is alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all of these lights
Sunny days, oh, where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue sky go?
And why is it raining so?
It's so cold
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
Why does it always rain on me?
Why does it always rain on, on
Everybody's saying everything is alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all of these lights
Sunny days, where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
I can't stand myself
I'm being held up by invisible men
Still life on a shelf when
I've got my mind on something else
Sunny days, oh, where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue sky go?
Oh why is it raining so?
It's so cold
I can't sleep tonight
Everybody's saying everything is alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all of these lights
Sunny days, oh, where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue sky go?
And why is it raining so?
It's so cold
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shinning I can't avoid the lightning
Why does it always rain on me?
Why does it always rain on, on
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
I think everyone summed this song up well so I will just say a few words....
My favorite lyrics are:
Where have you gone? I get the strangest feeling you belong."
"Is it because I lied when I was seventeen? " --- I love this line because whenever something bad happens we have a tendency to correlate it with something we have done, sometimes that definitely may be the case, but in general we have no real control over certain things and so therefore are not responsible...but we still question it.
"Even when the sun is shining I can't avoid the lightning"----------- I like this lyric cause it goes with the mentality that "oh yeah even when things are going great I'll find a way to screw it up somehow"
Anyway an honest, lovely, song describing the way we've all felt at one point or another.
This song is great. It's about those times when you feel everything's against you and you remember when things where better and easier. It has happened to anyone
my first travis too, and now they are my all time absolute fav. Isn't this song just brilliant? can't EVERYONE relate? its so good live too. sigh why DOES it always rain on me?
Travis is better than you.
why does it always rain on me?:)
this for a song for when you're down and everything around you is going wrong. its saying tht once it rains, it really pours. which i;ve always felt means that little things going wrong turn into big things going wrong and ikt doesn;t seem the the happy 'sunny days' will come back again, which happens to me. brilliant song.
This song means so much to me. It's bittersweet, cause I remember watching the video back in 2000 when I had first started college and was happy and experiencing a lot, but I also was also confused by my first relationship (that still hurts me). So I recall those nights (this kind of music was only played on MTV Argentina at nights, since it was not "cool") and loving this sad tune, and a few years later when I learned a little more English and read the full lyrics I knew what I was so touched. Unlike some of you, I don't think this song is for everyone, since there are people that don't seem to fall into this kind of sadness or emptiness this song talks about, and seem to be ok and not so touched by events. But people like myself...well, I often feel like the lyrics of this song, so different from everybody else and so dissatisfied by your life ("even when the sun is shining", and you are ok on the outside and people think you have it all to succeed) and you can't stand yourself and start to wonder if YOU or something within you is not the real trouble...but you can't help it, cause that's just how you are!. Recently someone (yeah the same guy with whom I had that conflicted relationship!) saw that I was using this song title as a tag and he said it must be that I am responsible of that...meaning it "rains" because I don't handle the situation well...he might be right, but I also learned that some troubles that you have nothing to do with come one after another and certainly break your whole life down. This song talks about that confusion in my opinion, and hoping and longing desperately for the sun to come out...
Wow, this song was the song of this year for me.
All in one year, no joke Why does it always rain on me...
So true. I feel like that a lot too. it's the ''rain'' metaphor again, which means why do bad things happen to me all the time?
I’d love to lead a rendition of this at a bar somewhere — I think it would be fun to belt out as a group. Any takers?
I agree with AlmightyChrissy - sometimes I want to laugh, sometimes cry
Sometimes it makes me wants to cry when I’m going through hard times, because, let’s face it, it’s a sad song with features, insomnia, identity crisis; it even has a sad violin intro.
Sometimes it makes me want to laugh because of the futility of the situation. As strangersatellite said, we want to understand why this crap happens to us. What’s with all the bad karma? Even when it’s sunny I get shocks of lightening. Is it because of that time when I was 17 and I lied about eating the last cookie? But really, at the end of the day, it’s bad weather, and even though we can’t justify why, we have no choice but to accept it.
I’m going through really poop time right now — for me personally, this signifies the recent fail of a string of relationships and failed love, while all my friends are married, engaged, or very close to engagement. It’s my pity-party-of-one song. ‘Why does it always rain on ME?’ I feel like there’s some bad-luck love raincloud following me around or something.
My only hope is that rain is not permanent...so maybe someday I’ll meet someone special to be my sunshine...