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.
Hey Mr. Tough
Don't you think we've suffered enough?
Why don't you meet me on the dancefloor
When it's Tiny Tom time?
And if you need to tell me something once
You won't have to say it twice
And if you ask for a nickel
I'm gonna hand you a dime
And we'll forget about our problems
Ignore them for a little while
And leave our worries in the corner
Leave them in a big big pile
Pretend everything can be alright
Hey Mrs. Blue
Time to think of something new
The Possum's spinning our hips
The old soft shoe
And if you wanna lose the rest of the night
There's nothing better I have to do
And if I tell you something
You won't have to ask if it's true
And we'll forget about our problems
Ignore them for a little while
And leave our worries in the corner
Leave them in a big big pile
Pretend everything can be alright
Alone in our pad on Saturday night
Hemmed in by the room
But hiding at a crowded party
The record's playing for just me and you
Hey Mr. Tough
Don't you think we've suffered enough?
Why don't you meet me on the dancefloor
When it's Toddophonic time?
And if you need to tell me something once
You won't have to say it twice
And if you ask for a nickel
I'm gonna hand you a dime
And we'll forget about our problems
Ignore them for a little while
And leave our worries in the corner
Leave them in a big big pile
Pretend everything can be alright
Pretend everything can be alright
Pretend everything can be alright
Don't you think we've suffered enough?
Why don't you meet me on the dancefloor
When it's Tiny Tom time?
And if you need to tell me something once
You won't have to say it twice
And if you ask for a nickel
I'm gonna hand you a dime
And we'll forget about our problems
Ignore them for a little while
And leave our worries in the corner
Leave them in a big big pile
Pretend everything can be alright
Hey Mrs. Blue
Time to think of something new
The Possum's spinning our hips
The old soft shoe
And if you wanna lose the rest of the night
There's nothing better I have to do
And if I tell you something
You won't have to ask if it's true
And we'll forget about our problems
Ignore them for a little while
And leave our worries in the corner
Leave them in a big big pile
Pretend everything can be alright
Alone in our pad on Saturday night
Hemmed in by the room
But hiding at a crowded party
The record's playing for just me and you
Hey Mr. Tough
Don't you think we've suffered enough?
Why don't you meet me on the dancefloor
When it's Toddophonic time?
And if you need to tell me something once
You won't have to say it twice
And if you ask for a nickel
I'm gonna hand you a dime
And we'll forget about our problems
Ignore them for a little while
And leave our worries in the corner
Leave them in a big big pile
Pretend everything can be alright
Pretend everything can be alright
Pretend everything can be alright
Lyrics submitted by smallwonderrobot
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
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Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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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.
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Really groovy political song. Ira Kaplan introduced the song on stage like that - in the last YLT gig in Paris last tuesday. Mr Tough = Bush jr.
Sorry for my poor english - this website is a goldmine for the non-english !
yo la tengo is so badasss..
Love this track, it doesn't sound anything like YLT yet sounds completely like them.
nice groovy song
Needs more cowbell!
The female challenges the macho man (who she knows is really vulnerable and not so tough on the inside) to meet her on the dancefloor. Dance being the metaphor for life. The dancefloor being reality. If you really love me, she's saying then meet me (i.e. face up to it and cut the crap) and tell me you're serious and you're willing to meet me on the dance floor (that is come out in the open and declare your love for me.) She demands that he stgop the nonsense, leave his girlfriend, wife, lover etc. and leave their problems at "home." Not their home, but their respective homes.