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.
Threw my bad fortune
Off the top of
A tall building
I'd rather done it with you
Your boy's smile
Five in the morning
Looked into your eyes
And I was really in love
In Chinatown
Hung over
You showed me
Just what I could do
Talking about
Time travel
And the meaning
Just what it was worth
And I feel like
Some bird of paradise
My bad fortune slipping away
And I feel the innocence of a child
Everybody's got something good to say
Things I once thought
Unbelievable
In my life
Have all taken place
When we walked through
Little Italy
I saw my reflection
Come right off your face
I paint pictures
To remember
You're too beautiful
To put into words
Like a gypsy
You dance in circles
All around me
And all over the world
And I feel like
Some bird of paradise
My bad fortune slipping away
And I feel the innocence of a child
Everybody's got something good to say
And I feel like
Some bird of paradise
My bad fortune slipping away
And I feel the innocence of a child
Everybody's got something good to say
So I take my
Good fortune
And I fantasize
Of our leaving
Like some modern day
Gypsy landslide
Like some modern day
Bonnie and Clyde
On the run again (on the run again)
On the run again (on the run again)
On the run again (on the run again)
On the run again (on the run again)
Off the top of
A tall building
I'd rather done it with you
Your boy's smile
Five in the morning
Looked into your eyes
And I was really in love
In Chinatown
Hung over
You showed me
Just what I could do
Talking about
Time travel
And the meaning
Just what it was worth
And I feel like
Some bird of paradise
My bad fortune slipping away
And I feel the innocence of a child
Everybody's got something good to say
Things I once thought
Unbelievable
In my life
Have all taken place
When we walked through
Little Italy
I saw my reflection
Come right off your face
I paint pictures
To remember
You're too beautiful
To put into words
Like a gypsy
You dance in circles
All around me
And all over the world
And I feel like
Some bird of paradise
My bad fortune slipping away
And I feel the innocence of a child
Everybody's got something good to say
And I feel like
Some bird of paradise
My bad fortune slipping away
And I feel the innocence of a child
Everybody's got something good to say
So I take my
Good fortune
And I fantasize
Of our leaving
Like some modern day
Gypsy landslide
Like some modern day
Bonnie and Clyde
On the run again (on the run again)
On the run again (on the run again)
On the run again (on the run again)
On the run again (on the run again)
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
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This reminds me of falling in love when you only want to be with that person and run away. It changes your whole outlook on life. And "Things I once though unbelievable in my life have all taken place" reminds me of how I felt about love in my life and also many things that love has now opened me up to.
shows how dramaticly your life can changed when you meet someone you really click with
yeah, if you're in love your love that song. It expresses the feeling so good. You feel just in luck and happy. Wonderful song.
It's like when you're in love with someone you can totally relate to and your self-motivation kicks in again because you have something to look forward to.
I can't tell you how much this song relates to me and my boyfriend. Just that line 'You boys smile, 5 in the morning, looked into your eyes and I was really in love' is just so true of us. God I sound all sickly but hey!
well isn't patty smith a bit more crazy sounding?
Given the dirth of respectable female role models in alternative music, it's no surprise that PJ is influenced by Patti. They're part of the same chain, as it were.
this is just such a happy song...not in the sense that it's the most cheerful song around, but it's just impossible not to feel a bit uplifted when you listen to it. it's so optimistic
It might seem like a happy song, but the hint that she had rather thrown someone off the top of a tall building than her good fortune sheds a different light on this supposed happiness.
such a positive song. Each time I listen to it in the office reminds me the nasty mornings of Istanbul, AAthens or Vilnius with my boy. Esp. his "boy's smile 5 in the morning"... yeah, I know he's too beatiful.. Why do we have to be far from each other... Me in Amman in a crap office, he's in Oslo, I know wanna be on the run again, I've gotta threw my bad fortune of the top of a tall building. yeah I'll do that soon.
Regardless of what others say about the vocal acrobatics this song is full of, this song is totally awesome. Sounds like a song to other colleague musicians or someone when once felt affected by since she sings about the accomplishments of her life -"like a gypsy you dance in circles all around me and all over the world" and talking about running away with a gypsy a la modern Bonny and Clyde right at the end of the song makes it sound like she'd want to elope with one of these gypsies.
I love, love, love this song...No doubt I've had it in my ipod for ever! lol