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.
Never understood how she could,
Mean so little to so many
Why does she mean everything to me?
Is it worth the pain, with no one to blame?
For all of my insecurities
How did I ever let you go?
Questioning her good intention
Jealousy's a bad invention
When you push on glass, it's bound to break
Even when she was defensive,
It just gave me more incentive
The more you squeeze, the more it slips away
I never walked so far on a lonely street
With no-one there for me
Is it worth the pain, with no one to blame?
For all of my insecurities
How did I ever let you go?
Accept this confession! I'm walking on pins and needles
You're not my possession! I'm walking on pins and needles
My conscience is vicious! I'm walking on pins and needles
And I'm begging forgiveness! I'm walking on pins and needles
I never walked so far on a lonely street,
With no one there for me
It took too long to see her in misery
And now it's clear to me
That it's worth the pain, always take the blame
For all your own insecurities
How did I ever let you go?
Mean so little to so many
Why does she mean everything to me?
Is it worth the pain, with no one to blame?
For all of my insecurities
How did I ever let you go?
Questioning her good intention
Jealousy's a bad invention
When you push on glass, it's bound to break
Even when she was defensive,
It just gave me more incentive
The more you squeeze, the more it slips away
I never walked so far on a lonely street
With no-one there for me
Is it worth the pain, with no one to blame?
For all of my insecurities
How did I ever let you go?
Accept this confession! I'm walking on pins and needles
You're not my possession! I'm walking on pins and needles
My conscience is vicious! I'm walking on pins and needles
And I'm begging forgiveness! I'm walking on pins and needles
I never walked so far on a lonely street,
With no one there for me
It took too long to see her in misery
And now it's clear to me
That it's worth the pain, always take the blame
For all your own insecurities
How did I ever let you go?
Lyrics submitted by Moriquendi
Pins and Needles Lyrics as written by Ben Kowalewicz Aaron Solowoniuk
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
"Never understood how she could, Mean so little to so many Why does she mean everything to me?"
Guy meets girl. The girl is disliked by many, but he befriends this lonely girl, falls in love with her, and creates a relationship.
"Is it worth the pain, with no one to blame? For all of my insecurities How did I ever let you go?"
The guy was insecure by being with some loner girl, despite loving her, but let her go anyhow, and is now in pain and has no one to blame for his actions but himself.
"Questioning her good intention Jealousy’s a bad invention When you push on glass, it’s bound to break"
Although she was very good to him, he was jealous of her and kept wearing away at her, hence the last line.
"Even when she was defensive, It just gave me more incentive The more you squeeze, the more it slips away"
Even when the girl tried to defend herself when her "good intentions" were being questioned by the guy, it just made him more protective and jealous of her.
"I never walked so far on a lonely street With no-one there for me Is it worth the pain, with no one to blame? For all of my insecurities How did I ever let you go?"
He is referring to the "lonely street" as his life now that the girl that meant everything to him is gone. And he is no one in his life to help him cope with problems he used to talk to about his girlfriend.
"Accept this confession! …I’m walking on pins and needles You’re not my possession! …I’m walking on pins and needles My conscience is vicious! …I’m walking on pins and needles And I’m begging forgiveness! …I’m walking on pins and needles"
He means that he wants to accept his apolgy, and that he mistreated her by taking her for granted and acting as if she was just an object. He means he can't help the way he acts when he says "My conscience is vicious." And he is begging forgiveness, or otherwise, asking for her to come back to him.
"I never walked so far on a lonely street, With no one there for me It took too long to see her in misery And now it’s clear to me..."
The fist to lines I already explained. The other means that he didn't think it was worth his time at the moment to see her again and ask for forgiveness once more.
"That it’s worth the pain, always take the blame For all your own insecurities How did I ever let you go?"
He realized that he would never get her back, so it was "worth the pain" and now he realizes he's to blame, and is still wondering why he ever let her go.
I love this song... one of my BT favorites.