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.
Don't need a metaphor
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, woah
Two years gone
Came back as some bones and so cynical
This skin don't feel like home
It's all overgrown but you'll never know
Take the mirror from the wall so I can't see myself at all
Don't wanna see another damn inch of my skull
Forget the poems of saints and ghosts
I'm the one I fear the most
Little did I know that I was only crying wolf
I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone
Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical
Quit being so over-skeptical
Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (Oh, oh, woah)
Push and pull
Oh it's all getting old
No I didn't want this throne (no I didn't want this throne)
Yeah, only fools make feasts of gold
They rot the fruit on tables
(No I didn't want this throne)
When did I get so pitiful
Just a goddamn corpse in a centerfold
You got my back against the wall
And now I can't ever get comfortable
No I never sold my soul
If I ever do throw my bones to the wolves
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold mine
I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone
Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical
Quit being so over-skeptical
Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone
Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical
Quit being so over-skeptical
Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, Woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, woah
Two years gone
Came back as some bones and so cynical
This skin don't feel like home
It's all overgrown but you'll never know
Take the mirror from the wall so I can't see myself at all
Don't wanna see another damn inch of my skull
Forget the poems of saints and ghosts
I'm the one I fear the most
Little did I know that I was only crying wolf
I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone
Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical
Quit being so over-skeptical
Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (Oh, oh, woah)
Push and pull
Oh it's all getting old
No I didn't want this throne (no I didn't want this throne)
Yeah, only fools make feasts of gold
They rot the fruit on tables
(No I didn't want this throne)
When did I get so pitiful
Just a goddamn corpse in a centerfold
You got my back against the wall
And now I can't ever get comfortable
No I never sold my soul
If I ever do throw my bones to the wolves
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold mine
I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone
Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical
Quit being so over-skeptical
Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my soul
No I never sold my
I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone
Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical
Quit being so over-skeptical
Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
I don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable (oh, oh, woah)
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, Woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Oh, oh, woah
Woah, woah
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I think this song is about someone swimming in a sea of depression and basically saying, yeah I am depressed and I fully aware of it. They feel no need to be be ashamed of their unhappiness, it's become a part of them at this time and this song is them singing about their acceptance of it. As for outsiders who mock them for it, they're saying, it's me and I am going through a dark period and I don't need you to tell me what I am going through, cause I am me and I can and will face this on my own, in my own way.
@EternalTearsOfSorrow I agree, and I posted a few other interpretations I could see in the comments.