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.
What’s a matter with the kids today ? Can’t live with them, and you can’t kill em. Wonder what the kids are trying to say, with the break neck hair, and nazi loves on fire, seventeen and the world looks mean, and you open up a page to walk inside a chemical dream. Yeah baby wearing with me, I was loving life and living free, now we gotta think of something to do, all those kids are wearing those big black boots. Left the city and lost my fear, felt good to drive across country again, stopped for gas and a fifty cent beer, crowded little bar in the middle of a college town. On the stage we three bald girls, talking loud about the benefits of living in a communist world. They get to beat her for free, better on the phone then outside the car following me, I don’t know what I’m a gonna do, all those girls are wearing those big black boots. Had that dream again, yeah so weird so vivid and real. About my momma and my sisters big son, you would think so strange, never seen salt talking in a lake that I didn’t even know. We were wearing big black boots with the shiny steel tip. Left the city and lost my wife, so sad for the rest of my life, heard a rumor saw a vision turn the corner it was gone, gone. Left the city, and lost my kids, strange shadows of things I never did, one thing is turning circles but it’s always going round, round, round, round. All alone in a big black world, with a nothing of a lie with a backstreet girl. And I did the favs of men I need to know, need to know, yeah need to know. Turned something for the bigger shadows going down, down, everybody’s pulling me, everybody’s dragging me down. Yeah, oh everybody’s wearing them, everybody’s wearing them now. Yeah, oh everybody’s wearing them, everybody’s wearing them now. Yeah. yeah, yeah, yeah. I don’t even know what I’m a gonna do, all those kids are wearing them big black boots.
Lyrics submitted by Lusyphur
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.