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.
I was dreamin' when I wrote this
Forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this mornin'
Could've sworn it was judgment day
The sky was all purple
There were people runnin' everywhere
Tryin' to run from the destruction
You know I didn't even care
'Cause they say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999
I was dreamin' when I wrote this
So sue me if I go too fast
But life is just a party
And parties weren't meant to last
War is all around us
My mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die
I'm gonna listen to my body tonight
Yeah, they say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999
Yeah, yeah
Lemme tell ya somethin'
If you didn't come to party
Don't bother knockin' on my door
I got a lion in my pocket
And baby he's ready to roar, yeah yeah
Everybody's got a bomb
We could all die here today, uhh
But before I'll let that happen
I'll dance my life away, oh
They say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
We're runnin' outta time
So tonight we gonna, we gonna (tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999)
Say it one more time
Two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
Yeah, yeah
So tonight we gonna, we gonna (tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999)
1999 (1999)
Don't ya want to go (1999)
Don't ya want to go (1999)
We could all die here today (1999)
I don't want to die
I'd rather dance my life away
Forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this mornin'
Could've sworn it was judgment day
The sky was all purple
There were people runnin' everywhere
Tryin' to run from the destruction
You know I didn't even care
'Cause they say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999
I was dreamin' when I wrote this
So sue me if I go too fast
But life is just a party
And parties weren't meant to last
War is all around us
My mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die
I'm gonna listen to my body tonight
Yeah, they say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999
Yeah, yeah
Lemme tell ya somethin'
If you didn't come to party
Don't bother knockin' on my door
I got a lion in my pocket
And baby he's ready to roar, yeah yeah
Everybody's got a bomb
We could all die here today, uhh
But before I'll let that happen
I'll dance my life away, oh
They say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
We're runnin' outta time
So tonight we gonna, we gonna (tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999)
Say it one more time
Two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
Yeah, yeah
So tonight we gonna, we gonna (tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999)
1999 (1999)
Don't ya want to go (1999)
Don't ya want to go (1999)
We could all die here today (1999)
I don't want to die
I'd rather dance my life away
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Ed Sheeran
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Look, I remember even myself 10 years back thinking "in the year 2000 the world will end". I think there were a lot of people spinning the same bs over the last few decades, the point of this song is this, Prince is very simply saying, enjoy life while youre living it, he doesn't care, just party like its 1999.. what the hell is so hard to understand about that?