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.
Oi Oi!
Hear that cry throughout the streets, you know just what it means
And even to the ignorant, it is what it seems
Through every city's backstreets the kids from all around
they all come to join the fight cause they know the sound
they all try to ignore us, but we wont let 'em win
the wankers try to put us down, but we'll come smashing in
cause we're what's right and they're full of shit
so we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're running not afraid
oi oi oi
cause we all know that's the sound of the streets
oi oi oi
so we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
got our martins on our feets
oi oi oi
and you're allready down the backstreets with me
the kids they come from everywhere the new stage's all around
cause they all know what it means when they hear the sound
you know what to do when you hear the call
put your boots and earings on, kick down that fucking wall
you can listen to the politicians they'll lead you astray
you're gonna see the light and your gonna see the way
and then you'll know there's nothing like us
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're never giving in
oi oi oi
cause we all know cause we're gonna fucking win
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're hear to stay
oi oi oi
and we all know the firm are on they're way
they all try to ignore us but we wont let 'em win
the wankers try to put us down, but we'll come smashing in
cause we're what's right and they're full of shit
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're running not afraid
oi oi oi
cause we all know that that's the sound of the streets
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
got our martins on our feet
oi oi oi
and you're allready down the backstreets with me
Hear that cry throughout the streets, you know just what it means
And even to the ignorant, it is what it seems
Through every city's backstreets the kids from all around
they all come to join the fight cause they know the sound
they all try to ignore us, but we wont let 'em win
the wankers try to put us down, but we'll come smashing in
cause we're what's right and they're full of shit
so we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're running not afraid
oi oi oi
cause we all know that's the sound of the streets
oi oi oi
so we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
got our martins on our feets
oi oi oi
and you're allready down the backstreets with me
the kids they come from everywhere the new stage's all around
cause they all know what it means when they hear the sound
you know what to do when you hear the call
put your boots and earings on, kick down that fucking wall
you can listen to the politicians they'll lead you astray
you're gonna see the light and your gonna see the way
and then you'll know there's nothing like us
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're never giving in
oi oi oi
cause we all know cause we're gonna fucking win
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're hear to stay
oi oi oi
and we all know the firm are on they're way
they all try to ignore us but we wont let 'em win
the wankers try to put us down, but we'll come smashing in
cause we're what's right and they're full of shit
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
and we're running not afraid
oi oi oi
cause we all know that that's the sound of the streets
and we're running down the backstreets
oi oi oi
got our martins on our feet
oi oi oi
and you're allready down the backstreets with me
Lyrics submitted by honolulupunk
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Oi Oi Oi
I fuckin' love this song. It started the whole Oi movement, too bad those neo-nazi gave oi and skin head a bad rep (NAZI PUNKS FUCK OFF)
This song is about people coming together to fight bullshit and oi is the crowd of the active youth