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.
Remember Hannibal's march?
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
Leaving elephant footprints and
Leading his boys across the Alps.
I think I know how he felt,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
Not just because it was tough
But the way his country eventually sold him out.
I think of what must have been his immense frustration
There in a land far away
With the prize so close he could almost taste it
Only to hear his leaders say...
Chorus
Way to go you did it even though you didn't do it though
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little, take a break a break I didn't really need, after that I know I'm goin' right on... Right!
Remember the second World War?
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
A certain general George
He got in trouble for trying
Way too hard.
I think I know how he felt,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
I know it sounds crazy
But I tend to get too wrapped up in work.
But me and Patton seem to share that immense frustration
It's megalomaniacal I know,
Wanting something so bad you can almost taste it
Then dragged down by the voices from below that say:
Chorus
Way to go you're done you've gone as far as you will ever go
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little take a break a break I didn't really need
After that I know I'm goin' right on.
I know that I'm not alone
The treasure of my heart is calling on the telephone
I got my friends around me they don't seem to hate me yet
My family lends me cash and they're not strict about the debt
And the world is a place where the most important thing you can learn is this:
To submit to the will of the man upstairs and don't get too wrapped up in yourself.
And so I guess this is kind of an immature prayer for people trying to find their own way,
A request for strength and
A reminder to resist what the well-meaning naysayers say
When they say:
Chorus
Way to go you did it even though you didn't do it though
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little, take a break a break I didn't really need, after that I know I'm goin' right on.
Way to go you're done you've gone as far as you will ever go
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little take a break a break I didn't really need
After that I know I'm goin' right on...
Right on.... Yo-oh-oh-oh!
Right on.... Yo-oh-oh-oh!
Right on.... Yo-oh-oh-oh...
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
Leaving elephant footprints and
Leading his boys across the Alps.
I think I know how he felt,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
Not just because it was tough
But the way his country eventually sold him out.
I think of what must have been his immense frustration
There in a land far away
With the prize so close he could almost taste it
Only to hear his leaders say...
Chorus
Way to go you did it even though you didn't do it though
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little, take a break a break I didn't really need, after that I know I'm goin' right on... Right!
Remember the second World War?
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
A certain general George
He got in trouble for trying
Way too hard.
I think I know how he felt,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah,
I know it sounds crazy
But I tend to get too wrapped up in work.
But me and Patton seem to share that immense frustration
It's megalomaniacal I know,
Wanting something so bad you can almost taste it
Then dragged down by the voices from below that say:
Chorus
Way to go you're done you've gone as far as you will ever go
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little take a break a break I didn't really need
After that I know I'm goin' right on.
I know that I'm not alone
The treasure of my heart is calling on the telephone
I got my friends around me they don't seem to hate me yet
My family lends me cash and they're not strict about the debt
And the world is a place where the most important thing you can learn is this:
To submit to the will of the man upstairs and don't get too wrapped up in yourself.
And so I guess this is kind of an immature prayer for people trying to find their own way,
A request for strength and
A reminder to resist what the well-meaning naysayers say
When they say:
Chorus
Way to go you did it even though you didn't do it though
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little, take a break a break I didn't really need, after that I know I'm goin' right on.
Way to go you're done you've gone as far as you will ever go
Everybody here is feelin' right on
So drink a little take a break a break I didn't really need
After that I know I'm goin' right on...
Right on.... Yo-oh-oh-oh!
Right on.... Yo-oh-oh-oh!
Right on.... Yo-oh-oh-oh...
Lyrics submitted by Hooper_X
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