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 still get angry
I still get sad
And the losers still drive me mad
And I wonder
If I have anything to say anymore
Oh yeah I wonder if i have anything to say
Except the masses are asses
They're all asses
Things still piss me off
And things still make me cry
Poetry's in motion but not in mind
Poetry's in motion but not in my mind
Poetic justice will come in time
And I just have to laugh
I just have to laugh
Because the masses are asses
We're all asses
Masses are asses every day
Masses are asses in every way
Woo woo
I still get sad
And the losers still drive me mad
And I wonder
If I have anything to say anymore
Oh yeah I wonder if i have anything to say
Except the masses are asses
They're all asses
Things still piss me off
And things still make me cry
Poetry's in motion but not in mind
Poetry's in motion but not in my mind
Poetic justice will come in time
And I just have to laugh
I just have to laugh
Because the masses are asses
We're all asses
Masses are asses every day
Masses are asses in every way
Woo woo
Lyrics submitted by smurfjkeller
The Masses Are Asses Lyrics as written by Suzi Gardner Donita Sparks
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think most of the song is self-explanatory except for this:
"Poetry's in motion, not in mind Poetry's in motion but not in my mind Poetic justice will come in time"
For the third line of that, you need to know the definition of poetic justice (an outcome in which vice is punished and virtue rewarded usually in a manner peculiarly or ironically appropriate). The masses (a.k.a. the asses) will be punished eventually and probably in a way that is ironically appropriate. The way they've been asses will come back to get them. The minority of people who aren't asses will be rewarded (maybe). Seeing the masses punished might be reward enough.
I'm less sure what the first two lines mean. Maybe people aren't thinking about poetry including her. People might not be thinking about it because the masses of them are asses. She might not be thinking about poetry because she's preoccupied with how the masses are asses. But even though people aren't thinking about poetry, it's still in motion, it's still happening. One definition of poetry is this: "something likened to poetry especially in beauty of expression." So maybe it's saying that things are being beautifully expressed, but people are too busy being asses or dealing with asses to notice them, and even if they do notice them, they aren't really thinking about them.
The second line of that might also mean that poetry is happening but not in her mind - like she has writer's block or something and her mind is empty of poetry.
The second line of that might also mean that poetry is happening but not in her mind - like she has writer's block or something and her mind is empty of poetry.
I thought of one other possible meaning for those few lines.<br /> <br /> Poetry's in motion, not in mind - Beautiful things are happening but not in people's minds. Maybe nature is beautiful, but people are uninspired.<br /> Poetry's in motion but not in my mind - I think this is basically the same thing except saying that she's lacking inspiration.
Isn't this a swipe at certain types of fans and their choices in music? By extension a criticism consumer habits.