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.
As we sat on the front porch
Of that old grey house where I was born and raised
Staring at the dusty fields
Where my Daddy worked hard every day
I think it kinda hurt him when I said
"Daddy there's a lot that I don't know
But don't you ever dream about a life
Where corn don't grow?"
He just sat there silent
Staring at his favorite coffee cup
I saw a storm of mixed emotions in his eyes
When he looked up
He said "Son I know at your age
It seems like this ole world is turnin' slow
And you think you'll find the answer to it all
Where corn don't grow"
Hard times are real
There's dusty fields no matter where you go
You may change your mind
'Cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow
I remember feeling guilty
When Daddy turned and walked back in the house
I was only seventeen back then
But I thought that I knew more than I know now
I can't say he didn't warn me
This city life's a hard row to hoe
Ain't it funny how a dream can turn around
Where corn don't grow
Hard times are real
There's dusty fields no matter where you go
And you may change your mind
'Cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow
You may change your mind
Oh the weeds are high where corn don't grow
Of that old grey house where I was born and raised
Staring at the dusty fields
Where my Daddy worked hard every day
I think it kinda hurt him when I said
"Daddy there's a lot that I don't know
But don't you ever dream about a life
Where corn don't grow?"
He just sat there silent
Staring at his favorite coffee cup
I saw a storm of mixed emotions in his eyes
When he looked up
He said "Son I know at your age
It seems like this ole world is turnin' slow
And you think you'll find the answer to it all
Where corn don't grow"
Hard times are real
There's dusty fields no matter where you go
You may change your mind
'Cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow
I remember feeling guilty
When Daddy turned and walked back in the house
I was only seventeen back then
But I thought that I knew more than I know now
I can't say he didn't warn me
This city life's a hard row to hoe
Ain't it funny how a dream can turn around
Where corn don't grow
Hard times are real
There's dusty fields no matter where you go
And you may change your mind
'Cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow
You may change your mind
Oh the weeds are high where corn don't grow
Lyrics submitted by vortecs10, edited by MissFancy, leftandrightsofpassage
Where Corn Don't Grow Lyrics as written by Roger Murrah Mark Springer
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
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"Hard times are real, There's dusty fields, No matter where you go. You may change your mind, 'Cause the weeds are high, Where corn don't grow."
For others, instead of leaving and moving to the city, the city comes to them. Take it from someone who grew up in rural Virginia. The encroaching suburbs of Washington DC have all but destroyed my boyhood home, and with them have come pollution, traffic, gangs, drugs, murders, rampant development, snobby rich people, large numbers of illegal immigrants, an increased cost of living, and a decreased quality of life. Waylon Jennings (who originally sang this song, God rest his soul), Travis Tritt and many other country artists know as I do, that the weed really are high, where corn don't grow.