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.
From memories of 68 when the wizard shook the world
Metal came from foundries where the midlands sound unfurled
The bullring was a lonely place of concrete towers and steel
The coal mines and the industries were all I had to fell.
Something inside took hold of me, I really didn't know
But overtime it came to be, I knew which way to go
I drove around in search of what would make this all come true
From jazz and electricity and good old southern blues
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
In Henry's and in mother's where I'd go to bang my head
The feeling took a hold of me with every word I said
The voice was born and came alive from all I saw and heard
And now I knew my destiny, I had to spread the word.
I took the scream around the world
From London to L.A.
Unleashed in downtown Tokyo
Blew Godzilla away
Then on the sound and fury went from Sydney to Brazil
It sent the Russians crazy cause they never get their fill.
Of Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
The stage and the lights and the amps are ablaze watch them burn
From all this insanity the Metal God's will return.
Shock waves attack relentlessly, intimidating force
So many bands surrounding you with evil from our source
It screams across the universe and slams you to the floor
This blitzkrieg psycho mania is coming on full roar
The world's a stage that's waiting for its bad ass to get kicked
And we're all on the road to hell and that's route 666
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
Metal came from foundries where the midlands sound unfurled
The bullring was a lonely place of concrete towers and steel
The coal mines and the industries were all I had to fell.
Something inside took hold of me, I really didn't know
But overtime it came to be, I knew which way to go
I drove around in search of what would make this all come true
From jazz and electricity and good old southern blues
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
In Henry's and in mother's where I'd go to bang my head
The feeling took a hold of me with every word I said
The voice was born and came alive from all I saw and heard
And now I knew my destiny, I had to spread the word.
I took the scream around the world
From London to L.A.
Unleashed in downtown Tokyo
Blew Godzilla away
Then on the sound and fury went from Sydney to Brazil
It sent the Russians crazy cause they never get their fill.
Of Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
The stage and the lights and the amps are ablaze watch them burn
From all this insanity the Metal God's will return.
Shock waves attack relentlessly, intimidating force
So many bands surrounding you with evil from our source
It screams across the universe and slams you to the floor
This blitzkrieg psycho mania is coming on full roar
The world's a stage that's waiting for its bad ass to get kicked
And we're all on the road to hell and that's route 666
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
Hell, we're born to raise some hell
Hell, we're gonna raise some hell
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