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.
Yeah
Now here we go
Here we go (come on come on)
Now here we go
Here we go (come on come on)
Yeah
Stay strong this ain't for the faint hearted
My name's honored cause my style is insane retarded
Remain hottest from St. Marks to St. Thomas
Take game farther than the put-put planes charted
The same artist who smoke rainforest and bang hardest
My brain smartest break a nigga like a lame promise
All city like train bombers
Check out the pictures we painted (yeah)
More colorful than Kelis naked
Your skills is least debated and your album least awaited
Even Big Tigger wouldn't let you in "Tha Basement"
Face it y'all niggas face down with your legs kicking
They call your momma Roy Jones cause she raise chicken
You're "Down for the Count" like Rah Digga I'm straight spittin
Make pigeons say, "Uh uh, no they didn't!"
Yes we did so god bless the kid yo
I got my own so I never stress his no
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
Yo we send this bullet straight towards your brain
We taking over like Moors in Spain there's more to gain
Runaways get aboard the train (come on)
You can't ignore the pain (no)
When it come down like the pouring rain
Caught the Train of Thought it clanked across the raw terrain
The cold weather break your spirit like a water main
I looked in your eyes and I saw the shame
Y'all don't know that our greatness came before the chains
No you can't imagine a future where this all can change
If one of us ain't free then we all to blame
So we attack each other fighting project wars and thang
It's all the same across the board we fall for game
You wanna see through that shit then you can call my name
Kweli I chop it up like raw cocaine
I drop gems at top ten, I'm not for the fame
You wanna test and I bet you get wrecked like lost planes
Yo
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
And there it is (yeah)
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Come on
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yeah
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yo yo yo
Say what? Say what, say what, say what
I rock for the purists and I rock for the players
I rock for the fellas and I rock for the ladies (come on)
I rock for the elders and I rock for the babies (yeah)
I rhyme to the sirens that cry in the night (yeah)
Live on the mic even though I've been dying to write (yeah)
Since the days of flying a kite and ridin my bike (come on)
Open my eyes and keep the prize within my line of sight (yeah)
Now cats drop out of school to get fiends high on a pipe (word)
Seem like that's the ghetto way of tryin to fight
The system thats based on trying to stop you from shinning your light
We dying in spite of getting rich
That's why I rhyme like a battle emcee
Battling the tragedies and fallacies
That be killing niggas quicker than infant mortality
They acting like whats going on now is distant reality
Behaving so casually that they become a casualty
Plus they don't wanna battle me anyway
They try to walk away but they stumble like Macy Gray
Cats hit the tunnel to rumble and say, "Hey DJ!"
Make me wonder why they call Sunday the lazy day
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
Check me out
Yeah
Now here we go
Here we go (come on come on)
Now here we go
Here we go (come on come on)
Yeah
Stay strong this ain't for the faint hearted
My name's honored cause my style is insane retarded
Remain hottest from St. Marks to St. Thomas
Take game farther than the put-put planes charted
The same artist who smoke rainforest and bang hardest
My brain smartest break a nigga like a lame promise
All city like train bombers
Check out the pictures we painted (yeah)
More colorful than Kelis naked
Your skills is least debated and your album least awaited
Even Big Tigger wouldn't let you in "Tha Basement"
Face it y'all niggas face down with your legs kicking
They call your momma Roy Jones cause she raise chicken
You're "Down for the Count" like Rah Digga I'm straight spittin
Make pigeons say, "Uh uh, no they didn't!"
Yes we did so god bless the kid yo
I got my own so I never stress his no
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
Yo we send this bullet straight towards your brain
We taking over like Moors in Spain there's more to gain
Runaways get aboard the train (come on)
You can't ignore the pain (no)
When it come down like the pouring rain
Caught the Train of Thought it clanked across the raw terrain
The cold weather break your spirit like a water main
I looked in your eyes and I saw the shame
Y'all don't know that our greatness came before the chains
No you can't imagine a future where this all can change
If one of us ain't free then we all to blame
So we attack each other fighting project wars and thang
It's all the same across the board we fall for game
You wanna see through that shit then you can call my name
Kweli I chop it up like raw cocaine
I drop gems at top ten, I'm not for the fame
You wanna test and I bet you get wrecked like lost planes
Yo
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
And there it is (yeah)
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Come on
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yeah
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yo yo yo
Say what? Say what, say what, say what
I rock for the purists and I rock for the players
I rock for the fellas and I rock for the ladies (come on)
I rock for the elders and I rock for the babies (yeah)
I rhyme to the sirens that cry in the night (yeah)
Live on the mic even though I've been dying to write (yeah)
Since the days of flying a kite and ridin my bike (come on)
Open my eyes and keep the prize within my line of sight (yeah)
Now cats drop out of school to get fiends high on a pipe (word)
Seem like that's the ghetto way of tryin to fight
The system thats based on trying to stop you from shinning your light
We dying in spite of getting rich
That's why I rhyme like a battle emcee
Battling the tragedies and fallacies
That be killing niggas quicker than infant mortality
They acting like whats going on now is distant reality
Behaving so casually that they become a casualty
Plus they don't wanna battle me anyway
They try to walk away but they stumble like Macy Gray
Cats hit the tunnel to rumble and say, "Hey DJ!"
Make me wonder why they call Sunday the lazy day
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
Check me out
Yeah
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
I agree, Talib is awesome too.