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.
It just takes a minute
And you'll feel no pain
Gotta make something of your life boy
Give me one more vein
You've come to see the doctor
'Cause I'll show you the cure
I'm gonna take away the questions
Yeah, I'm gonna make you sure, yeah
A hit man for the order
When you couldn't go to school
Had a skin job for a hair-do
Yeah, you looked pretty cool
Had a habit doing mainline
Watch the dragon burn
No regrets, you've got no goals
Nothing more to learn
Now I know you won't refuse
Because we've got so much to do
And you've got nothing more to lose
So take this number and welcome to
Operation Mindcrime
We're an underground revolution working overtime
Operation Mindcrime
There's a job for you in the system boy, with nothing to sign
Hey Nikki, you know everything
That there is to do
Here's a gun, take it home
Wait by the phone
We'll send someone over
To bring you what you need
You're a one man death machine
Make this city bleed
Now I know you won't refuse
'Cause we've got so much to do
You've got nothing more to lose
So take this number and welcome to
Operation Mindcrime
We're an underground revolution working overtime
Operation Mindcrime
There's a job for you in the system boy, with nothing to sign
Operation Mindcrime
We're an underground revolution working overtime
Operation Mindcrime
If you come to see the doctor
Yeah, he'll give you the cure
Operation Mindcrime
Make something of your life boy, let me into your mind
Operation Mindcrime
There's a job for you in the system boy with nothing to sign
And you'll feel no pain
Gotta make something of your life boy
Give me one more vein
You've come to see the doctor
'Cause I'll show you the cure
I'm gonna take away the questions
Yeah, I'm gonna make you sure, yeah
A hit man for the order
When you couldn't go to school
Had a skin job for a hair-do
Yeah, you looked pretty cool
Had a habit doing mainline
Watch the dragon burn
No regrets, you've got no goals
Nothing more to learn
Now I know you won't refuse
Because we've got so much to do
And you've got nothing more to lose
So take this number and welcome to
Operation Mindcrime
We're an underground revolution working overtime
Operation Mindcrime
There's a job for you in the system boy, with nothing to sign
Hey Nikki, you know everything
That there is to do
Here's a gun, take it home
Wait by the phone
We'll send someone over
To bring you what you need
You're a one man death machine
Make this city bleed
Now I know you won't refuse
'Cause we've got so much to do
You've got nothing more to lose
So take this number and welcome to
Operation Mindcrime
We're an underground revolution working overtime
Operation Mindcrime
There's a job for you in the system boy, with nothing to sign
Operation Mindcrime
We're an underground revolution working overtime
Operation Mindcrime
If you come to see the doctor
Yeah, he'll give you the cure
Operation Mindcrime
Make something of your life boy, let me into your mind
Operation Mindcrime
There's a job for you in the system boy with nothing to sign
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by digitalmanMKII
Operation: Mindcrime Lyrics as written by Geoffery Tate Christopher Degarmo
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It's cruel how quickly X objectifies Nikki and takes him for granted. X fully intends to control Nikki, and sees Nikki as having nowhere to go, nothing more to learn. In essence, X has planned the end of Nikki's life, and it is an abject end.
I think the line "nothing to sign" is interesting...reminds me of this common mindset of not wanting to be pinned down to anything, for instance people spending 8 years working through college so they don't have to sign a single loan, even though they make enough money after college to pay those loans back so quick...meh.