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.
Bad boys
Whatcha want, watcha want
Whatcha gonna do
When sheriff John Brown come for you
Tell me
Whatcha wanna do, whatcha gonna dooo
Yeaheah
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
When you were eight
And you had bad traits
You go to school
And learn the golden rule
So why are you
Acting like a bloody fool
If you get hot
You must get cool
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
You chuck it on that one
You chuck it on this one
You chuck it on your mother and
You chuck it on your father
You chuck it on your brother and
You chuck it on your sister
You chuck it on that one and
You chuck it on me
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Nobody naw give you no break
Police naw give you no break
Soldier naw give you no break
Not even you idren naw give you no break, he he
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Why did you have to act so mean
Don't you know you're human being
Born of a mother with the love of a father
Reflections come and reflections go
I know sometimes you want to let go
Hehehe
I know sometimes you want to let go
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
(You're too bad, you're too rude)
(You're too bad, you're too rude)
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
You chuck it on that one
You chuck it on this one
You chuck it on your mother and
You chuck it on your father
You chuck it on your brother and
You chuck it on your sister
You chuck it on that one and
You chuck it on me
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Whatcha want, watcha want
Whatcha gonna do
When sheriff John Brown come for you
Tell me
Whatcha wanna do, whatcha gonna dooo
Yeaheah
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
When you were eight
And you had bad traits
You go to school
And learn the golden rule
So why are you
Acting like a bloody fool
If you get hot
You must get cool
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
You chuck it on that one
You chuck it on this one
You chuck it on your mother and
You chuck it on your father
You chuck it on your brother and
You chuck it on your sister
You chuck it on that one and
You chuck it on me
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Nobody naw give you no break
Police naw give you no break
Soldier naw give you no break
Not even you idren naw give you no break, he he
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Why did you have to act so mean
Don't you know you're human being
Born of a mother with the love of a father
Reflections come and reflections go
I know sometimes you want to let go
Hehehe
I know sometimes you want to let go
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
(You're too bad, you're too rude)
(You're too bad, you're too rude)
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
You chuck it on that one
You chuck it on this one
You chuck it on your mother and
You chuck it on your father
You chuck it on your brother and
You chuck it on your sister
You chuck it on that one and
You chuck it on me
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
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Of course I know this from COPS. It's a fun song, and is obviously talking to anyone who has committed a crime, because the cops will get them, and there's no excuses for why they did whatever. It's their bloody foolish fault.
Great song. Pretty obvious what it means.
i can never stop listening to this song! I luv it.
It's so funny. And it's so great how the producers of COPS chose this song, since it fits so well with the show. " "Bad boys, bad boys, Whatcha gonna do when we come for you?"!!
It's so funny. And it's so great how the producers of COPS chose this song, since it fits so well with the show. " "Bad boys, bad boys, Whatcha gonna do when we come for you?"!!
I assume it's patois, but what the heck is an idren, that naw give ya no break?
I do like how the lyrics are chastising the criminal. Despite it being the theme for 'COPS,' it doesn't seem to be from the perspective of a cop saying "I'm the law and I'm gonna get you"--it's from the perspective of a peer saying "take responsibility and quit being an idiot." Which, admittedly, is how I feel when I watch COPS.
In response to mb7z498rt's question, no, it does not. Clapton covered Bob Marley when he recorded "I Shot the Sheriff", and the John Brown mentioned in that song is a reference to a pre-Civil War allegorical figure for cruel, inhumane people of power. In response to ProfessorKnowItAll, an "idren" is a Jamaican accent spin on the word "children". Hope that clears your questions up a little bit.
I always thought it was kinda funny that COPS used this song as its theme song. Most people don't realize that it's about police brutality. The "bad boys" are the police.
Does this song borrow from Eric Clapton's "I shot the Sheriff" when it mentions Sheriff John Brown?
@mb7z498rt Bob Marley wrote that song.