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.
Up until the middle of the 20th century,
Many Americans believed in the idea known as the "Manifest Destiny."
It held that all of North America,
From sea to shining sea,
Was rightfully the property of the U.S. and was given to us by God.
Native Americans were unscrupulously thrown off their homelands
And slaughtered in the name of Jesus.
Horror stories of entire tribes being led through rivers while being baptized,
Just to be shot and scalped on the other side,
Rival those of the Spanish Inquisition.
Today, I see street corner preachers screaming at passers-by,
While the amount of Neo-Nazi Hate crimes are escalating every day.
All of this under a blanket name of "Christianity."
Read Your Bible.
Jesus never beat people or insulted them into believing in him.
He spoke the truth
And set an example by loving every man.
We are called to follow his example.
Remember the Massacres at Sand Creek and meeker.
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
Some cowboys were a ridin', ridin' on the range;
The grass was over grazed there,
And spotted like some mange;
The buffalo were dead there,
The trees they all were through,
And if they saw some Injuns,
Why they would kill them too.
West or bust, in God we trust,
"Let's rape, let's kill, let's steal"
We can almost justify, anything we feel;
I'm climbing up that ladder,
More brownie points for me I'll work my way to Jesus you wait and see.
Said one cowboy to another,
"I think it would be nice,
If we could take these injuns and convert them all to Christ;
See, they are all disgusting, and bringing me great pain,
And if they don't believe me,
We'll put a bullet in their brains!"
I am always shoutin',
When I go outside,
How people should repent now,
Or they're going to die.
My motives are all selfish,
I'm a cannon brimmed with powder.
If people don't believe me,
I just beat them and yell louder.
Many Americans believed in the idea known as the "Manifest Destiny."
It held that all of North America,
From sea to shining sea,
Was rightfully the property of the U.S. and was given to us by God.
Native Americans were unscrupulously thrown off their homelands
And slaughtered in the name of Jesus.
Horror stories of entire tribes being led through rivers while being baptized,
Just to be shot and scalped on the other side,
Rival those of the Spanish Inquisition.
Today, I see street corner preachers screaming at passers-by,
While the amount of Neo-Nazi Hate crimes are escalating every day.
All of this under a blanket name of "Christianity."
Read Your Bible.
Jesus never beat people or insulted them into believing in him.
He spoke the truth
And set an example by loving every man.
We are called to follow his example.
Remember the Massacres at Sand Creek and meeker.
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
Some cowboys were a ridin', ridin' on the range;
The grass was over grazed there,
And spotted like some mange;
The buffalo were dead there,
The trees they all were through,
And if they saw some Injuns,
Why they would kill them too.
West or bust, in God we trust,
"Let's rape, let's kill, let's steal"
We can almost justify, anything we feel;
I'm climbing up that ladder,
More brownie points for me I'll work my way to Jesus you wait and see.
Said one cowboy to another,
"I think it would be nice,
If we could take these injuns and convert them all to Christ;
See, they are all disgusting, and bringing me great pain,
And if they don't believe me,
We'll put a bullet in their brains!"
I am always shoutin',
When I go outside,
How people should repent now,
Or they're going to die.
My motives are all selfish,
I'm a cannon brimmed with powder.
If people don't believe me,
I just beat them and yell louder.
Lyrics submitted by ThreeMilesDown, edited by zehnra
Old West Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © ALIBI MUSIC LIBRARY
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this is the best sounding song on the CD. I like the note that was added on the bottom of this page. It's true, Jesus never did beat or insult people into believing. Five Iron Frenzy's an amazing bad, too bad they're breaking up...
i like the note in the [] parenthesis. it is very well stated.
this song is about how the power of religion basically makes people contradict their religion.
The entire chorus is how christians justified killing and raping because of Christ.
"We can almost justify anything we feel. I'm climbing up that ladder, more brownie points for me. Work my way to Jesus, just you wait and see!"
this shows how they believed that Jesus wanted the "injuns" to be followers or dead. "More brownie points for me" expressed their thoughts of approval from Christ.