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.
(Rancid?... Jah love...)
Yeah!
Here's the new face of rock-n'-roll!
It's about fightin' toe to toe...
Hard times come,
Yeah the hard times go.
When I say, come one, come all.
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
One man's decision brings another's opposition completely unbound.
Down on the flats where the seaside meets my lonely youngtown
Well all the rudies and skins well they're out on the streets making the way on the dole,
Between the bottles and sex they smash and they wreck for something to live
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face.
Sometimes you know there's no place to go,
But to a long life of crime.
Yeah but it's so wrong to steal,
Someone's very last meal to profit up a dime.
Your poe poes and greys well they end up in jail gonna swing the cowboys
Well you took a bite outta the apple of decision that got ya there boy.
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Hooligans and bootboys, I don't want no racial hatred
"Black and white, who are portrayed without bias
These are the people whose voice I want to be..."
I said the hooligans!
Rancid
Bootboys!
Rancid
Hooligans!
Rancid
Bootboys!
Rancid
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Ahhh ahhhh ahhhhhh...
Yeah!
Here's the new face of rock-n'-roll!
It's about fightin' toe to toe...
Hard times come,
Yeah the hard times go.
When I say, come one, come all.
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
One man's decision brings another's opposition completely unbound.
Down on the flats where the seaside meets my lonely youngtown
Well all the rudies and skins well they're out on the streets making the way on the dole,
Between the bottles and sex they smash and they wreck for something to live
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face.
Sometimes you know there's no place to go,
But to a long life of crime.
Yeah but it's so wrong to steal,
Someone's very last meal to profit up a dime.
Your poe poes and greys well they end up in jail gonna swing the cowboys
Well you took a bite outta the apple of decision that got ya there boy.
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Hooligans and bootboys, I don't want no racial hatred
"Black and white, who are portrayed without bias
These are the people whose voice I want to be..."
I said the hooligans!
Rancid
Bootboys!
Rancid
Hooligans!
Rancid
Bootboys!
Rancid
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Scars been stricken on their face
Well all the hooligans and bootboys know one thing for sure,
Ahhh ahhhh ahhhhhh...
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Great version of a great song,
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actually i went and listened to it again and it sounds like tim is saying "bootboys" and lynval is saying "rudeboys" which makes sense.