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.
What does it matter
A dream of love, or a dream of lies?
We're all gonna be in the same place when we die
Your spirit don't leave knowing
Your face or your name
The wind through your bones as all that remains
And we're all gonna be, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
The quill from a buzzard
The blood writes the word
I want to know am I the sky or a bird?
'Cause hell is boiling over
And heaven is full
We're chained to the world
And we all gotta pull
And we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Now the killer was smiling
With nerves made of stone
He climbed the stairs
And the gallows groaned
And the people's hearts were pounding
They were throbbing, they were red
He swung out over the crowd, I heard the hangman said
We're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Now, Cain slew Abel
He killed him with a stone
The sky cracked open
And the thunder groaned
Along a river of flesh
Can these dry bones live?
Take a king or a beggar
And the answer they'll give
Is we're all gonna be yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
We're all going to be just dirt in the ground
We're all going to be just dirt in the ground
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Yeah, we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
A dream of love, or a dream of lies?
We're all gonna be in the same place when we die
Your spirit don't leave knowing
Your face or your name
The wind through your bones as all that remains
And we're all gonna be, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
The quill from a buzzard
The blood writes the word
I want to know am I the sky or a bird?
'Cause hell is boiling over
And heaven is full
We're chained to the world
And we all gotta pull
And we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Now the killer was smiling
With nerves made of stone
He climbed the stairs
And the gallows groaned
And the people's hearts were pounding
They were throbbing, they were red
He swung out over the crowd, I heard the hangman said
We're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Now, Cain slew Abel
He killed him with a stone
The sky cracked open
And the thunder groaned
Along a river of flesh
Can these dry bones live?
Take a king or a beggar
And the answer they'll give
Is we're all gonna be yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all gonna be, yeah, yeah
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
We're all going to be just dirt in the ground
We're all going to be just dirt in the ground
I said we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Yeah, we're all going to be just dirt in the ground
Lyrics submitted by LennyTheLeppy
Dirt In The Ground Lyrics as written by Thomas Alan Waits Kathleen Brennan
Lyrics © JALMA MUSIC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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You have to love a song about plant fertiliser.
+1 for that, haha. Good song.