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.
One day he's a Greek
One day he's Italian
He's 42 years old
He's George from Baltimore
He's a hustler
Making money on the street every day
What he does with his dough
Is a mystery
It's a shame Petey Reds thinks he's gamblin'
Everybody knows George is gettin' high
But he'll swear on his mother's grave
That he spends all his dough
On the horses at the Pimlico
Hit 'em for seven-hundred last night
Now he's got his hand out
Somethin' ain't right
You can call it profit
You can call it lost
If he gets that train back to Baltimore
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
George can turn a ten to a grand real quick
To spend on his medicine
He ain't gettin' sick
His doc's gotta Benz
A white girlfriend
Now the state's gotta Benz
The country's got a Benz 'cause
She could turn the lights out
Over at the White House
Still George has got to get his
Looking for a pocket for his 50 dollar bills
Looking for a thruway to his thrills
On the train ride back to Baltimore
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
One day he's Italian
He's 42 years old
He's George from Baltimore
He's a hustler
Making money on the street every day
What he does with his dough
Is a mystery
It's a shame Petey Reds thinks he's gamblin'
Everybody knows George is gettin' high
But he'll swear on his mother's grave
That he spends all his dough
On the horses at the Pimlico
Hit 'em for seven-hundred last night
Now he's got his hand out
Somethin' ain't right
You can call it profit
You can call it lost
If he gets that train back to Baltimore
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
George can turn a ten to a grand real quick
To spend on his medicine
He ain't gettin' sick
His doc's gotta Benz
A white girlfriend
Now the state's gotta Benz
The country's got a Benz 'cause
She could turn the lights out
Over at the White House
Still George has got to get his
Looking for a pocket for his 50 dollar bills
Looking for a thruway to his thrills
On the train ride back to Baltimore
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
Twenty-thousand in counterfeit fifty dollar bills
Lyrics submitted by pnkseashel
200,000 Lyrics as written by Clarence Greenwood
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm not sure if this george is an addict or a drug dealer...but I do know that I LOVE THIS SONG.
Yeah, this song is obviously about a junkie.
George can turn a ten to a grand real quick To spend on his medicine He hates gettin' sick His doc's gotta Benz A white girlfriend
This is referring to his drug dealer, who keeps him from getting dopesick
What he does with his dough Is a mystery It's a shame Petey Reds thinks he's gamblin' Everybody knows George is gettin' high But he'll swear on his mother's grave That he spends all his dough On the horses at the Pimlico Hit 'em for 700 last night Now he's got his hand out
Says all you need to know...
I saw Citizen Cope live this weekend and he explained the origin of this song before plying it. Cope used to buy and sell tickets in DC. He met this guy named George who was from Baltimore. He once asked George what the most amount of money he ever saw was. George replied, "$200,000 in counterfeit $50 bills". He said George was always making money but always seemed to be broke the next day. It was assumed that he was spending it on drugs.