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.
I could not work
So I threw a bottle into the woods
And then I felt bad
For the doe paw
And the rabbit paw
So I went looking for the pieces
Of the bottle that I threw
Because I couldn’t work
I went deep
Further than i could throw
And i came upon an old abandoned well
All boarded over
With a drip hanging from the bucket still
Well I watched that drip but it would not drop
I watched that drip but it would not drop
I knew what I had to do
Had to pull those boards off the well
When I got the boards off
I stared into the black black black
And you know I had to yell
Just to get my voice back
I guess everybody has their own thing
That they yell into a well
I gave it a coupla hoots
A hello
And a fuck all y’all
I guess everybody has their own thing
That they yell into a well
And as I stood like that
Staring into the black black black
I felt a cool wet kiss
On the back of my neck
Dang
I knew if I stood up
The drip would roll down my back
Into no man’s land
So I stayed like that
Staring into the black black black
Well they say black is all colours at once
So I gave it my red rage my yellow streak
The greenest parts of me
And my blues I knew just what I had to do
I had to turn around and go back
And let that drip roll down my back
And I felt so bad about that
But wouldn’t you know
When I turned to go
Another drip was forming
On the bottom of the bucket
And I felt so good about that
So I threw a bottle into the woods
And then I felt bad
For the doe paw
And the rabbit paw
So I went looking for the pieces
Of the bottle that I threw
Because I couldn’t work
I went deep
Further than i could throw
And i came upon an old abandoned well
All boarded over
With a drip hanging from the bucket still
Well I watched that drip but it would not drop
I watched that drip but it would not drop
I knew what I had to do
Had to pull those boards off the well
When I got the boards off
I stared into the black black black
And you know I had to yell
Just to get my voice back
I guess everybody has their own thing
That they yell into a well
I gave it a coupla hoots
A hello
And a fuck all y’all
I guess everybody has their own thing
That they yell into a well
And as I stood like that
Staring into the black black black
I felt a cool wet kiss
On the back of my neck
Dang
I knew if I stood up
The drip would roll down my back
Into no man’s land
So I stayed like that
Staring into the black black black
Well they say black is all colours at once
So I gave it my red rage my yellow streak
The greenest parts of me
And my blues I knew just what I had to do
I had to turn around and go back
And let that drip roll down my back
And I felt so bad about that
But wouldn’t you know
When I turned to go
Another drip was forming
On the bottom of the bucket
And I felt so good about that
Lyrics submitted by thither
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having nothing to do, give to men the opportunity to do stupid things
(I could not work So I threw a bottle into the woods And then I felt bad For the doe paw And the rabbit paw So I went looking for the pieces Of the bottle that I threw Because I couldn’t work)
but also to repair the damage and explore and go to less travelled places
(I went deep Further than i could throw And i came upon an old abandoned well)
and stare in the great depth of the mistery of life and consciousness.
(I stared into the black black black)
The drop is the simbol of life, that needs liberty to rejoin the water in the well aka the origin of life.
(I knew what I had to do Had to pull those boards off the well)
Like the well, that gives back your voice, the meaning of these things is what you put into it.
(And you know I had to yell Just to get my voice back I guess everybody has their own thing That they yell into a well)
Confronted with the great depth of the mistery of life and consciousness a human being can get rid of all his worst parts and even if not everything will work out well
(I had to turn around and go back And let that drip roll down my back And I felt so bad about that)
there is still hope for the future
(Another drip was forming On the bottom of the bucket And I felt so good about that)
this song is a travel in one's consciousness