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.
How could I explain, this desire, desire
I come home high, and she start to cry
I can't take it
A brand new excuse does me no use
That won't make it
She be home with the kids, this is no way to live
What can I say?
I know it's surreal, but I'm a hard-headed still
Do things my way
And it's so strong, so strong
It's like I'm dying
Trying to hold on
My body says oh-no, oh, out there
Flying, the price that I pay for the game that I play
Ain't no game at all
I'm up in the clouds, then I'm spiraling down
Nothing breaks the fall
And it's so strong, so strong
It's like I'm dying
Try to hold on
My body says oh-no, oh, out there
Flying
Sounds of the sufferers pray
Silent noise and the suffers pay, the sense
I come home high, and she start to cry
I can't take it
A brand new excuse does me no use
That won't make it (what am I stupid)
She at home with the kids this is no way to live (she think I'm stupid)
What can I say?
I know it's surreal, but I'm a hard-headed still
Black Dante and it's so strong
So strong
So strong
So strong
I'm out there, flying
Flying
Flying
Flying
Desire
Killers, this life, this life
Lovers, this life, this life
Hustlers, this life, this life
Thieves, this life, this life
Gamblers, this life, this life
Niggas, crackers, children, mothers, fathers, lovers, neighbors, hungry
Full, the beautiful, the stars, the distance, the close, the stars
The heavens, this life
The floor, this life, this life
The high, this life
The beneath, this life, this life
All, all, everywhere, everywhere, anywhere, somewhere, home (this life, this life)
Uh, come on, this how it goes on
Ghetto people in the world today, get up!
Ha! Look alive, breathe, woo!
Ha! How it goes
Mother, mother
Head in her hands
Her first born son dead in her hands
The whole thing was a setup, a scam
They knew it was set up and planned
Niggas he worked with wet him and ran, and that's
Brother, brother
But, son, I don't see no brother hood
All I see is thugger hood
Get rich and fuck the hood
All they want is some good smoke from the hood
Lookin' for the shorty good stroke from the hood
That's how they touch the hood
But when I touch the hood, I'll make it brighter, black
Because I'm brighter, black
And I'm so black I'm bright, shine through the blackest night
Shine when I'm live, shine via satellite
Shout in the hood, 'we get the picture'
'Cause every time you out in the hood, you got photographers wit' ya
What's going on? Ha!
Understand this is real life
This how it goes on, this how it goes on
It keep going on, this how it goes on
Ghetto people, look alive, get free
Uh get involved, remain to breathe
Ha! Woo!
If Marvin was alive now, wow
What would I say to him?
Where could I start?
How could I explain to him?
I know the minor world would probably look strange to him
Would he feel like today had a place for him?
Global imprisonment, sickness, indifference
When he said, 'Save the babies,' was we listenin'?
When he said, 'Mercy, mercy,' did he really know
That decades later we'd still be killin' folks?
Or did he hope that we would realize
That we the first, the son of Earth
The moon and stars, the great beyond
We black and proud, we brave and strong
We raise it up, we quiet storm, forever fresh
And keepin' on
Ha! Uh, ghetto people, look alive and free, ya get real
This how it goes on, and you say, you say
Ha, this how it goes on, and you say, you say
Ha, this how it goes on
Ghetto people, look alive and free, and breathe! Ha!
Woo
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Drop the beat!
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Drop the beat!
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Drop the beat!
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Got the beat!
It ain't nothin' to be afraid of
Ghetto people,, look alive and free, ya get real
This how it goes on
This how it goes on, keep goin' on
This how it goes on
Now breathe!
Marvelous, marvelous, marvelous, Marvin modern marvel
I come home high, and she start to cry
I can't take it
A brand new excuse does me no use
That won't make it
She be home with the kids, this is no way to live
What can I say?
I know it's surreal, but I'm a hard-headed still
Do things my way
And it's so strong, so strong
It's like I'm dying
Trying to hold on
My body says oh-no, oh, out there
Flying, the price that I pay for the game that I play
Ain't no game at all
I'm up in the clouds, then I'm spiraling down
Nothing breaks the fall
And it's so strong, so strong
It's like I'm dying
Try to hold on
My body says oh-no, oh, out there
Flying
Sounds of the sufferers pray
Silent noise and the suffers pay, the sense
I come home high, and she start to cry
I can't take it
A brand new excuse does me no use
That won't make it (what am I stupid)
She at home with the kids this is no way to live (she think I'm stupid)
What can I say?
I know it's surreal, but I'm a hard-headed still
Black Dante and it's so strong
So strong
So strong
So strong
I'm out there, flying
Flying
Flying
Flying
Desire
Killers, this life, this life
Lovers, this life, this life
Hustlers, this life, this life
Thieves, this life, this life
Gamblers, this life, this life
Niggas, crackers, children, mothers, fathers, lovers, neighbors, hungry
Full, the beautiful, the stars, the distance, the close, the stars
The heavens, this life
The floor, this life, this life
The high, this life
The beneath, this life, this life
All, all, everywhere, everywhere, anywhere, somewhere, home (this life, this life)
Uh, come on, this how it goes on
Ghetto people in the world today, get up!
Ha! Look alive, breathe, woo!
Ha! How it goes
Mother, mother
Head in her hands
Her first born son dead in her hands
The whole thing was a setup, a scam
They knew it was set up and planned
Niggas he worked with wet him and ran, and that's
Brother, brother
But, son, I don't see no brother hood
All I see is thugger hood
Get rich and fuck the hood
All they want is some good smoke from the hood
Lookin' for the shorty good stroke from the hood
That's how they touch the hood
But when I touch the hood, I'll make it brighter, black
Because I'm brighter, black
And I'm so black I'm bright, shine through the blackest night
Shine when I'm live, shine via satellite
Shout in the hood, 'we get the picture'
'Cause every time you out in the hood, you got photographers wit' ya
What's going on? Ha!
Understand this is real life
This how it goes on, this how it goes on
It keep going on, this how it goes on
Ghetto people, look alive, get free
Uh get involved, remain to breathe
Ha! Woo!
If Marvin was alive now, wow
What would I say to him?
Where could I start?
How could I explain to him?
I know the minor world would probably look strange to him
Would he feel like today had a place for him?
Global imprisonment, sickness, indifference
When he said, 'Save the babies,' was we listenin'?
When he said, 'Mercy, mercy,' did he really know
That decades later we'd still be killin' folks?
Or did he hope that we would realize
That we the first, the son of Earth
The moon and stars, the great beyond
We black and proud, we brave and strong
We raise it up, we quiet storm, forever fresh
And keepin' on
Ha! Uh, ghetto people, look alive and free, ya get real
This how it goes on, and you say, you say
Ha, this how it goes on, and you say, you say
Ha, this how it goes on
Ghetto people, look alive and free, and breathe! Ha!
Woo
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Drop the beat!
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Drop the beat!
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Drop the beat!
Stop hold the beat! Stop the beat! Got the beat!
It ain't nothin' to be afraid of
Ghetto people,, look alive and free, ya get real
This how it goes on
This how it goes on, keep goin' on
This how it goes on
Now breathe!
Marvelous, marvelous, marvelous, Marvin modern marvel
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Modern Marvel Lyrics as written by Anna Gaye Alfred W Cleveland
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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