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.
Josie works the counter at the downtown five and dime
Anything at all to help her pass the time
Her mama keeps the baby and grandpa rambles on
About the good times playing in his mind
It's a hard life living when you're lonely
It's a long night sleeping alone
It's a hard time waiting for tomorrow
It's a long, long way home
Josie spends the evening with the people in the pages
Of the paperback she picked up in the store
Or sometimes it's the TV or she'll try to write a letter
But they don't come too often anymore
It's a hard life living when you're lonely
It's a long night sleeping alone
It's a hard time waiting for tomorrow
It's a long, long way home
And I stare at the gray walls before me
And I see her face in the stone
And I try to imagine our baby
And I wish they would let me go home
And I wish they would let me go home
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a hard life living when you're lonely
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a long night sleeping alone
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a hard time waiting for tomorrow
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a long, long way home
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a long, long way home
And I wish they would let me go home
Bring me and the other boys home
And I wish they would let me go home
Bring me and the other boys home
And I wish they would let me go home
Bring me and the other boys home
Anything at all to help her pass the time
Her mama keeps the baby and grandpa rambles on
About the good times playing in his mind
It's a hard life living when you're lonely
It's a long night sleeping alone
It's a hard time waiting for tomorrow
It's a long, long way home
Josie spends the evening with the people in the pages
Of the paperback she picked up in the store
Or sometimes it's the TV or she'll try to write a letter
But they don't come too often anymore
It's a hard life living when you're lonely
It's a long night sleeping alone
It's a hard time waiting for tomorrow
It's a long, long way home
And I stare at the gray walls before me
And I see her face in the stone
And I try to imagine our baby
And I wish they would let me go home
And I wish they would let me go home
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a hard life living when you're lonely
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a long night sleeping alone
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a hard time waiting for tomorrow
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a long, long way home
And I wish they would let me go home
It's a long, long way home
And I wish they would let me go home
Bring me and the other boys home
And I wish they would let me go home
Bring me and the other boys home
And I wish they would let me go home
Bring me and the other boys home
Lyrics submitted by HamiltonInches
Prisoners Lyrics as written by John Denver
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
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Surprised nobody's comment on this song yet. Wonderfully captures a dreary life, wishing for something more, living an incomplete life without that special someone. Kind of anti-war in the end.
Great guitar work by John Denver. Would love to learn how to play it.
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