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.
Too many times you're gonna go out with a-walkin'
Too many times you come out late
Too many times you set yourself out of the scene, it makes you walk up straight
It makes you walk up straight
Too many times you trade the bottle for the body
One drop of breath and one for skin
You say nobody knows the truth about your body, are you entirely thin?
Are you entirely thin?
But if I were a good man, would it really happen?
Would you walk me home then everyday from work
But maybe I'm a good man, wouldn't let it happen
I believe in love, I'm married to my work
Cause I can be a father, I can be a brother, I can be a flower, rise up in the dirt
We were born to live here, We were born to die here
And you know this when you work
Yeah, you watch me when you work
Well, you are free from the work or the silence
Well, you know what to do with your demands
It's not sure
You got a few ideas
And when you wake from this shell of this body
Or will you sink your ghostly man?
Well, it's not holy
You've got something better up your sleeve
Too many times you'll keep your love dry for your family
And let it over in your sleep
You'll overtry to hold some burden like a man, something you can keep
Something you can keep
You smell the scent of something burning in the kitchen
He smells the future on the lawn
These are the things we've come to recognize as truth, we cut the right into wrong
We cut the right into wrong
But if I were a good man, would it really happen?
Would you walk me home then everyday from work
But maybe I'm a good man, wouldn't let it happen
I believe in love, I'm married to my work
Cause I can be a father, I can be a brother, I can be a flower, rise up in the dirt
We were born to live here, We were born to die here
And you know this when you work
Yeah, you watch me when you work
It seems that we be smooth like pebbles
But now we get scared like our parents
Or somewhere fake
It's just a waste of money
And when you wake up tomorrow, my son
Will you be the father of someone terrible
It will it shine, throughout your life
It won't bury you, cause we know
Somewhere in the darkness, you will find love, baby you will find love
You will feel younger girl
And you will feel young
Too many times you come out late
Too many times you set yourself out of the scene, it makes you walk up straight
It makes you walk up straight
Too many times you trade the bottle for the body
One drop of breath and one for skin
You say nobody knows the truth about your body, are you entirely thin?
Are you entirely thin?
But if I were a good man, would it really happen?
Would you walk me home then everyday from work
But maybe I'm a good man, wouldn't let it happen
I believe in love, I'm married to my work
Cause I can be a father, I can be a brother, I can be a flower, rise up in the dirt
We were born to live here, We were born to die here
And you know this when you work
Yeah, you watch me when you work
Well, you are free from the work or the silence
Well, you know what to do with your demands
It's not sure
You got a few ideas
And when you wake from this shell of this body
Or will you sink your ghostly man?
Well, it's not holy
You've got something better up your sleeve
Too many times you'll keep your love dry for your family
And let it over in your sleep
You'll overtry to hold some burden like a man, something you can keep
Something you can keep
You smell the scent of something burning in the kitchen
He smells the future on the lawn
These are the things we've come to recognize as truth, we cut the right into wrong
We cut the right into wrong
But if I were a good man, would it really happen?
Would you walk me home then everyday from work
But maybe I'm a good man, wouldn't let it happen
I believe in love, I'm married to my work
Cause I can be a father, I can be a brother, I can be a flower, rise up in the dirt
We were born to live here, We were born to die here
And you know this when you work
Yeah, you watch me when you work
It seems that we be smooth like pebbles
But now we get scared like our parents
Or somewhere fake
It's just a waste of money
And when you wake up tomorrow, my son
Will you be the father of someone terrible
It will it shine, throughout your life
It won't bury you, cause we know
Somewhere in the darkness, you will find love, baby you will find love
You will feel younger girl
And you will feel young
Lyrics submitted by sillymofo15, edited by solvent_d
Rise Up In The Dirt Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
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it seems that we used to live like rebels but now we get scared like our parents
i love this part its so true, its what scares me every day.