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.
Night has draped it’s cape of stars
Over our small town
From the campus and the tavern
To the chapel and infirmary
We’ve seen their dreams
We found the guilt, the fables, and folly
Of the residents residing in
Fourteen hymns for the heathen
First hymn: the son of God complex
Second hymn: the prodigal damsel
Third hymn: the tree stump of knowledge
Choking on Adam’s apple
This our lord
Under the cross, this broken promised land
With dreamers and schemers and preachers and predators
They shall not want what they’ve got coming to them
Whether innocent or insolent
In fourteen hymns for the heathen
Fourth hymn: the passion of the chaplain
Fifth hymn: the brute kiss of Judas
Sixth hymn: Sodom falls to ashes
Seventh hymn: the church of doubting Thomas
Eighth hymn: the horse of the apocalypse
Ninth hymn: immaculate exception
Tenth hymn: the demons of Mary Magdalene
I am a chapel, this is the prayer book
These are the parables, uh huh
God forgive us, this is our business
Absolving sins of all these heathens
Eleventh hymn: the bible belt tightens
Twelfth hymn: a lecherous shepard
Thirteenth hymn: hiding in confession
Fourteenth hymn: an afterword
Rocking tears of disenchantment
Green grass of envy and malice
Oh, sour days
Living in Happy Hollow
Over our small town
From the campus and the tavern
To the chapel and infirmary
We’ve seen their dreams
We found the guilt, the fables, and folly
Of the residents residing in
Fourteen hymns for the heathen
First hymn: the son of God complex
Second hymn: the prodigal damsel
Third hymn: the tree stump of knowledge
Choking on Adam’s apple
This our lord
Under the cross, this broken promised land
With dreamers and schemers and preachers and predators
They shall not want what they’ve got coming to them
Whether innocent or insolent
In fourteen hymns for the heathen
Fourth hymn: the passion of the chaplain
Fifth hymn: the brute kiss of Judas
Sixth hymn: Sodom falls to ashes
Seventh hymn: the church of doubting Thomas
Eighth hymn: the horse of the apocalypse
Ninth hymn: immaculate exception
Tenth hymn: the demons of Mary Magdalene
I am a chapel, this is the prayer book
These are the parables, uh huh
God forgive us, this is our business
Absolving sins of all these heathens
Eleventh hymn: the bible belt tightens
Twelfth hymn: a lecherous shepard
Thirteenth hymn: hiding in confession
Fourteenth hymn: an afterword
Rocking tears of disenchantment
Green grass of envy and malice
Oh, sour days
Living in Happy Hollow
Lyrics submitted by sarahsaurusrex, edited by Brandall88
Hymns for the Heathen Lyrics as written by Matthew Ryan Maginn Clint Frederick Schnase
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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First hymn: Opening the Hymnal/Babies (the son of God complex). Second hymn: Dorothy at Forty (the prodigal damsel). Third hymn: Big Bang (the tree stump of knowledge) Fourth hymn: Bad Sects (passion of the chaplain). Fifth hymn: Flag and Family (brute kiss of Judas). Sixth hymn: Dorothy Dreams of Tornadoes (Sodom falls to ashes [her world coming to an end, the use or tornados ripping it apart]). Seventh hymn: Retreat!! (the church of yourself [since the lyrics refer to being left alone by God]). Eighth hymn: The Sunks (horse of the apocalypse). Ninth hymn: At Conception (emmaculate exception [a priest having a woman get an abortion of his baby]). Tenth hymn: So-So Gigolo (demons of Mary Magdalene [reffering to being a prostitute of sorts]). Eleventh hymn: Bad Science (bible belt tightens). Twelfth hymn: Into the Fold (lecherous shepard). Thirteenth hymn: Rise Up!! Rise Up!! (hiding in confession). Fourteenth hymn: Hymnals for the Heathen (the afterword).