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.
A prisoner of my paradox
Heaven or hell
Pacing up and down my cage
Too soon to tell
What a suffocating state to be
Working class heroes
Mean nothing to me
I'm a working class zero
Chained to the tree of life
A dangerous thing to be
And now the baby needs to grow
But the mother is crazy
What lies behind the mask
Behind the wave and the smile
Your appearance is deceptive
Sweet crocodile
What a fascinating thing to see
Revealing all your secrets
You'd better beware
Revealing all your secrets
You wouldn't dare
Reveal yourself to me
Would you?
It must have been like this before
But my memory's hazy
So I'll stand in line
Three million desperados
There's hope for me
But for some the story's different
They'll stand in line
They'll bide their time
Waiting for a sign
Counting out the time
Clever clever creatures
Death in your kiss
Playing with the future
In innocent bliss
What a suffocating state to be
But what a fascinating thing to see
Heaven or hell
Pacing up and down my cage
Too soon to tell
What a suffocating state to be
Working class heroes
Mean nothing to me
I'm a working class zero
Chained to the tree of life
A dangerous thing to be
And now the baby needs to grow
But the mother is crazy
What lies behind the mask
Behind the wave and the smile
Your appearance is deceptive
Sweet crocodile
What a fascinating thing to see
Revealing all your secrets
You'd better beware
Revealing all your secrets
You wouldn't dare
Reveal yourself to me
Would you?
It must have been like this before
But my memory's hazy
So I'll stand in line
Three million desperados
There's hope for me
But for some the story's different
They'll stand in line
They'll bide their time
Waiting for a sign
Counting out the time
Clever clever creatures
Death in your kiss
Playing with the future
In innocent bliss
What a suffocating state to be
But what a fascinating thing to see
Lyrics submitted by mightypotato, edited by IniquitatisRex
Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In) Lyrics as written by John Lever David Fielding
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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According to Mark:
"When 'Basically' was reviewed in the NME the hack said something like "only someone completely insane would write a song called ...." The song refers to those people, at the time that included my father, that would go on and on about how great The Conservative Party was, while their lives and the country in general were disintegrating around them. This song was actually one of the very first we did and the words were a response to the election of Thatcher in 1979. I'm reminded of the first song I remember seeing Dave Gedge play with his band in 1980, 'Thatcher The Snatcher.'"