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.
The things we laid do not amount to much
Made of abandoned wood loose stones and such
This revolution baby
Proves who you work for lately
Release the castaways who run amok
From self appointed winds which blow and such
When present tense gets strangled in the mire
Made of our cozy decomposing wires
Who do you work for baby
And does it work for you lately
But when the night is over and the walls start burning
When fire starts to matter and the clock's still churning
Cliches and other chatter keeps our minds from learning
Our minds keep learning
It's alright
It's alright
The things we laid do not amount to much
Made up of thought balloons and cotton swabs
When present tense gets strangled in the woes
Made of our future foe scenarios
This revolution baby
Proves who you work for maybe
Who do you work for baby
And does it work for you lately
But when the night is over and the walls start linking
When fire starts to matter and the clock's still sinking
Cliches and other chatter keeps our minds from thinking
Our minds keep shrinking
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
That's when it turned on me
A motorcade of 'meant to be's'
Parade of beauty queens
Where soft entwines make kindling
These many detailed things
Like broken nails and plastic rings
Will win by keeping me
From speaking to my new darling
And there's no way to know
Our future foe scenarios
That's when it turned on me
Where bobby pins held angel wings
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
Made of abandoned wood loose stones and such
This revolution baby
Proves who you work for lately
Release the castaways who run amok
From self appointed winds which blow and such
When present tense gets strangled in the mire
Made of our cozy decomposing wires
Who do you work for baby
And does it work for you lately
But when the night is over and the walls start burning
When fire starts to matter and the clock's still churning
Cliches and other chatter keeps our minds from learning
Our minds keep learning
It's alright
It's alright
The things we laid do not amount to much
Made up of thought balloons and cotton swabs
When present tense gets strangled in the woes
Made of our future foe scenarios
This revolution baby
Proves who you work for maybe
Who do you work for baby
And does it work for you lately
But when the night is over and the walls start linking
When fire starts to matter and the clock's still sinking
Cliches and other chatter keeps our minds from thinking
Our minds keep shrinking
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
That's when it turned on me
A motorcade of 'meant to be's'
Parade of beauty queens
Where soft entwines make kindling
These many detailed things
Like broken nails and plastic rings
Will win by keeping me
From speaking to my new darling
And there's no way to know
Our future foe scenarios
That's when it turned on me
Where bobby pins held angel wings
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
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$0.02