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.
Detention, suspension and power tripping teachers
feed me candy coated lies like priests, nuns and preachers
told what to wear and what to think when to piss and when to speak
indentured to my dejected state. spiritless 5 days a week
Discipline, conformity, walking single file down a dead end street
if its not taking me where i need to be, fuck education, at least my mind is free
12 years down the drain for me, useless facts and lies of your white history
if its not taking me where i need to be. fuck education, at least my mind is free
Crooked pigs ward the halls with armor and a loaded piece
Random routine locker searches, they now own yer property
Told to graduate and get a job, fulfill the old American dream
So stay in school and be molded into a fucking gear for their machine
feed me candy coated lies like priests, nuns and preachers
told what to wear and what to think when to piss and when to speak
indentured to my dejected state. spiritless 5 days a week
Discipline, conformity, walking single file down a dead end street
if its not taking me where i need to be, fuck education, at least my mind is free
12 years down the drain for me, useless facts and lies of your white history
if its not taking me where i need to be. fuck education, at least my mind is free
Crooked pigs ward the halls with armor and a loaded piece
Random routine locker searches, they now own yer property
Told to graduate and get a job, fulfill the old American dream
So stay in school and be molded into a fucking gear for their machine
Lyrics submitted by Hectron
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indentured to my dejected state. spiritless 5 days a week
I can totally relate right now.
"Useless facts and lies of your white history"
Okay, so Chris Cash is sometimes hard to understand but when I look up lyrics I can always figure out how it matches with what he's screaming. That's not the case here. In the song Knowledge is Power it doesn't sound like he ever says this line. It sounds like he says "misery" instead of history. I could be wrong, but see for yourself.
I think it says "useless facts in trade of my misery"
"fuck education, at least my mind is free"
its bout the school trying to take over ur life..
i will never give in
Hey you now what, I bet everyone of you bitch-ass niggers get a spidly from school. HAHAHAHA.
...which is initially what I thought the guy was saying in the sound bite at the beginning of the track. I was positive he said spidly; regardless of the fact I have no idea what a spidly was. I realize now, of course, it was actually "suspended". Proceeded by "HAHAHAHA"
I agree, there's no way he says history. It's been driving me crazy looking up the lyrics on a million sites seeing all the same lines and thinking they're all wrong..
angsyteen's sounds right to me
Amazing.
love this
well when i found this site i was really hoping to find actual meanings for these songs, not little kids quoting the words in the song or saying how cool it is. with that being said id like to share my meaning of this song: if you look at the bands history they are known for their anti-government and anti-political beliefs.this song is implying that since our government has total control over our education, that they ultimately control what we learn. thus indoctrinating the nation at its core(children). the government can erase history and rewrite it, in fact they already press their values on us, like portraying nazis and communists as perpetually evil. so to summarize: our education is filled with lies and the sugar coated american history, which renders our educational system inate and redundant.
You were looking for insight into songs that require for little interpretation and analysis. No-Cash's lyricism is quite obvious and simple in the sense that it doesn't convey its meanings in surrealism or by being cryptic. The meaning to the lyrics are really obvious, dude, so what you were hoping for is right in front of you; no need to rely on other people's opinions of a song that makes its point painfully obvious.<br /> <br /> Moron...
*that require very little...