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.
Me and my good partners
we were riding back to our camp
we were feeling very fine
and the air was clear and slightly damp
and we were riding back to have ourselves a party
to celebrate the robbing of the train
We were talking kind of low and lazy
about not having to go out soon again
you know we hadn't been back home two hours
we heard a hawk cry out in the night
and you know that's a signal from young Billy, who's our sentry
He's saying something here ain't exactly right
so we quick grabbed some of our hardware
stumbled out of our home
in two minutes flat we had found her
an Indian girl all alone
and Eli said, "Let's take her back to the cabin"
I said, "You don't know she might be the law, yeah"
He said, smiling kind of nasty
"It ain't too damn likely she'll beat me to the draw."
As we were walking back through the darkness
I heard the Duke, he's our dynamiter, say
he said, "What's your name, sweet little Indian girl?"
She said, "Raven." and she looked away
Right then I didn't trust her, no and I said so, oh no
Now, Eli, he's our fastest gunner
He's kind of mean and young from the South
he said, "Fat Albert, you're getting kind of old and weird now."
"You'd better get your twelve gauge shot gun right out."
Now Eli and the Duke they got down to it
they each wanted the Indian girl for their own
but when they finally got around to asking her
you know she said she'd come to take young Billy home
Eli said he'd kill young Billy
he'd kill the Duke, and probably me too, yeah
The Indian girl said, "Go ahead now do it"
I said "Stop it", and she bit my thumb nearly clean through
and when they finally started to break down the door
I smeared my face up with blood from my thumb
I laid down on the floor and played real good possum
You know I'm crazy but I ain't real dumb
now I'm dying here in Albuquerque
I must be the sorriest sight you ever saw
you know the reason I'm the only man here to tell it
you know that Indian girl, she wasn't an Indian she was the law
we were riding back to our camp
we were feeling very fine
and the air was clear and slightly damp
and we were riding back to have ourselves a party
to celebrate the robbing of the train
We were talking kind of low and lazy
about not having to go out soon again
you know we hadn't been back home two hours
we heard a hawk cry out in the night
and you know that's a signal from young Billy, who's our sentry
He's saying something here ain't exactly right
so we quick grabbed some of our hardware
stumbled out of our home
in two minutes flat we had found her
an Indian girl all alone
and Eli said, "Let's take her back to the cabin"
I said, "You don't know she might be the law, yeah"
He said, smiling kind of nasty
"It ain't too damn likely she'll beat me to the draw."
As we were walking back through the darkness
I heard the Duke, he's our dynamiter, say
he said, "What's your name, sweet little Indian girl?"
She said, "Raven." and she looked away
Right then I didn't trust her, no and I said so, oh no
Now, Eli, he's our fastest gunner
He's kind of mean and young from the South
he said, "Fat Albert, you're getting kind of old and weird now."
"You'd better get your twelve gauge shot gun right out."
Now Eli and the Duke they got down to it
they each wanted the Indian girl for their own
but when they finally got around to asking her
you know she said she'd come to take young Billy home
Eli said he'd kill young Billy
he'd kill the Duke, and probably me too, yeah
The Indian girl said, "Go ahead now do it"
I said "Stop it", and she bit my thumb nearly clean through
and when they finally started to break down the door
I smeared my face up with blood from my thumb
I laid down on the floor and played real good possum
You know I'm crazy but I ain't real dumb
now I'm dying here in Albuquerque
I must be the sorriest sight you ever saw
you know the reason I'm the only man here to tell it
you know that Indian girl, she wasn't an Indian she was the law
Lyrics submitted by hari66
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