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.
Mae:
The tragic victim of drug abuse
Has now been spared for a higher use
Jimmy:
They were ready to cook my goose
But God had other plans
FDR:
"He works in mysterious ways, Jimmy."
Jimmy:
I feel like something inside has stirred
At long, long last may the truth be heard
FDR:
Go forth, Jimmy, and spread the word
FDR, Jimmy:
From sea to shining sea
Mae:
You have been set free
Jimmy:
Free to tell
FDR, Jimmy, Mae:
The truth about the wisdom we have learned...
All:
Gonna tell 'em the truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
All about the demon weed
How it grows from a demon seed
FDR:
"Indeed!"
Jimmy:
That pungent smoke will rot your brain
Till you're incurably insane
Trust me to tell them the...
All:
Gonna tell 'em the truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
With voices raised in song
We're banishing the bong!
FDR:
"So long!"
All:
Our children teeter on the brink
We need to teach them what to think
Trust us to tell them the truth
We've got to capture the nation's ear
Spread the word 'cross the hemisphere
But there are only four people here
Jimmy:
And one of us is lame!
FDR:
"Not to worry, Jimmy!"
We'll use the papers of Mr. Hearst
Flood the airwaves until they burst
With catchy slogans we've all rehearsed
All:
And iconography!
Uncle Sam:
It's Uncle Sam...
George Washington:
George Washington...
Statue of Liberty:
And Lady Liberty!
All:
Gonna tell 'em the truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
Uncle Sam, George W., Liberty:
Just who to demonize
What politics to despise
FDR:
"Get wise!"
All:
We're taking down the fingerprints of
Jazz musicians and immigrants
Trust us to tell you (Gonna tell 'em)
The truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
The A-B-C's of spin
And turning your neighbors in
FDR:
"Or kin!"
All:
It's all comes down to apple pie
George Washington:
George Washington would never lie
All:
Trust us to tell you (Gonna tell 'em)
The truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
Let ev'ry sir an ma'am
Obey their Uncle Sam
FDR:
"Hot damn!"
All:
That famous finger's set to point:
Uncle Sam:
I want you to drop that joint!
(The following is sung in tandem)
All:
Trust us to tell you (Gonna tell 'em)
The truth, truth, truth
Truth, truth, truth, etc.
Trust us to tell 'em the truth!
Statue of Liberty:
Give me your tired
Give me your poor
Give me your huddled masses
Yearning to breathe free
of reefer smoke!
Freedom! Freedom!
Freedom!
Lecturer:
It's time for parents to take a stand
For the preservation of our sweet land
All:
Till the things that scare us are burned or banned
Or smashed to smithereens!
And once the reefer has been destroyed
We'll start on Darwin and Sigmund Freud
And sex depicted on celluloid
And communists and queens
When danger's near, exploit their fear
The end will justify the means!
The tragic victim of drug abuse
Has now been spared for a higher use
Jimmy:
They were ready to cook my goose
But God had other plans
FDR:
"He works in mysterious ways, Jimmy."
Jimmy:
I feel like something inside has stirred
At long, long last may the truth be heard
FDR:
Go forth, Jimmy, and spread the word
FDR, Jimmy:
From sea to shining sea
Mae:
You have been set free
Jimmy:
Free to tell
FDR, Jimmy, Mae:
The truth about the wisdom we have learned...
All:
Gonna tell 'em the truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
All about the demon weed
How it grows from a demon seed
FDR:
"Indeed!"
Jimmy:
That pungent smoke will rot your brain
Till you're incurably insane
Trust me to tell them the...
All:
Gonna tell 'em the truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
With voices raised in song
We're banishing the bong!
FDR:
"So long!"
All:
Our children teeter on the brink
We need to teach them what to think
Trust us to tell them the truth
We've got to capture the nation's ear
Spread the word 'cross the hemisphere
But there are only four people here
Jimmy:
And one of us is lame!
FDR:
"Not to worry, Jimmy!"
We'll use the papers of Mr. Hearst
Flood the airwaves until they burst
With catchy slogans we've all rehearsed
All:
And iconography!
Uncle Sam:
It's Uncle Sam...
George Washington:
George Washington...
Statue of Liberty:
And Lady Liberty!
All:
Gonna tell 'em the truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
Uncle Sam, George W., Liberty:
Just who to demonize
What politics to despise
FDR:
"Get wise!"
All:
We're taking down the fingerprints of
Jazz musicians and immigrants
Trust us to tell you (Gonna tell 'em)
The truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
The A-B-C's of spin
And turning your neighbors in
FDR:
"Or kin!"
All:
It's all comes down to apple pie
George Washington:
George Washington would never lie
All:
Trust us to tell you (Gonna tell 'em)
The truth, truth, truth
Ev'rybody gotta know, oh, oh
Let ev'ry sir an ma'am
Obey their Uncle Sam
FDR:
"Hot damn!"
All:
That famous finger's set to point:
Uncle Sam:
I want you to drop that joint!
(The following is sung in tandem)
All:
Trust us to tell you (Gonna tell 'em)
The truth, truth, truth
Truth, truth, truth, etc.
Trust us to tell 'em the truth!
Statue of Liberty:
Give me your tired
Give me your poor
Give me your huddled masses
Yearning to breathe free
of reefer smoke!
Freedom! Freedom!
Freedom!
Lecturer:
It's time for parents to take a stand
For the preservation of our sweet land
All:
Till the things that scare us are burned or banned
Or smashed to smithereens!
And once the reefer has been destroyed
We'll start on Darwin and Sigmund Freud
And sex depicted on celluloid
And communists and queens
When danger's near, exploit their fear
The end will justify the means!
Lyrics submitted by killstar
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