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.
This is Showtime at the Gallows
Rip The Jacker
Yo, I dialogue wit Amen-Ra 'til he gives me the nod
Or replaces me wit a supercomputer automaton
I don't barter for time I'm a martyr to rhymes
And a selfish soldier wit pride that was ordered to die
A burnin' star in the sky my heart is warped wit a drive
Expressin' thoughts through a rhyme my metaphors are alive
It's like I've been crucified they hate me now like Nas
They punctured me through my side the bleeding was cauterized
I was revived after I died
Only then I saw how I was truly admired and worshipped like a god
Shit'd mired up my mind they showed me a sign
I fell off the ocean liner someone throw me a line
Let the world know the truth but it became my demise
Mothafucka you know we even I don't owe you a dime
Sometimes I feel like killin' myself they've stolen my shine
I wanted to be the illest for a moment in time
From the ink to my pen to my pad to the ink in my arm
How can one diss song possibly last this long?
Tyson ain't the champ no more them days is gone
And Rip the Jacker ain't too stubborn to say when he's wrong
[HOOK]
I should get twenty dollars and go to Econolodge
And tie the sawed-off trigger around the doorknob
Call the police squad and tell them I'm in room one oh five
And that a dirty bomb's inside
Woke up in the cargo plane playin' Christy Lane
For some entertainment while I train in the misty rain
"One Day at a Time Sweet Jesus" is playin'
I'm sittin' there prayin' you prolly can't believe what I'm sayin'
But the voice in the back of my head keeps sayin' "Germaine
This is the real deal man this is not a dream this is not a game
The only sixteen you got from now on is locked
and loaded and in your hand
Deploy or detach on land you the man
And the pain is the weakness leavin' the body, understand?
I can reload wit a full pack call COMSAT
Tell them you need suppressive fire for troops in the back stat
Insurgence and counter-insurgence move wit a purpose
Absolutely mission critical you never get nervous
Applicate the shock tube to the surface
Standby blow it eyes open wit the scope on the terrorist
Tell him to go to hell in Arabic put a bullet through his narrow neck
Watch the wall behind him get wet
I'm an animal I'll murder you and stare at your pets
Get the tape I know where the surveillance cameras is kept
[HOOK]
If you want a confession? you got it
You want product? Gimme twenty dollars
You want gossip? I'll give you logic on any topic
Recordin' the positive data
Ripper's the best rapper go confirm the status
One million page dissertation written on paper
Cheap label from Pitney Bowes' tree curator
My purification process is greater
But thinly tapered verbatim
My album is equal to over fifty acres
Can-I-Bus before the Big Bang
And after the big crunch I only gotta say it once
Let there be light and I write a sentence
The greatest discovery since 'opethicus afarensis
Back to before Sumerians landed on the Cayman
In the Caribbean carryin' bacteria with antigens
And Nine-foot stone mannequins
The key to nuclear power and four delivered talaria
Showtime at the gallow the Age of Aquarius
And Space Harrier's life's last barrier
[HOOK]
Rip The Jacker
Yo, I dialogue wit Amen-Ra 'til he gives me the nod
Or replaces me wit a supercomputer automaton
I don't barter for time I'm a martyr to rhymes
And a selfish soldier wit pride that was ordered to die
A burnin' star in the sky my heart is warped wit a drive
Expressin' thoughts through a rhyme my metaphors are alive
It's like I've been crucified they hate me now like Nas
They punctured me through my side the bleeding was cauterized
I was revived after I died
Only then I saw how I was truly admired and worshipped like a god
Shit'd mired up my mind they showed me a sign
I fell off the ocean liner someone throw me a line
Let the world know the truth but it became my demise
Mothafucka you know we even I don't owe you a dime
Sometimes I feel like killin' myself they've stolen my shine
I wanted to be the illest for a moment in time
From the ink to my pen to my pad to the ink in my arm
How can one diss song possibly last this long?
Tyson ain't the champ no more them days is gone
And Rip the Jacker ain't too stubborn to say when he's wrong
[HOOK]
I should get twenty dollars and go to Econolodge
And tie the sawed-off trigger around the doorknob
Call the police squad and tell them I'm in room one oh five
And that a dirty bomb's inside
Woke up in the cargo plane playin' Christy Lane
For some entertainment while I train in the misty rain
"One Day at a Time Sweet Jesus" is playin'
I'm sittin' there prayin' you prolly can't believe what I'm sayin'
But the voice in the back of my head keeps sayin' "Germaine
This is the real deal man this is not a dream this is not a game
The only sixteen you got from now on is locked
and loaded and in your hand
Deploy or detach on land you the man
And the pain is the weakness leavin' the body, understand?
I can reload wit a full pack call COMSAT
Tell them you need suppressive fire for troops in the back stat
Insurgence and counter-insurgence move wit a purpose
Absolutely mission critical you never get nervous
Applicate the shock tube to the surface
Standby blow it eyes open wit the scope on the terrorist
Tell him to go to hell in Arabic put a bullet through his narrow neck
Watch the wall behind him get wet
I'm an animal I'll murder you and stare at your pets
Get the tape I know where the surveillance cameras is kept
[HOOK]
If you want a confession? you got it
You want product? Gimme twenty dollars
You want gossip? I'll give you logic on any topic
Recordin' the positive data
Ripper's the best rapper go confirm the status
One million page dissertation written on paper
Cheap label from Pitney Bowes' tree curator
My purification process is greater
But thinly tapered verbatim
My album is equal to over fifty acres
Can-I-Bus before the Big Bang
And after the big crunch I only gotta say it once
Let there be light and I write a sentence
The greatest discovery since 'opethicus afarensis
Back to before Sumerians landed on the Cayman
In the Caribbean carryin' bacteria with antigens
And Nine-foot stone mannequins
The key to nuclear power and four delivered talaria
Showtime at the gallow the Age of Aquarius
And Space Harrier's life's last barrier
[HOOK]
Lyrics submitted by maffy06
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