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.
We are the last of the jukebox Romeos
We are romantics by the light of the four way
We came to sing out a chorus, reinvent the good times
And bring it all back home again
Honey, we came to dance with the girls with the stars in their eyes
Do the jump back, jack, stop and slide to the right
Never break their hearts, never make them cry, come on
Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows
If I'm not your kind, then don't tell a soul
I'm not the one who hates bein' alone, so come on
And in this unstable arena
Of what's left or become of my America
I'm askin' this dance so come take my hand, come on
And in this unstable arena
Of what's left or become of my America
I'm askin' this dance so come take my hand, come on
Honey, we came to dance with the girls with the stars in their eyes
Do the jump back, jack, stop and slide to the right
Never break their hearts, never make them cry, come on
Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows
If I'm not your kind, then don't tell a soul
I'm not the one who hates bein' alone, so come on
And if they end it all
By the end of tonight
If the big bomb drops down
Over this quiet Edison sky
We'll blow one last kiss
To all the beautiful nights like this
Under this central Jersey sky
Honey, we came to dance with the girls with the stars in their eyes
Do the jump back, jack, stop and slide to the right
Never break their hearts, never make them cry, come on
Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows
If I'm not your kind, then don't tell a soul
I'm not the one who hates bein' alone, so come on
'Cause you ain't never had a night on the town
Like I can show you such a night on the town
And you ain't never had a song you could sing
Well it's a deep dark night and I hear you, I've been there
And these are the songs that we sing
Oh, these are the songs that we sing
You've never seen a two-step
Like when you've seen it from your mama's house
Where the kids flash like lightning
To the very best dancers around
We learned from the very best dancers around
We learned from the very best dancers in town
Come take my hand, cause mama, we came to dance
We are romantics by the light of the four way
We came to sing out a chorus, reinvent the good times
And bring it all back home again
Honey, we came to dance with the girls with the stars in their eyes
Do the jump back, jack, stop and slide to the right
Never break their hearts, never make them cry, come on
Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows
If I'm not your kind, then don't tell a soul
I'm not the one who hates bein' alone, so come on
And in this unstable arena
Of what's left or become of my America
I'm askin' this dance so come take my hand, come on
And in this unstable arena
Of what's left or become of my America
I'm askin' this dance so come take my hand, come on
Honey, we came to dance with the girls with the stars in their eyes
Do the jump back, jack, stop and slide to the right
Never break their hearts, never make them cry, come on
Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows
If I'm not your kind, then don't tell a soul
I'm not the one who hates bein' alone, so come on
And if they end it all
By the end of tonight
If the big bomb drops down
Over this quiet Edison sky
We'll blow one last kiss
To all the beautiful nights like this
Under this central Jersey sky
Honey, we came to dance with the girls with the stars in their eyes
Do the jump back, jack, stop and slide to the right
Never break their hearts, never make them cry, come on
Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows
If I'm not your kind, then don't tell a soul
I'm not the one who hates bein' alone, so come on
'Cause you ain't never had a night on the town
Like I can show you such a night on the town
And you ain't never had a song you could sing
Well it's a deep dark night and I hear you, I've been there
And these are the songs that we sing
Oh, these are the songs that we sing
You've never seen a two-step
Like when you've seen it from your mama's house
Where the kids flash like lightning
To the very best dancers around
We learned from the very best dancers around
We learned from the very best dancers in town
Come take my hand, cause mama, we came to dance
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Also, I believe it's "Strike up the Badlands song that everybody knows"
Badlands is a song by Bruce Springsteen. And if you've ever been to a Springsteen show, you know that everybody does indeed know it.
Upon getting to know this song better I realize I was wrong about this. But I think "Badlands song" would have worked in the song just as well. Alas, Brian did not write it that way. Oh well. Still a fantastic song.
I'm pretty sure that it's "Strike up the band, play a song that everybody knows," going along with the theme of just having a good time with everybody around. Badlands could easily be one of those songs, but I get the feeling that this means more of a song that even if people don't know everything about it, it'll be a song that everybody can enjoy, not just a song that speaks to one person.<br /> <br /> The song I imagine them striking up the band with would probably be Don't Stop Believing by Journey. I mean, come on. Have you ever heard that song being played where a bunch of people don't join in, regardless of their talent?