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.
Teacher says that I've been naughty
I must learn to concentrate
But the girls they pull my hair
And with the boys I can't relate
Daddy says I'm good for nothing
Mama says that it's from him
Manic sister thinks I'm cracking
Brother says it's in my genes
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to be the one?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to hold the gun?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
So we put on our eyeliner
And a bit of glitter dust
Life at night is always finer
Neon streets are full of lust
Teenage kids and Soho Dolls,
They make you want to cry
Like my superstar they fall
Some will be alright
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to be the one?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to hold the gun?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Sunlight falls onto his eyes
But he don't stir or turn
Messages on the answerphone
But none will be returned
Monday morning, lousy morning
What a day to see
In the evening I will hear it
On the BBC
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to be the one?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to hold the gun?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
I must learn to concentrate
But the girls they pull my hair
And with the boys I can't relate
Daddy says I'm good for nothing
Mama says that it's from him
Manic sister thinks I'm cracking
Brother says it's in my genes
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to be the one?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to hold the gun?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
So we put on our eyeliner
And a bit of glitter dust
Life at night is always finer
Neon streets are full of lust
Teenage kids and Soho Dolls,
They make you want to cry
Like my superstar they fall
Some will be alright
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to be the one?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to hold the gun?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Sunlight falls onto his eyes
But he don't stir or turn
Messages on the answerphone
But none will be returned
Monday morning, lousy morning
What a day to see
In the evening I will hear it
On the BBC
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to be the one?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Don't you want to?
Don't you want to hold the gun?
Don't you want to?
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
Lyrics submitted by black_satin
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Great version of a great song,
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I really like this song, it's kind of bittersweet and sexy at the same time. It makes me think of a disturbed young woman from a dysfunctional background who ends up committing gun crime with an accomplice ('Don't you want to be the one?'), perhaps on a member of her family... kind of like in the film Natural Born Killers... of course the 'bang bang' could just be in the sexual sense, but it just seems like there's something darker to it.
So, my mom thinks that she wants to shoot up a school because it says" teacher says ive been naughty says i should concentrate but the girls pull my hair and the boys i can relate" My mom said shes been through so much with her school and they've done so many things to her that she wants to shoot up the school and ofc "bang bang bang bang!" But my opinion is that she has family probles and is getting abused so she wants to kill her family. but now.. after i read the lyrics it sounds like she has a f-ed up life and gets r@ped and abused by her family and misterious bf that never responds. SO SHE OBVI. TOOK HIM OUT! and now.. her family is next... SO yea thats me and my mom's opinion.
It kinda sounds like she's hooking. She says, "so we put on our eyeliner and a bit of glitter dust. neon streets are full of lust." It sounds like she was walking the streets, looking for a guy. Then they mention the morning and how the guy doesn't wake up and no one will be able to reach him on the phone and how the BBC (british news station) will be talking about it all afternoon.
I actually think the last verse is indicating that the guy's died. Why else would calls not be returned and then the news be talking about it?
Dude. There is something darker to the 'Bang bang' sense of it. As in a gun going, BANG, BANG!
I saw this on tdu2
I think the song is about this girl from a dysfunctional family. The first chorus is about how she wants to kill those people that have hurt her. Then she is hooking on the street (Neon streets are full of lust) and the second chorus is about how she asks those guys if they want to have sex with her. Then this guy who had sex with her ends up dead, and the third chorus implies that she and an accomplice have killed him.
I think that it's about a woman who is a serial killer who uses her gun to kill people. In the beginning, I think she's stating off people that she's either going to kill off next or already did. Later, I think that she acts as kind of a hooker, but once she's invited into someone's house she kills them, takes their money and leaves. Though, there are occasional times when she will give you a choice to be an accomplice or die... But that's just my opinion ^^"
she is not understood by her parents or her family so she leaves but before she goes she puts on her makeup and goes out into town at night are learns that there are other teens there and figures whatever some will be alright then she meets some guy with her friend and they sleep together and then she decides to kill him with her friend referring to in the song to messages on the anserew phone but none will be returneed
This song is about a highschool girl who is extremely unhappy with life - she can't concentrate/do well in her classes and doesn't get along with her classmates. Her family is dysfunctional - her father is abusive to her, her mother blames her daughter's behavior on her father (implying her parents don't love each other), her sister thinks she's going insane, and her brother thinks it's just bc their family is weird (first verse). The song explains how she tries to cope with clubbing underage (second verse), but it still doesn't satisfy her. The song also goes on with her intrusive thoughts on dealing with her problems by buying a gun to shoot up her school (Don't you want to?; Don't you want to hold the gun?), which she seems to give into during the final verse (Monday morning, lousy morning; What a day to see; In the evening I will hear it;On the BBC).
OMG that literally me and my moms opinion about this song.