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.
Cool Britannia on CCTV
Your uncle kicked to death but we couldn't quite see him
This is the land of the free
Your face is on Big Brother it belongs to me
Plug in your iPod and sing along with me
I saw your daughter gang-fucked on MTV
It's the middle of the night and not a policeman in sight
Get your knives out baby, come on let's fight
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's lying in his grave
Identikit market shit, every place is full of it
The supermarket's stocking it, the government is flogging it
You can't help but buy it, go on try it
There's no sense in anyone trying to deny it
There's no doors on this car, you can't get out
No winders on the windows noone'll hear you shout
No matter how many times you've gone up the water spout
The rain'll come along and wash you out
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's molding in his grave
In this land filled with hate
The shopping centers open late
And everyone's working on the cheap
Listening out for that cell phone beep
I ain't no child of the Thatcher generation
That uptight bitch was our ruination
I ain't got time for the thoughts of Marx
This is where the revolution starts
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's spinning in his grave
Every little house has got two TVs
Watching starving children on the BBC
And mummy's working late she's got two jobs
And her little darling's turning into a foul-mouthed yob
Sitting on the tube wearing dizzy headphones
No matter where you turn to you'll never be alone
In every supermarket, you'll hear the musak drone
The Top of the Pops for you disco clones
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's laughing in his grave
Your uncle kicked to death but we couldn't quite see him
This is the land of the free
Your face is on Big Brother it belongs to me
Plug in your iPod and sing along with me
I saw your daughter gang-fucked on MTV
It's the middle of the night and not a policeman in sight
Get your knives out baby, come on let's fight
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's lying in his grave
Identikit market shit, every place is full of it
The supermarket's stocking it, the government is flogging it
You can't help but buy it, go on try it
There's no sense in anyone trying to deny it
There's no doors on this car, you can't get out
No winders on the windows noone'll hear you shout
No matter how many times you've gone up the water spout
The rain'll come along and wash you out
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's molding in his grave
In this land filled with hate
The shopping centers open late
And everyone's working on the cheap
Listening out for that cell phone beep
I ain't no child of the Thatcher generation
That uptight bitch was our ruination
I ain't got time for the thoughts of Marx
This is where the revolution starts
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's spinning in his grave
Every little house has got two TVs
Watching starving children on the BBC
And mummy's working late she's got two jobs
And her little darling's turning into a foul-mouthed yob
Sitting on the tube wearing dizzy headphones
No matter where you turn to you'll never be alone
In every supermarket, you'll hear the musak drone
The Top of the Pops for you disco clones
Cool Britannia, Jesus saves
Rupert Murdoch rules the waves
Richard Branson doesn't shave
And Joe Strummer's laughing in his grave
Lyrics submitted by lesoldatperdu
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