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.
Little Janie, she wakes up from a dream
A gun like a jawbone down the waistband of her jeans, oh yeah
Mr Sandman, he could recite today's lesson in his sleep
He says there oughta be some kind of law against me going down the street yeah
And little Janie pipes up and she says
She says "We're gonna have a real cool time tonight"
Hoo, yeah tonight
Alright
Down the back of Janie's jeans she had the jawbone of an ass
Mr Sandman, he runs around the corner, trying to head her off at the pass
He sticks his head over the fence and he yells something way too fast
It's uh, it's today's lesson, yeah, something about the corruption of the working class and
Little Janie wakes up on the floor and she says
"We're gonna have a real cool time tonight"
Come on
Janie says we're all such a crush of want half-mad with loss
We are violated in our sleep and we weep and we toss and we turn and we burn
We are hypnotised, we are cross-eyed, we are pimped, we are bitched
We are told such monstrous lies
Janie wakes up and she says
She says "We're gonna have a real cool time tonight"
(Real cool time)
Mr Sandman, he has a certain appetite for Janie in repose
He digs her pretty knees and that she is completely naked underneath all her clothes
He likes to congregate around the intersection of Janie's jeans yeah
Mr Sandman the inseminator he opens her up like a love letter and enters her dreams
Little Janie wakes up and she says
She says "We're gonna have a real good time tonight"
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight
We're gonna have a real cool-cool time
Come on, come on, come on, come on
We're gonna have a real cool time
A gun like a jawbone down the waistband of her jeans, oh yeah
Mr Sandman, he could recite today's lesson in his sleep
He says there oughta be some kind of law against me going down the street yeah
And little Janie pipes up and she says
She says "We're gonna have a real cool time tonight"
Hoo, yeah tonight
Alright
Down the back of Janie's jeans she had the jawbone of an ass
Mr Sandman, he runs around the corner, trying to head her off at the pass
He sticks his head over the fence and he yells something way too fast
It's uh, it's today's lesson, yeah, something about the corruption of the working class and
Little Janie wakes up on the floor and she says
"We're gonna have a real cool time tonight"
Come on
Janie says we're all such a crush of want half-mad with loss
We are violated in our sleep and we weep and we toss and we turn and we burn
We are hypnotised, we are cross-eyed, we are pimped, we are bitched
We are told such monstrous lies
Janie wakes up and she says
She says "We're gonna have a real cool time tonight"
(Real cool time)
Mr Sandman, he has a certain appetite for Janie in repose
He digs her pretty knees and that she is completely naked underneath all her clothes
He likes to congregate around the intersection of Janie's jeans yeah
Mr Sandman the inseminator he opens her up like a love letter and enters her dreams
Little Janie wakes up and she says
She says "We're gonna have a real good time tonight"
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight
We're gonna have a real cool-cool time
Come on, come on, come on, come on
We're gonna have a real cool time
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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It seems something sexual, mabey prostitution?