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.
You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You might be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you're gonna have to serve somebody
You're gonna have to serve somebody
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody
You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage
Money and drugs at your command and women in a cage
You may be a businessman with some high-degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yeah, you are
You're gonna have to serve somebody
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Might be a state trooper, might be a young Turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
May be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes, you are
You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
You might be a construction worker working on a home
Might be living in a mansion, you might live in a dome
You may own guns and you might even own tanks
You may be somebody's landlord, you may even own banks
Oh, but you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Yeah, you are, gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
And it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
You may be a preacher (hey) with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
May be somebody's mistress or somebody's heir
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yeah (serve somebody)
You gotta serve somebody (serve somebody)
Now, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
May be sleeping on the floor, or sleeping in a king-sized bed
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody), yes, indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
You may call me Terry, you may call me Tilly
You may call me Bobby, or you can call me Willie
May call me R.J., or you may call me Ray
You may call me anything, no matter what you say
You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Yeah, you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
And it might be the devil (it may be the devil)
But it might be the Lord (it may be the Lord)
Oh, you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You might be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you're gonna have to serve somebody
You're gonna have to serve somebody
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody
You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage
Money and drugs at your command and women in a cage
You may be a businessman with some high-degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yeah, you are
You're gonna have to serve somebody
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Might be a state trooper, might be a young Turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
May be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes, you are
You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
You might be a construction worker working on a home
Might be living in a mansion, you might live in a dome
You may own guns and you might even own tanks
You may be somebody's landlord, you may even own banks
Oh, but you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Yeah, you are, gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
And it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
You may be a preacher (hey) with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
May be somebody's mistress or somebody's heir
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yeah (serve somebody)
You gotta serve somebody (serve somebody)
Now, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
May be sleeping on the floor, or sleeping in a king-sized bed
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody), yes, indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
You may call me Terry, you may call me Tilly
You may call me Bobby, or you can call me Willie
May call me R.J., or you may call me Ray
You may call me anything, no matter what you say
You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
Yeah, you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
And it might be the devil (it may be the devil)
But it might be the Lord (it may be the Lord)
Oh, you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
(Serve somebody)
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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Great version of a great song,
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Willie did some re-texting here. Original by Bob Dylan. After the song, there's a hidden track - a funny live performance...