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.
I'm bored out of my mind
Too sick to even care
I'll take a little walk
Nobody's going to know
I'm in Senior Ward
That gives you a little free time
I'll just use it all at once
Took the fence and a lane
The bus then the train
Bought an Independent to make me look like
I got brains
I made a story up in my head
If anybody would ask
I'm going to a seminar
I'm a genius
I'm a prodigy
A demon at maths and science
I'm up for a prize
If you gotta grow up some time
You have to do it on your own
I don't think I could stand to be stuck
That's the way that things were going
The Bible's my tool
There's no mention of school
My Damascene Rose
A transistor radio
I tune in at night
When my mum and my dad start to fight
I put on my headphones
And I tune out
I am devout
The girls are singing about my life
But they're not here they've got the wild life
If you want to find out, find out
You've got to look them in the eye
That's why my only choice
Is find the face behind the voice
Too sick to even care
I'll take a little walk
Nobody's going to know
I'm in Senior Ward
That gives you a little free time
I'll just use it all at once
Took the fence and a lane
The bus then the train
Bought an Independent to make me look like
I got brains
I made a story up in my head
If anybody would ask
I'm going to a seminar
I'm a genius
I'm a prodigy
A demon at maths and science
I'm up for a prize
If you gotta grow up some time
You have to do it on your own
I don't think I could stand to be stuck
That's the way that things were going
The Bible's my tool
There's no mention of school
My Damascene Rose
A transistor radio
I tune in at night
When my mum and my dad start to fight
I put on my headphones
And I tune out
I am devout
The girls are singing about my life
But they're not here they've got the wild life
If you want to find out, find out
You've got to look them in the eye
That's why my only choice
Is find the face behind the voice
Lyrics submitted by kattermerrang
Act of the Apostle Lyrics as written by Christopher Geddes Bob Kildea
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Here are the official lyrics:
I'm bored out of my mind Too sick to even care I'll take a little walk Nobody's going to know I'm in senior ward That gives you a little free time I'll just use it all at once!
Took the fence and the lane The bus and the train Bought an 'Independent' To make me look like I got brains I made a story up in my head, If anybody would ask I'm going to a seminar!
I'm a genius A prodigy A demon at Maths and Science I'm up for a prize
If you gotta grow up sometime You have to do it on your own I don't think I could Stand to be stuck That's the way that Things were going
The bible's my tool There's no mention of school! My Damascan Road's A transistor radio I tune in at night when My mum and my dead start to fight I put on my headphones
I tune out (I'm picking up digital) I am devout The girls are singing About my life But they're not here They got the the wild life If you want to find out, find out You've got to look them in the eye That's why my only choice Is find the face behind the voice...
This is Catherine Ireton singing a truncated version of 'Act of the Apostle Part II', & she does a marvellous job. It starts off spare but then gets lavish, like a big musical number. I very much admire Ireton's diction; she has her own brand of intelligence & humour.
I was nervous when I heard Stuart Murdoch was hiring a bunch of girls to sing his songs, some of which were on previously released Belle&Sebastian albums. But I ended up being delighted!