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.
Don't fuck with perfection, this really is a masterpiece
the brainchild of assholes with everything to lose
hell bent on forcing the burden of a religion
that demands if you're fucked, you'll stay fucked forever
try to kill the sound of all your hopes and dreams
it's easy street inside the gears of their machines
yeah, we do what we can to get by
like holding back the urge to walk into traffic and when
the workers' rights start cutting into the profits, what's left
eleven hours days leave you just enough to forget them
it's just a choice between a gun or a bottle, don't know
which one you'll teach for when you punch out tomorrow
so now get busy dying, or get busy forgetting
there's no way to win in a world that you never made
it's reliable failure we've all come to know
at the end of the day misery is all alone
the American dream is just saltpeter and shame
and now we're desperately grabbing a fistful of rain
try to kill the sound of all your hopes and dreams
it's easy street inside the gears of their machines
well we do what we can do
yeah, just do what you can to get by
and stay right where they want you
what's there to hold onto
things that will haunt you
night after night after night
stay right where they want you
you might believe that it's all true
can you ignore what will haunt you
every single night
all our fears just to keep us down
there's nothing here on our side of town
nothing's saved, it's been replaced
now it's buried in the rubble of a world that we never made
the brainchild of assholes with everything to lose
hell bent on forcing the burden of a religion
that demands if you're fucked, you'll stay fucked forever
try to kill the sound of all your hopes and dreams
it's easy street inside the gears of their machines
yeah, we do what we can to get by
like holding back the urge to walk into traffic and when
the workers' rights start cutting into the profits, what's left
eleven hours days leave you just enough to forget them
it's just a choice between a gun or a bottle, don't know
which one you'll teach for when you punch out tomorrow
so now get busy dying, or get busy forgetting
there's no way to win in a world that you never made
it's reliable failure we've all come to know
at the end of the day misery is all alone
the American dream is just saltpeter and shame
and now we're desperately grabbing a fistful of rain
try to kill the sound of all your hopes and dreams
it's easy street inside the gears of their machines
well we do what we can do
yeah, just do what you can to get by
and stay right where they want you
what's there to hold onto
things that will haunt you
night after night after night
stay right where they want you
you might believe that it's all true
can you ignore what will haunt you
every single night
all our fears just to keep us down
there's nothing here on our side of town
nothing's saved, it's been replaced
now it's buried in the rubble of a world that we never made
Lyrics submitted by aristuma21
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