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.
Far away from any road
Froze my heart in solitude
Where your passerby can see
Our life's highway guard within
Knowing when our last does fail
Thy compassion shall prevail
Father with thee, let me be
On life's highway, God with thee
We need vices
We need vices
Where's all my hope and my marriage license? (Where's my hay?)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
We need vices at fifteen thousand degrees
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground
And jumped
Our good Creator (oh no)
The dog in the manger
Where is my shrink and my mind's eraser? (we sing a sad song)
That forest burned (do you see smoke?)
That forest burned (a halo)
That forest burned
We need ten years on rewind so we can return
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground
And jumped
We need vices
We need vices
We have neither the plans nor disguises
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
We need vices and wheels to the funeral gate
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground
And jumped
Froze my heart in solitude
Where your passerby can see
Our life's highway guard within
Knowing when our last does fail
Thy compassion shall prevail
Father with thee, let me be
On life's highway, God with thee
We need vices
We need vices
Where's all my hope and my marriage license? (Where's my hay?)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
We need vices at fifteen thousand degrees
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground
And jumped
Our good Creator (oh no)
The dog in the manger
Where is my shrink and my mind's eraser? (we sing a sad song)
That forest burned (do you see smoke?)
That forest burned (a halo)
That forest burned
We need ten years on rewind so we can return
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground
And jumped
We need vices
We need vices
We have neither the plans nor disguises
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
Those days are dead (forgive me)
We need vices and wheels to the funeral gate
She said goodbye to the ground she said goodbye to the ground
She said goodbye to the ground
And jumped
Lyrics submitted by midkay, edited by robthomson
Vices Lyrics as written by Jesse Lacey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Pretty sure these are spot on. Google the 'Dog in the Manger Fable', really sheds a lot of light on the meaning of this song. Also neatly links in the "fifteen patons of bread" and the "where's my hay" part.
We need vices We need vices Where's all my hope and my marriage license? (Where's my hay?)
Those days are dead (forgive me) Those days are dead (forgive me) Those days are dead (forgive me) We need vices and fifteen patons of bread
She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground And jumped
Our good Creator (oh no) The dog in the manger Where is my shrink and my mind's eraser? (we sing a sad song)
That forest burned (do you see smoke?) That forest burned (a halo) That forest burned We need ten years on rewind so we can return
She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground And jumped
We need vices We need vices We've been needing to brandish our disguises
Those days are dead (forgive me) Those days are dead (forgive me) Those days are dead (forgive me) We need vices and wheels to the funeral gate
She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground She said goodbye to the ground And jumped
Interesting insight. I don't see the patons of bread link in the original story of the dog and the manger, but it sounds way more like that than "fifteen thousand degrees".<br /> It also sounds to me like he says "we need choices, we need vices" the second time he sings it (after the guitar break)