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.
The kids are ripping into sugar packets.
Townies taking off their tavern jackets.
I'm in the pews sticking bills in the basket.
Praying that they're cool when I come pick up the package.
Tonight we're gonna have a really good time.
But I want to go to heaven on the day I die.
Going to make like a preemptive strike.
Hit the 5:30 mass early Saturday night.
Ring ring ring goes the telephone.
Tell my little lamb that I'm on my way home.
Stop by the shop and get a bottle to go.
And maybe something stronger if the right guy is on the corner.
Bang bang bang goes the quarter notes.
Saint Theresa told me we should rattle our bones.
Now you're going off to the dial tone.
Some kid started blowing on a saxophone.
Cheerleaders dream of quarterbacks.
Jock Jills go for jumping Jacks.
Goth girls love the vampire bats.
They wanna draw a little blood for their bath.
I don't go much for all that spooky stuff.
I like the lights and uptempo tracks.
You're damn right I believe in love.
Because I've been in love and I've been loved right back.
Bang bang bang goes the backing track.
Some kid is coming around with the magic backpack.
I didn't know that you could dance like that.
I'm gonna have to ask that you take two steps back.
Sing sing sing every song you know.
Blowing out the speakers on your stereo.
You finally stopped talking about that boy back home.
Maybe that's just better.
If you want you can sleep over.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
We're good guys but we can't be good our whole lives.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
Father I have sinned.
And I want to do it all again tonight.
The townies taking off their tavern jackets.
Making guitars out of tennis racquets.
It's been getting so the hardest part is trying to
Talk some sense into our sparkling hearts.
Ring ring ring goes the telephone,
Tell my little lambs I ain't coming home.
Yes yes yes go the majorettes.
They lead the band onto the field with their cigarettes.
Bang bang bang she's a cleaning freak.
She scrubs the surface until it's sparkling.
Neat neat neat until her fingers bleed.
She was giving off blue light on the first night that she came to me.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
We're good guys but we can't be good our whole lives.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
We're good guys but we can't be good our whole lives.
She was giving off blue light on the first night that she came to me.
Father I have sinned and I want to do it all again
Eventually
Townies taking off their tavern jackets.
I'm in the pews sticking bills in the basket.
Praying that they're cool when I come pick up the package.
Tonight we're gonna have a really good time.
But I want to go to heaven on the day I die.
Going to make like a preemptive strike.
Hit the 5:30 mass early Saturday night.
Ring ring ring goes the telephone.
Tell my little lamb that I'm on my way home.
Stop by the shop and get a bottle to go.
And maybe something stronger if the right guy is on the corner.
Bang bang bang goes the quarter notes.
Saint Theresa told me we should rattle our bones.
Now you're going off to the dial tone.
Some kid started blowing on a saxophone.
Cheerleaders dream of quarterbacks.
Jock Jills go for jumping Jacks.
Goth girls love the vampire bats.
They wanna draw a little blood for their bath.
I don't go much for all that spooky stuff.
I like the lights and uptempo tracks.
You're damn right I believe in love.
Because I've been in love and I've been loved right back.
Bang bang bang goes the backing track.
Some kid is coming around with the magic backpack.
I didn't know that you could dance like that.
I'm gonna have to ask that you take two steps back.
Sing sing sing every song you know.
Blowing out the speakers on your stereo.
You finally stopped talking about that boy back home.
Maybe that's just better.
If you want you can sleep over.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
We're good guys but we can't be good our whole lives.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
Father I have sinned.
And I want to do it all again tonight.
The townies taking off their tavern jackets.
Making guitars out of tennis racquets.
It's been getting so the hardest part is trying to
Talk some sense into our sparkling hearts.
Ring ring ring goes the telephone,
Tell my little lambs I ain't coming home.
Yes yes yes go the majorettes.
They lead the band onto the field with their cigarettes.
Bang bang bang she's a cleaning freak.
She scrubs the surface until it's sparkling.
Neat neat neat until her fingers bleed.
She was giving off blue light on the first night that she came to me.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
We're good guys but we can't be good our whole lives.
We're good guys but we can't be good every night.
We're good guys but we can't be good our whole lives.
She was giving off blue light on the first night that she came to me.
Father I have sinned and I want to do it all again
Eventually
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"Kids are ripping into sugar packets Townies wearing ancient starter jackets. I'm in the pew putting bills into the basket Praying that they're cool when I come pick up the package."