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.
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah
Lyin' in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said
Oh, you come from a land down under? (Ooh, yeah, yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover ('cause we are)
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
(Can't you hear thunder) can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? (Ooh yeah)
Better run, you better take cover (we are)
Living in a land down under (ooh yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
Better run, you better take cover
Living in a land down under (living in a land down under)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah
Lyin' in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said
Oh, you come from a land down under? (Ooh, yeah, yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover ('cause we are)
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
(Can't you hear thunder) can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? (Ooh yeah)
Better run, you better take cover (we are)
Living in a land down under (ooh yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
Better run, you better take cover
Living in a land down under (living in a land down under)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
Lyrics submitted by Music-Guy!
Down Under Lyrics as written by Ronald Graham Strykert Colin James Hay
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is what i really have a huge appreciation of this site for.
You see, for the longest time I thought the line was "then she gave me a bite of my sandwich"
Which made absolutely no sense to me.
then I come to this site to learn the lyrics to sing the song properly, then I come to find out that I misheard it and the line is "then she gave me a Vegemite sandwich".
To which I went arrrrrrgh.
So has anybody else hear "then she gave me a bite of my sandwich" or is it just me?
@Clocker the actual line is "He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich", so keep mishearing those lyrics mate! Lol