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.
Well I rode the green across this country.
Horses lived and died to take me.
Men I killed to help me get there, further West I died to
Take me.
Blackened face and dirty laundry.
Many days since
I have eaten.
Found myself a family.
Broke my back
So I could feed them.
[Chorus]
High in the wind.
Standing in the sun.
We're going to raise up the heavens.
With a shovel and a gun.
I was so much younger then.
I would never ever listen.
I am so much older now.
I thought that things would
End up different.
Farewell, lover in green.
Elizabeth she is my lady.
Says the prayers and
Does the learning.
Waking up all the children.
Making love in the early morning.
We took to building up the cities.
we built the churches
In our cities.
Happy in the green country.
In the green
They buried me.
[Chorus]
Well I'm dead now.
My wife Elizabeth is at my side.
I've got children all around me.
I've got grandchildren.
I've got great grandchildren.
I've got great great great great grandchildren.
Too many for me to remember.
Maybe one of them is you
Horses lived and died to take me.
Men I killed to help me get there, further West I died to
Take me.
Blackened face and dirty laundry.
Many days since
I have eaten.
Found myself a family.
Broke my back
So I could feed them.
[Chorus]
High in the wind.
Standing in the sun.
We're going to raise up the heavens.
With a shovel and a gun.
I was so much younger then.
I would never ever listen.
I am so much older now.
I thought that things would
End up different.
Farewell, lover in green.
Elizabeth she is my lady.
Says the prayers and
Does the learning.
Waking up all the children.
Making love in the early morning.
We took to building up the cities.
we built the churches
In our cities.
Happy in the green country.
In the green
They buried me.
[Chorus]
Well I'm dead now.
My wife Elizabeth is at my side.
I've got children all around me.
I've got grandchildren.
I've got great grandchildren.
I've got great great great great grandchildren.
Too many for me to remember.
Maybe one of them is you
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Monument in Green Lyrics as written by Todd Park Mohr
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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One of may favorites by this band. The song is beautiful and feels so personal, especially where he goes into narrative of the dead subject speaking about his generations of offspring and says "maybe one of them is you". I feel a kinship to the people of the U.S. when I hear that, part of a bigger whole.