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.
[Intro. (Electric Guitar)]
Well, I went out for my evenin' stroll
All along the boulevard
It's familiar turf from the hills to the surf
I treat it like my front yard
Well, I right away ran into a girl I know
She said "You gotta come with me tonight
The word is out that the underdog
And the monkey gonna finally fight"
I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
And I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, now I'm not what you'd call a violent man
But the news brought a smile to my face
'Cause the underdog is a friend of mine
I'd just love to see him put that monkey in his place
You may think I'm crazy
The odds are against the dog you understand
This monkey is as strong as a gorilla
He'd stretch a tire like a rubber band
But I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', oh, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Now, he's sneaky and he'll smile on
Right at you pretend to lick your boots
And all the while he'd be thinking
How to rip your soul out by the roots
When we got there my old underdog
He didn't really look too good, no
But his eyes met mine and he said "I'll kick his ass"
I knew right then he would
Oh, been fightin', yeah, I've been fightin', yeah
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', oh, oh, oh, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, now I don't want to bore you
With a bunch of dialog
It's not how much dog is in the fight
It's how much fight is in my dog
And I've been fightin', oh, fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', yeah, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Oh, fightin', oh, fightin', yeah
Fightin' just to stay alive
Fight ... fightin', fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock ... oh, oh ... oh, oh
Fightin', oh, fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', yeah, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, I went out for my evenin' stroll
All along the boulevard
It's familiar turf from the hills to the surf
I treat it like my front yard
Well, I right away ran into a girl I know
She said "You gotta come with me tonight
The word is out that the underdog
And the monkey gonna finally fight"
I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
And I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, now I'm not what you'd call a violent man
But the news brought a smile to my face
'Cause the underdog is a friend of mine
I'd just love to see him put that monkey in his place
You may think I'm crazy
The odds are against the dog you understand
This monkey is as strong as a gorilla
He'd stretch a tire like a rubber band
But I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', oh, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Now, he's sneaky and he'll smile on
Right at you pretend to lick your boots
And all the while he'd be thinking
How to rip your soul out by the roots
When we got there my old underdog
He didn't really look too good, no
But his eyes met mine and he said "I'll kick his ass"
I knew right then he would
Oh, been fightin', yeah, I've been fightin', yeah
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', oh, oh, oh, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, now I don't want to bore you
With a bunch of dialog
It's not how much dog is in the fight
It's how much fight is in my dog
And I've been fightin', oh, fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', yeah, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Oh, fightin', oh, fightin', yeah
Fightin' just to stay alive
Fight ... fightin', fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock ... oh, oh ... oh, oh
Fightin', oh, fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', yeah, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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