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.
Yeah!
She says his power is what's happening
Well I'll be sure to be respecting nothing's stopping him
And to move up for him about crushing them
And I'll kick you plain and simple it's a sin man
Leave it to the coroner to detect this
And I'm sure the U.S.A. to wreck this
He drives a tricked out tricked out tricked out Lexus
And he looks at the city says I can take this
It's high into a corner where the one leads
Well it's so fucking high that your nose bleeds
They watch you break the nose out of respect
You broke the nose that is correct
The gates of hell are they closing in
The victim's family going condemn him
He said, "Ah don't trust them"
Yeah he'll show them
The sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Violence, wealth and knowledge
Cash, culture and violence
Oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction
Cash, culture and violence
It's the sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Poisoned like a rat who drank some strychnine gin
How many men can say they been allow this to happen
Bureaucratic military federation
Living dead will need to rise again
The delicate skipped it heard the rumble
And the legions that are timid lord they crumble
And consequently nothing but a concrete jungle
And lord I wonder
The sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Violence, wealth and knowledge
Cash, culture and violence
Oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction
Cash, culture and violence
It's the sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Nickels, diamonds, can't be found
There's no one, nothing, come straight down
Psychosomatic, come straight down,
You stopped cold from your nervous breakdown
Yeah!!!
The sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Violence, wealth and knowledge
Cash, culture and violence
Oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction
Cash, culture and violence
It's the sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
(Cash!!!... Culture!!! Violence!!!)
She says his power is what's happening
Well I'll be sure to be respecting nothing's stopping him
And to move up for him about crushing them
And I'll kick you plain and simple it's a sin man
Leave it to the coroner to detect this
And I'm sure the U.S.A. to wreck this
He drives a tricked out tricked out tricked out Lexus
And he looks at the city says I can take this
It's high into a corner where the one leads
Well it's so fucking high that your nose bleeds
They watch you break the nose out of respect
You broke the nose that is correct
The gates of hell are they closing in
The victim's family going condemn him
He said, "Ah don't trust them"
Yeah he'll show them
The sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Violence, wealth and knowledge
Cash, culture and violence
Oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction
Cash, culture and violence
It's the sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Poisoned like a rat who drank some strychnine gin
How many men can say they been allow this to happen
Bureaucratic military federation
Living dead will need to rise again
The delicate skipped it heard the rumble
And the legions that are timid lord they crumble
And consequently nothing but a concrete jungle
And lord I wonder
The sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Violence, wealth and knowledge
Cash, culture and violence
Oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction
Cash, culture and violence
It's the sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Nickels, diamonds, can't be found
There's no one, nothing, come straight down
Psychosomatic, come straight down,
You stopped cold from your nervous breakdown
Yeah!!!
The sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
Violence, wealth and knowledge
Cash, culture and violence
Oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction
Cash, culture and violence
It's the sword, the jewel, imagination
Cash, culture and violence
(Cash!!!... Culture!!! Violence!!!)
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ok here are the real lyrics:- She says his power is whats happening well i'll sure to be respecting nothings stopping him and to move up for him about crushing them and i'll kick you plain and simple it's a sin man leave it to the coroner to detect this and i'm sure the U.S.A to wreck this he drives a tricked out tricked out tricked out lexus and he looks at the city and says I can take this It's high into a corner where the one leads well it's so fucking high that your nose bleeds they watch you break the nose out of respect you broke the nose that is correct
the gates of hell are they closing in the victims family going 'condem him' he said'ah don't trust them' yeah he'll show them
the sword the jeel imagination cash culture and violence voilence wealth and knowledge cash culture and violence oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction cash culture and violence it's the sword the jewel imagination cash culture and violence
piosoned like a rat who drank some strychine gin how many men can say they been allow this to happen bureaucratic millitary federation living dead will need to rise again
the delicate skipped heard the crumble and the legions that are timid lord they crumble consequently nothin but a concrete jungle and lord , I wonder
the sword the jewel imagination cash culture and violence violence wealth and knowledge cash culture and violence oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction cash culture and violence the sword the jewel imagination cash culture and violence
nickels diamonds can't be found there's no one nothing come straight down Psychosomatic come straight down you stopped cold from your nervous break down
yeah!!!!
the sword the jewel imagination cash culture and violence violence wealth and knowledge cash culture and violence oh you're riding and you're riding on the wings of destruction cash culture and violence
(cash!!!....Culture!! violence!!)
Minor corrections:
Instead of "how many men can say they been allow this to happen" it's "how many men can say they've been as low as you have been"
and
instead of "the delicate skipped heard the crumble" it's "the delicate skeptic heard the rumble"
It's more clear if you listen to the bass drop mix.
Sounds like the lead singer of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones sings in the song.
scrip8, you could not be more wrong....
Bosstones lead, sounds nothing like Tim
Actually ThE VANDAL, Scrip8 is right, the Bosstones singer does appear on this song, he sings the title line after the chorus, Tim sings the rest of it.
Better get your fucking facts right before you tell people they are wrong.
I don't know, it makes no sense.
success is power, here's what's happening without pursuit to be respected, nothing's stopping him and the motive of him is about crushing them and i'll kick it plain and simple, it's a sin ma'n leave it to the coroner to detect this, yes and assure the usa to wreck this he drives a tricked out tricked out lexus and as he looks at the city says i can take this
a desire to aquire what everyone needs but i get so fucking high that your nose bleeds and i watch you breaking a those out of respect and you broke their nose and it cracked oh the gates of hell are closing in, and and the victims family is gonna condem him and they said 'no, don't trust him' and he said 'yeah, i'll show them all cash, culture and violence
violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and you're running and you're running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
legal standing can't be found it's the one that they call a shakedown psycho-simatic coming down and you stop cold from your nervous break-down you were poisoned like a rat who drank some strychnine gin how many men can say that have been where you have been? you were the living dead only to rise again bueracratic miltary federation and the delicate skeptics heard the rumble and the legions of attendance lord they crummble and they can't see really nothing but a concrete jungle
cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and you're running and you're running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
i listened to the bass drop remix. this is what i think the lyric are. dicky from the mighty bosstones sings on the album version, not on the mix version.
success is power, here's what's happening without pursuit to be respected, nothing's stopping him and the motive of him is about crushing them and i'll kick it plain and simple, it's a sin ma'n leave it to the coroner to detect this, yes and assure the usa will wreck this he drives a tricked out tricked out tricked out lexus and as he looks at the city says i can take this
a desire to acquire what everyone needs but i get so fucking high that your nose bleeds and i watch you breaking those out of respect and you broke their nose and it cracked oh the gates of hell are their closing in, and and the victims family is gonna condemn him and they said 'no, don't trust him' and he said 'yeah, i'll show them all
cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and they’re running and they’re running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
legal standing can't be found it's the one that they call a shakedown psycho-simatic coming down and you stop cold from your nervous break-down
you were poisoned like a rat who drank some strychnine gin how many men can say that have been where you have been? you were the living dead only to rise again beurocratic military federation and the delicate skeptics heard the rumble and the legions of attendance lord they crummble and they can't see really nothing but a concrete jungle and lord, - I wonder
cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and they’re running and you're running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
yeah it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and they’re running and you're running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
revised
success is power, here's what's happening without pursuit to be respected, nothing's stopping him and the motive of him is about crushing them and i'll kick it plain and simple, it's a sin ma'n leave it to the coroner to detect this, yes and assure the usa will wreck this he drives a tricked out tricked out tricked out lexus and as he looks at the city says i can take this
a desire to acquire what everyone needs but i get so fucking high that your nose bleeds and i watch you breaking those out of respect and you broke their nose that is correct oh the gates of hell are their closing in, and and the victims family is gonna condemn him and they said 'no, don't trust him' and he said 'yeah, i'll show them all
cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and they’re running and they’re running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
legal standing can't be found it's the one that they call a shakedown psycho-simatic coming down and you stop cold from your nervous break-down
you were poisoned like a rat who drank some strychnine gin how many men can say that have been where you have been? you were the living dead only to rise again beurocratic military federation and the delicate skeptics heard the rumble and the legions of attendance lord they crummble and they can't see really nothing but a concrete jungle and lord, - I wonder
cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and they’re running and you're running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
yeah it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence violence, wealth and knowledge cash, culture and violence and they’re running and you're running all the way to respect ya cash, culture and violence it's the sword the jewel the imagination cash, culture and violence
revised 2