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.
Picked up a Holy Bible and it burned my hands
Tonight all the dead in the cemetery will dance
The witch is on the broom stick, she put me in the mix
Now it's time to teach an old dog new tricks
You can't learn, so I burn your Holy Bible
Let's take a trip into my mind I'm suicidal
I'll get'cha locked inside my brain cell
And turn the world upside-down and make it rain hell
I know you can't see, I'm not your G-O-D
I got my soul on wax, I spin it back as I melt wax
The unwritten, rhymes forbidden, but still hittin'
The you-N-H-O-L-why and I ain't bullshittin'
Pray all night and day, my soul might be saved
I make dead bodies roll over their graves
I drop one, drop two, and then 3, 4
After that I'll scream God I can't wait for more
WAKE THE DEAD
Wakin' up D-E-A-D bodies around me
And I'm from motherfuckin' motown G
Blood stains all in the river 'cause I'm slittin' throats
Bodies chokin' and croakin' when I hit a note
Rotten, gone but not forgotten
Breathe your last breath 'cause the rhyme was death
So yes y'all, get off the wall for the psycho
Alfadiscobeta vinyl
Aquadoodoo, rock my voodoo
I'm kinda wicked when I kick it thought you knew
I get funky in the joint, but what's the point
Esham and I'm from D motherfuckin' troit
Back up off me I'm black like coffee
I rock for the suicidalists not the softees
Up and at 'em, I'm runnin' at 'em I got 'em scared
Now watch the devil get loose as I wake the dead
WAKE THE DEAD
I never fall back, I'm not a new jack
I get to sayin' wicked shit and get a flashback
I gotta unholy mind brain, money dollar insane poetry
To all the people that knowin' me
Some say I'm crazy for kickin' my looney tunes
When I drop bass, my shit goes boom
Never ever fake shit, on stage I break shit
And when I'm rockin' it you know it's the shit
I'm never stuck up so shut the fuck up
'Cause talkin' some shit about me will run your luck up
Headbangers bang your head to wake the dead
The red rum or is the rum red
From a black man, killa rap man
I'm not the caped crusaed named Batman
I like it louder, I'll make it prouder
I'll make your system blow up like gun powder
Yes yes y'all, that's what I'm sayin'
All the headbangers bang your head to wake the dead
WAKE THE DEAD
Tonight all the dead in the cemetery will dance
The witch is on the broom stick, she put me in the mix
Now it's time to teach an old dog new tricks
You can't learn, so I burn your Holy Bible
Let's take a trip into my mind I'm suicidal
I'll get'cha locked inside my brain cell
And turn the world upside-down and make it rain hell
I know you can't see, I'm not your G-O-D
I got my soul on wax, I spin it back as I melt wax
The unwritten, rhymes forbidden, but still hittin'
The you-N-H-O-L-why and I ain't bullshittin'
Pray all night and day, my soul might be saved
I make dead bodies roll over their graves
I drop one, drop two, and then 3, 4
After that I'll scream God I can't wait for more
WAKE THE DEAD
Wakin' up D-E-A-D bodies around me
And I'm from motherfuckin' motown G
Blood stains all in the river 'cause I'm slittin' throats
Bodies chokin' and croakin' when I hit a note
Rotten, gone but not forgotten
Breathe your last breath 'cause the rhyme was death
So yes y'all, get off the wall for the psycho
Alfadiscobeta vinyl
Aquadoodoo, rock my voodoo
I'm kinda wicked when I kick it thought you knew
I get funky in the joint, but what's the point
Esham and I'm from D motherfuckin' troit
Back up off me I'm black like coffee
I rock for the suicidalists not the softees
Up and at 'em, I'm runnin' at 'em I got 'em scared
Now watch the devil get loose as I wake the dead
WAKE THE DEAD
I never fall back, I'm not a new jack
I get to sayin' wicked shit and get a flashback
I gotta unholy mind brain, money dollar insane poetry
To all the people that knowin' me
Some say I'm crazy for kickin' my looney tunes
When I drop bass, my shit goes boom
Never ever fake shit, on stage I break shit
And when I'm rockin' it you know it's the shit
I'm never stuck up so shut the fuck up
'Cause talkin' some shit about me will run your luck up
Headbangers bang your head to wake the dead
The red rum or is the rum red
From a black man, killa rap man
I'm not the caped crusaed named Batman
I like it louder, I'll make it prouder
I'll make your system blow up like gun powder
Yes yes y'all, that's what I'm sayin'
All the headbangers bang your head to wake the dead
WAKE THE DEAD
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Wake the Dead Lyrics as written by Quinn Allman Jeph Howard
Lyrics © THE BEST MUSIC COMPANY
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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