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.
I remember when baseball was everything
It was Little League, what a big game
There were two men on and one man out
I got a fastball hangin' outside
I swung that bat with all my might
And ball was gone
They say I knocked the cover off
Was the only homer that I ever had
Should've seen my dad
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
As long as I'm holdin' on
Heaven wouldn't ask it of me
Devil on a good day ain't that strong
Well, I'm keepin' it here inside of me
As long as I live and breathe
The ball was soarin' and the crowd was roarin'
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
I was nineteen, it was a good job
Movin' TV's on a loading dock
'Til the boss said, "Son
Try to lose every seventh one"
"I got it worked out with a good friend
Keep your mouth shut and we'll cut you in
Now what do you say?"
"Don't you want to be rich one day?"
I lost a real good job that night
But I kept my pride
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
As long as I'm holdin' on
Heaven wouldn't ask it of me
The Devil on a good day ain't that strong
Well, I'm keepin' it here inside of me
As long as I live and breathe
I said goodbye with my head held high
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
And sometimes it feels like
My best years are behind me
Then somehow, out of nowhere
Something sneaks up to remind me
Like this mornin', I woke up to a little voice that spoke up
Sayin', "Daddy, please, fix a bowl of Rice Krispies
You're the bestest friend that I ever had
Oh, I love you, Dad"
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
As long as I'm holdin' on
Heaven wouldn't ask it of me
The Devil on a good day ain't that strong
Well, I'm keepin' it here inside me
As long as I live and breathe
I got more than I ever asked for
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
Nobody
It was Little League, what a big game
There were two men on and one man out
I got a fastball hangin' outside
I swung that bat with all my might
And ball was gone
They say I knocked the cover off
Was the only homer that I ever had
Should've seen my dad
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
As long as I'm holdin' on
Heaven wouldn't ask it of me
Devil on a good day ain't that strong
Well, I'm keepin' it here inside of me
As long as I live and breathe
The ball was soarin' and the crowd was roarin'
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
I was nineteen, it was a good job
Movin' TV's on a loading dock
'Til the boss said, "Son
Try to lose every seventh one"
"I got it worked out with a good friend
Keep your mouth shut and we'll cut you in
Now what do you say?"
"Don't you want to be rich one day?"
I lost a real good job that night
But I kept my pride
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
As long as I'm holdin' on
Heaven wouldn't ask it of me
The Devil on a good day ain't that strong
Well, I'm keepin' it here inside of me
As long as I live and breathe
I said goodbye with my head held high
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
And sometimes it feels like
My best years are behind me
Then somehow, out of nowhere
Something sneaks up to remind me
Like this mornin', I woke up to a little voice that spoke up
Sayin', "Daddy, please, fix a bowl of Rice Krispies
You're the bestest friend that I ever had
Oh, I love you, Dad"
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
As long as I'm holdin' on
Heaven wouldn't ask it of me
The Devil on a good day ain't that strong
Well, I'm keepin' it here inside me
As long as I live and breathe
I got more than I ever asked for
And there ain't nobody gonna take that from me
Nobody
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Ain't Nobody Gonna Take That from Me Lyrics as written by Melvern Rivers Ii Rutherford Kathleen Ann Wright
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.