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.
May the Lord have mercy on my soul
Forgive me for my fetishes, my purchases, my clothes
Allow me to catch my rhythm so the nervousness just goes
That's why I sound so certain in my verses and my flows
The verbiage just gets merciless the wordsmithness just rolls
I've tuned into my pertinence, my purposes, my goals
The feeling when you realize you've been working for your foes
And the curtains have just opened and they worthlessness exposed
You remember where you came from, where the purses was stole
There was nothing in the oven and just work up on the stove
And you blossomed from the bottom, yeah, you worked with it and rose
From nothing to a dozen and a gardener that grows
Tell 'em!
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart (That's me)
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart
(Yes sir)
Brave heart
(Yeah I got that) Brave heart
(You know) Brave heart
May the Lord have mercy on my soul
Like shows keep cushion where I land
Keep the devil off my heels
But please keep me on my toes
Like a reposessor checking for everything I drove
Like I owe, but I don't
Paid my dues from the go
Doing donuts in the door, keep my shoes on the floor
Revered by the rich, plus approved by the poor
I guess it's better when they sniff it
(I've been sped up where they sniff it)
And screwed up where they pour
See I flew so way up high
And I scuba'd way down low
Put the top down on my fears
Put the roof up on my woes
I dropped that food and liquor to put you up on my stove
They shoplifted and stole
That just let me know they know
That was Lupe #1 now this version #4
And I still feel like a virgin me versus the globe
From the surface to the cove
I took on the biggest wave
And I surfed it to the shore with no pomade in my fro
Took the wood from the slave ships and furnished my abode
Now that boat is now my bed, desk, dressers and my drawers
Now that's a house of pain!
Plus I use nooses when I hang up all my clothes
Couldn't change up if I chose
That's me
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart (That's me)
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart
(Yes sir)
Brave heart
(Yeah I got that) Brave heart
(You know) Brave heart
May the lord have,
Mercy on my soul
Forgive me for my fetishes, my purchases, my clothes
Allow me to catch my rhythm so the nervousness just goes
That's why I sound so certain in my verses and my flows
The verbiage just gets merciless the wordsmithness just rolls
I've tuned into my pertinence, my purposes, my goals
The feeling when you realize you've been working for your foes
And the curtains have just opened and they worthlessness exposed
You remember where you came from, where the purses was stole
There was nothing in the oven and just work up on the stove
And you blossomed from the bottom, yeah, you worked with it and rose
From nothing to a dozen and a gardener that grows
Tell 'em!
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart (That's me)
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart
(Yes sir)
Brave heart
(Yeah I got that) Brave heart
(You know) Brave heart
May the Lord have mercy on my soul
Like shows keep cushion where I land
Keep the devil off my heels
But please keep me on my toes
Like a reposessor checking for everything I drove
Like I owe, but I don't
Paid my dues from the go
Doing donuts in the door, keep my shoes on the floor
Revered by the rich, plus approved by the poor
I guess it's better when they sniff it
(I've been sped up where they sniff it)
And screwed up where they pour
See I flew so way up high
And I scuba'd way down low
Put the top down on my fears
Put the roof up on my woes
I dropped that food and liquor to put you up on my stove
They shoplifted and stole
That just let me know they know
That was Lupe #1 now this version #4
And I still feel like a virgin me versus the globe
From the surface to the cove
I took on the biggest wave
And I surfed it to the shore with no pomade in my fro
Took the wood from the slave ships and furnished my abode
Now that boat is now my bed, desk, dressers and my drawers
Now that's a house of pain!
Plus I use nooses when I hang up all my clothes
Couldn't change up if I chose
That's me
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart (That's me)
Courage under fire, gave me a brave heart
(Yes sir)
Brave heart
(Yeah I got that) Brave heart
(You know) Brave heart
May the lord have,
Mercy on my soul
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