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.
There is a sleeping dog
Under this dialogue
Obedient only to rhyme
But if I could beckon her
If I could find the words
All they would be is lies
Tell me why this failure is making you smile?
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
This failure is making you smile
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
There is a passenger
In every useless word
Can never be twisted or sold
Center of my skin
A body of discipline
Must be a million years old
I've been told you're offering more than you owe
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
You're offering more than you owe
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
Under this dialogue
Obedient only to rhyme
But if I could beckon her
If I could find the words
All they would be is lies
Tell me why this failure is making you smile?
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
This failure is making you smile
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
There is a passenger
In every useless word
Can never be twisted or sold
Center of my skin
A body of discipline
Must be a million years old
I've been told you're offering more than you owe
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
You're offering more than you owe
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
Then off goes the bell ringing through my head
Signifies that all's been said
Off goes the bell ringing through my head
Lyrics submitted by niteflite01, edited by loosegrin
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There's a proverb that says "let sleeping dogs lie", which basically means you shouldn't instigate trouble. The sleeping dog can only be kept asleep through "a dialogue obedient to rhyme", like a song or poem. But the song/poem would, apparently, only contain lies.
That and the chorus makes me think the song is about not being able to write something that awakens anything deeper in you because everything that you could say has already been said.