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.
Lord,
Show me a sign
That you're still there
That you still care
That you're still with me
That you still know me
Before I resign
Show me a sign
I can't laugh
I can't weep
Five nights in a row now
Not a second of sleep
Is there something
You want me to know
Well I wish you'd tell me what
Give me some kind of show
How 'bout a meteor
Or a shooting star
Or even a drunk
Getting thrown out of the bar
I'm getting impatient
And hope is expensive
And I'm running low on
Everything these days
The waters are rising
And the world is on fire
We're all just gasoline
For the funeral pyre
In the palace is morons
In the hospitals ghouls
Murderers in the towns
Rats in the schools
Armies of zombies
And the generals fishing
And baby Jesus
On a suicide mission
And little Mohammed
Lifeless and brown
And drowning faceless scarecrows
Wearing the crown
Ten thousand whistlers
Off-track and off-tune
Sixteen drummers
Wearing some kind of rune
Some kind of amulet
Some pre-Christian cross
And one man's lucky roll
Is another man's loss
Lord, you should have been there
Last Saturday night
I broke a couple barstools
And I broke up a fight
I broke three fingers
They looked kind of Egyptian
And the doctor wouldn't see me
Without a "prescription"
If this is how
It's all gonna go
I might as well pile up
Frequent flier miles and lay low
I might as well buy up
Some spiritual trinkets
Line the walls with paint
And start to drink it
It's hard to believe
It's goin' down so fast
When Einstein died
He thought you built it to last
But they threw him in a hole
And they stole his brain
And three days later
It washed up again in the rain
Lord, I'll make you a bargain
I'll cut you a deal
They can cut off my eyelids
And I won't squeal
I won't spill your secrets
My soul's locked tight
Just please let me
Get a little sleep tonight
Fifty thousand horses
Ten thousand sheep
I'd trade 'em all
For just a second of sleep
The kind with dreams though
You gotta have dreams
I've heard about what happens
At the other extreme
Yeah without them dreams
You go insane
It's like having mayonnaise
Shot into your brain
But maybe I'm the exception
Every dog has its day
Maybe I'm a brand new species
What do you say
So look out the window
Might be something out there
Maybe something to read
Here's a Vanity Fair
Winter is coming
That's a relief
And I'm willing to go on faith
But I'm past belief
Show me a sign
That you're still there
That you still care
That you're still with me
That you still know me
Before I resign
Show me a sign
I can't laugh
I can't weep
Five nights in a row now
Not a second of sleep
Is there something
You want me to know
Well I wish you'd tell me what
Give me some kind of show
How 'bout a meteor
Or a shooting star
Or even a drunk
Getting thrown out of the bar
I'm getting impatient
And hope is expensive
And I'm running low on
Everything these days
The waters are rising
And the world is on fire
We're all just gasoline
For the funeral pyre
In the palace is morons
In the hospitals ghouls
Murderers in the towns
Rats in the schools
Armies of zombies
And the generals fishing
And baby Jesus
On a suicide mission
And little Mohammed
Lifeless and brown
And drowning faceless scarecrows
Wearing the crown
Ten thousand whistlers
Off-track and off-tune
Sixteen drummers
Wearing some kind of rune
Some kind of amulet
Some pre-Christian cross
And one man's lucky roll
Is another man's loss
Lord, you should have been there
Last Saturday night
I broke a couple barstools
And I broke up a fight
I broke three fingers
They looked kind of Egyptian
And the doctor wouldn't see me
Without a "prescription"
If this is how
It's all gonna go
I might as well pile up
Frequent flier miles and lay low
I might as well buy up
Some spiritual trinkets
Line the walls with paint
And start to drink it
It's hard to believe
It's goin' down so fast
When Einstein died
He thought you built it to last
But they threw him in a hole
And they stole his brain
And three days later
It washed up again in the rain
Lord, I'll make you a bargain
I'll cut you a deal
They can cut off my eyelids
And I won't squeal
I won't spill your secrets
My soul's locked tight
Just please let me
Get a little sleep tonight
Fifty thousand horses
Ten thousand sheep
I'd trade 'em all
For just a second of sleep
The kind with dreams though
You gotta have dreams
I've heard about what happens
At the other extreme
Yeah without them dreams
You go insane
It's like having mayonnaise
Shot into your brain
But maybe I'm the exception
Every dog has its day
Maybe I'm a brand new species
What do you say
So look out the window
Might be something out there
Maybe something to read
Here's a Vanity Fair
Winter is coming
That's a relief
And I'm willing to go on faith
But I'm past belief
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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