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.
It's wearing on my mind
I'm speaking all my doubts aloud
You rob a dead man's grave
Then flaunt it like you did create
If I hit bottom and everything's gone
In the great Mississippi, please drown me and run
It's digging time again
You're nurturing the weakest trend
Those with the heart and the brain to get past this
Can spot a pathetic without even asking
Fuck your magazine, and fuck the long dead plastic scene
Pierce a new hole
If hell was "in" you'd give your soul
The great southern trendkill
That's right
The great southern trendkill
Buy it at a store, from MTV to on the floor
You look just like a star
It's proof you don't know who you are
If I hit bottom and everything's gone
In the great Mississippi, please drown me and run
It's posting time again
You'll see the world within your trend
Those with the heart and the brain to get past this
Can spot a pathetic without even asking
Politically relieved, you're product sold and well received
The right words spoken gold, if I was god you'd sell your soul to
The great southern trendkill
That's right
The great southern trendkill, yeah
I'm speaking all my doubts aloud
You rob a dead man's grave
Then flaunt it like you did create
If I hit bottom and everything's gone
In the great Mississippi, please drown me and run
It's digging time again
You're nurturing the weakest trend
Those with the heart and the brain to get past this
Can spot a pathetic without even asking
Fuck your magazine, and fuck the long dead plastic scene
Pierce a new hole
If hell was "in" you'd give your soul
The great southern trendkill
That's right
The great southern trendkill
Buy it at a store, from MTV to on the floor
You look just like a star
It's proof you don't know who you are
If I hit bottom and everything's gone
In the great Mississippi, please drown me and run
It's posting time again
You'll see the world within your trend
Those with the heart and the brain to get past this
Can spot a pathetic without even asking
Politically relieved, you're product sold and well received
The right words spoken gold, if I was god you'd sell your soul to
The great southern trendkill
That's right
The great southern trendkill, yeah
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Eh? That doesn't really make sense - so you are basically saying I can't love Pantera and that I'm a hypocrite for loving Pantera because Pantera said so?
Phil's always maintained that he keeps things real and won't give in to trends etc, but that's not the reasons I love Pantera - the reason I love Pantera is that everything about the albums they produced was just pure metal and I can listen to every song and drum beat - and Phil's got an amazing vocal style
There was no following of trends - that's the whole point of this song, bashing the trends that some bands follow. I don't follow a trend here I just love this band...
What you've basically said is a load of rubbish - this whole album is just Pantera writing the music they wanted to write.
Yes, the last lyric is 'If I was God you'd sell your soul' - the point is Phil is NOT God - but well done for trying to analyse me and not the song...