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.
Over the mountain Down in the valley
Lives a former talk-show host
Everybody knows his name
He says there's no doubt about it
It was the myth of fingerprints
I've seen them all and man
They're all the same
Well, the sun gets weary
And the sun goes down
Ever since the watermelon
And the lights come up
On the black pit town
Somebody says what's a better thing to do
Well, it's not just me
And it's not just you
This is all around the world
Out in the Indian Ocean somewhere
There's a former army post
Abandoned now just like the war
And there's no doubt about it
It was the myth of fingerprints
That's what that old army post was for
Well, the sun gets bloody
And the sun goes down
Ever since the watermelon
And the lights come up
On the black pit town
Somebody says what's a better thing to do
Well, it's not just me
And it's not just you
This is all around the world
Over the mountain Down in the valley
Lives the former talk-show host
Far and wide his name was known
He said there's no doubt about it
It was the myth of fingerprints
That's why we must learn to live alone
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
All around the world
All around the world
Lives a former talk-show host
Everybody knows his name
He says there's no doubt about it
It was the myth of fingerprints
I've seen them all and man
They're all the same
Well, the sun gets weary
And the sun goes down
Ever since the watermelon
And the lights come up
On the black pit town
Somebody says what's a better thing to do
Well, it's not just me
And it's not just you
This is all around the world
Out in the Indian Ocean somewhere
There's a former army post
Abandoned now just like the war
And there's no doubt about it
It was the myth of fingerprints
That's what that old army post was for
Well, the sun gets bloody
And the sun goes down
Ever since the watermelon
And the lights come up
On the black pit town
Somebody says what's a better thing to do
Well, it's not just me
And it's not just you
This is all around the world
Over the mountain Down in the valley
Lives the former talk-show host
Far and wide his name was known
He said there's no doubt about it
It was the myth of fingerprints
That's why we must learn to live alone
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
Uh uh uh
All around the world
All around the world
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I feel you guys are right in a sense that everything is based on judging people and ranking them. The myth of fingerprints is a statement saying that fingerprints were all the same in the beginning, but the discover that no two are alike has created a separation of people based on race, creed, religion and who you are. This is obviously a song about how people now-a-days think that they are better than someone else just based on "our" standards. Paul Simon wrote this after his visit to Africa and his experience over there made him most likely realize that they are all suffering and that the myth of fingerprints doesn't exist anymore because many people turn their heads and feel that they are better than the Africans in need and that it is a separate issue that only the people over there should handle. Atleast thats how I feel... I may be wrong in som parts but then again I have also been drinking pretty hard while listening to this song, found the website and thought it was amazing so I decided to comment on how I feel. However, I believe Paul Simon is one of the greatest artists of all time. Anybody disagree?