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.
Miss Mary Mac, Mac, Mac
All dressed in black, black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back
She asked her mom (Mother), mom (Mother), mom (Mother)
For 15 cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
They jumped the fence, fence, fence
They jumped so high, high, high
They reached the sky, sky, sky
And never came back, back, back
'Til the 4th of July, lie, LIAR!
I'm sorry that I'm getting chubby
And I cannot always be happy for you
And I am not some lame sorority queen
Taking you home to meet my daddy
You collect your trust funds baby
And I'll be a whore
And we'll pretend we're just the same but
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know that I
I am hiding
The you I show to you is just a lie
You take what you want
You get what you take
You take what you want
You get what you take
But I've got something, man
That your fucking money cannot buy
You never know, never know, never know what
You never know, never know, never know what
You wanna take it but you can't have it
You don't know what it's like to be alive
(All dressed in black, black, black)
(With silver buttons, buttons, buttons)
(All down her back, back, back)
She asked her mother, mother mother
I could scream the truth if I wanted (For 15 cents, cents, cents)
Right through your lies
But your baseball bat wounds, razormouth (To see the elephants, elephants, elephants)
Carve your initials bloody in my thighs (They jumped so high, high, high)
Alright
See I knew it that time
You knew what the whole time?
What, they're laughing at us, God
I know, we're having fun
All dressed in black, black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back
She asked her mom (Mother), mom (Mother), mom (Mother)
For 15 cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
They jumped the fence, fence, fence
They jumped so high, high, high
They reached the sky, sky, sky
And never came back, back, back
'Til the 4th of July, lie, LIAR!
I'm sorry that I'm getting chubby
And I cannot always be happy for you
And I am not some lame sorority queen
Taking you home to meet my daddy
You collect your trust funds baby
And I'll be a whore
And we'll pretend we're just the same but
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know that I
I am hiding
The you I show to you is just a lie
You take what you want
You get what you take
You take what you want
You get what you take
But I've got something, man
That your fucking money cannot buy
You never know, never know, never know what
You never know, never know, never know what
You wanna take it but you can't have it
You don't know what it's like to be alive
(All dressed in black, black, black)
(With silver buttons, buttons, buttons)
(All down her back, back, back)
She asked her mother, mother mother
I could scream the truth if I wanted (For 15 cents, cents, cents)
Right through your lies
But your baseball bat wounds, razormouth (To see the elephants, elephants, elephants)
Carve your initials bloody in my thighs (They jumped so high, high, high)
Alright
See I knew it that time
You knew what the whole time?
What, they're laughing at us, God
I know, we're having fun
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this isnt le tigre its bikini kill! & joan jett in the beginning