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.
(Hey!)
Now every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world
Ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl
"Love 'n' hate" tattooed across the knuckles of his hands
Hands that slap his kids around 'cause they don't understand how
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
And every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock 'n' roll
Grabs the mike to tell us he'll die before he's sold
But I believe in this and it's been tested by research
He who fucks nuns will later join the church
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Fear in the gun sights
They say "lie low"
You say "okay"
Don't wanna play a show
No other thinking
Was it death or glory now?
Playing the blues of kings
Sure looks better now
Death or glory, just another story
Death or glory, just another story
In every dingy basement on every dingy street
Every dragging hand clap over every dragging beat
That's just the beat of time, beat that must go on
If you've been trying for years we already heard your song
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory, just another story
Gotta march a long way
Fight a long time
You got to travel over mountains
Got to travel over seas
We gonna fight your brother
We gonna fight 'til you loose
We gonna raise trouble
We gonna raise hell
We gonna fight your brother
Raise hell
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory, just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Now every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world
Ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl
"Love 'n' hate" tattooed across the knuckles of his hands
Hands that slap his kids around 'cause they don't understand how
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
And every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock 'n' roll
Grabs the mike to tell us he'll die before he's sold
But I believe in this and it's been tested by research
He who fucks nuns will later join the church
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Fear in the gun sights
They say "lie low"
You say "okay"
Don't wanna play a show
No other thinking
Was it death or glory now?
Playing the blues of kings
Sure looks better now
Death or glory, just another story
Death or glory, just another story
In every dingy basement on every dingy street
Every dragging hand clap over every dragging beat
That's just the beat of time, beat that must go on
If you've been trying for years we already heard your song
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory, just another story
Gotta march a long way
Fight a long time
You got to travel over mountains
Got to travel over seas
We gonna fight your brother
We gonna fight 'til you loose
We gonna raise trouble
We gonna raise hell
We gonna fight your brother
Raise hell
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Death or glory, just another story
Death or glory becomes just another story
Lyrics submitted by aebassist, edited by Mellow_Harsher, JimmyCarlBlack
Death Or Glory Lyrics as written by Mick Jones Joe Strummer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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