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.
Eddie Graces Buick got four bullet holes in the side
And Charlie Delisle sittin' at the top of an avocado tree
Mrs. Stormll stab you with a steak knife if you step on her lawn
I got a half pack of Lucky Strikes, man, so come along with me
Lets fill our pockets with macadamia nuts, then go over to Bobby Goodmansons
And jump off the roof Hilda plays strip poker and her mamas across the street
Joey Navinski says she put her tongue in his mouth
Dicky Faulkners got a switchblade and some gooseneck risers that eucalyptus is a hunchback
There's a wind up from the south
So let me tie you up with kite string and I'll show you the scabs on my knee
Watch out for the broken glass, put your shoes and socks on and come along with me
Lets follow that fire truck
I think your house is burnin' down
Then go down to the hobo jungle
And kill some rattlesnakes with a trowel
We'll break all the windows in the old Anderson place
And steal a bunch of boysenberrys
And smear 'em on our face
I'll get a dollar from my mamas purse
And buy that skull and crossbones ring
And you can wear it around your neck
On an old piece of string
Then we'll spit on Ronnie Arnold
And flip him the bird
And slash the tires on the school bus
Now don't say a word
I'll take a rusty nail
And scratch your initials on my arm
And I'll show you how to sneak up on the roof of the drugstore
I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair
And a magpies wings
And I'll tie 'em to your shoulders and your feet
I'll steal a hacksaw from my dad
And cut the braces off your legs
And we'll bury them tonight in the cornfield
Put a church key in your pocket
We'll hop that freight train in the hall
And we'll slide all the way down the drain
To New Orleans in the fall
And Charlie Delisle sittin' at the top of an avocado tree
Mrs. Stormll stab you with a steak knife if you step on her lawn
I got a half pack of Lucky Strikes, man, so come along with me
Lets fill our pockets with macadamia nuts, then go over to Bobby Goodmansons
And jump off the roof Hilda plays strip poker and her mamas across the street
Joey Navinski says she put her tongue in his mouth
Dicky Faulkners got a switchblade and some gooseneck risers that eucalyptus is a hunchback
There's a wind up from the south
So let me tie you up with kite string and I'll show you the scabs on my knee
Watch out for the broken glass, put your shoes and socks on and come along with me
Lets follow that fire truck
I think your house is burnin' down
Then go down to the hobo jungle
And kill some rattlesnakes with a trowel
We'll break all the windows in the old Anderson place
And steal a bunch of boysenberrys
And smear 'em on our face
I'll get a dollar from my mamas purse
And buy that skull and crossbones ring
And you can wear it around your neck
On an old piece of string
Then we'll spit on Ronnie Arnold
And flip him the bird
And slash the tires on the school bus
Now don't say a word
I'll take a rusty nail
And scratch your initials on my arm
And I'll show you how to sneak up on the roof of the drugstore
I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair
And a magpies wings
And I'll tie 'em to your shoulders and your feet
I'll steal a hacksaw from my dad
And cut the braces off your legs
And we'll bury them tonight in the cornfield
Put a church key in your pocket
We'll hop that freight train in the hall
And we'll slide all the way down the drain
To New Orleans in the fall
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira
Kentucky Avenue Lyrics as written by Tom Waits
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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