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.
Hellnation's when they teach us
Profiting from greed
Hellnation's what they give us
Coke, heroin & speed
Hellnation's when they tell you
You gotta go clean up your act
You're the one who dragged me here
And now you drag me back
To this Hellnation
[Chorus]
Problem is, few care
About the people in despair
If you help no one
You're guilty in the Hellnation
Hellnation's when the president
Asks for four more fucking years
Hellnation's when he gets it
By conning poor people and peers
Hellnation-got no choice
What's the point of trying to vote?
When this country makes war
We all die in the same boat
In this Hellnation
[Chorus]
It's the only world we've got
Let's protect it while we can
It's all there is and there ain't no more
Hellnation-asking please
For a nuclear freeze
So the unborn kids
Get their chance to live and breathe
Hellnation asking aid
For the minimum wage
So the kids of tomorrow
Don't wind up slaves to their trade
In the Hellnation
[Chorus]
Profiting from greed
Hellnation's what they give us
Coke, heroin & speed
Hellnation's when they tell you
You gotta go clean up your act
You're the one who dragged me here
And now you drag me back
To this Hellnation
[Chorus]
Problem is, few care
About the people in despair
If you help no one
You're guilty in the Hellnation
Hellnation's when the president
Asks for four more fucking years
Hellnation's when he gets it
By conning poor people and peers
Hellnation-got no choice
What's the point of trying to vote?
When this country makes war
We all die in the same boat
In this Hellnation
[Chorus]
It's the only world we've got
Let's protect it while we can
It's all there is and there ain't no more
Hellnation-asking please
For a nuclear freeze
So the unborn kids
Get their chance to live and breathe
Hellnation asking aid
For the minimum wage
So the kids of tomorrow
Don't wind up slaves to their trade
In the Hellnation
[Chorus]
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wow i cant beleive nobody responded to this one this is one of my favorite DK songs bassically what the song is, is pointing out how we run our sad society and how we need to fix it so history dosent repeat it's self again
A full decade later, every single word is still 100% relevant.
Go Jello - I love the style, but the message doesn't read as well when it is so hard to figure out a third of the lyrics.
Great song. it was the first I had heard of the DK.
By the way this song was written by D.H Peligro, NOT Jello... although biafra must have co-wrote it cos it still has that jello edge...
but also, like sublime111 said, this song is saying we have to fix our flaws so we dont repeat history, but also, like like what freehat17 said, its still 100% relevent now, so dosent that mean that history HAS repeated itself, and thatthe last generation has failed to do what this song says??
im also suprised at how nobody responded to this, and im also suprised at how this song has NO videos online, or on the music sites, and just about one guitar tab on the internet, even though its one of their best songs.
Theres footage of it on the Mutiny on the Bay video, you'd think it would be online some where.