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.
I want to be stereotyped
I want to be classified
I want to be a clone
I want a
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
I want to be a statistic
I want to be masochistic
I want to be a clone
I want a
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
I don't want no hippie pad
I want a house just like mom and dad
I want to be classified
I want to be a clone
I want a
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
I want to be a statistic
I want to be masochistic
I want to be a clone
I want a
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
Suburban home
I don't want no hippie pad
I want a house just like mom and dad
Lyrics submitted by clay6986, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
This song is sarcastic.... it's about rejecting individuality and agreeing to go along with society, like everyone seems to eventually do anyway. Musically, this sounds a bit like the Ramones.
Brilliance.
freewebs.com/thejakesite
I'm not sure that it is sarcastic. I think he's saying that he wants to be stereotyped as something he's not, so that he can defy the stereotype.
This song is great and it attacks the stupid suburbs in sarcastis ways.
listen to the song Lost in the Supermarket by the Clash, it's excellent
Did any one hear Taking Back Sunday butcher this song? Man Taking Back Sunday is queer but the Descendents kick ass and so does this song
I didn't think they butchered it at all. I rather liked it. And the fact that it goes right into "I Like Food" is great, too.
I Think This song is doggin the way the suburbs are like all the house are the same
I love the Thaking Back Sunday cover of this song, i love the screaming backing vocals. Its about the suburbs all right how everyone wants to live their and be happy and clean an all that shit, which is not real suburbia (not saying its the "hood" though) its jus making fun of everyone going along the same conventional safe idea of life, which is what The Descendents are all about (taking the piss of all that i mean)
i dont like taking back sunday but they actually did a good job on covering this one
Its pretty much see through. It's a sarcatic song about people who's main goal is to get a good job, fit in with the johnsons, and move into a suburban home. THeir personalities are like the houses, premolded. THey don't want to stand out, they want to fit the stereotype of the suburban family..
is it just me, or does the (inferior) Taking Back Sunday cover have the lyrics "I want to be masochistic/I want to be a sadistic" instead of the original words? Did they get it wrong, or is it just the odd vocals?