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.
"Peace, quiet and good order will be maintained in our city to the best of our ability
Riots, melees and disturbances of the peace are against
The interests of all our people and therefore, cannot be permitted"
("The jury found that they were all not guilty, not guilty")
"We've been told that all along Crenshaw Boulevard, that there's a series of fires
A lot of looting is going on, a disaster area, obviously"
("The jury found that they were all not guilty, not guilty")
Make it rough!
("A lot of activity continues here at this command post")
Make it rough!
("We have sporadic fires, throughout the city of Los Angeles")
Not guilty, the filthy, devils tried to kill me
When the news get to the hood the niggas will be
Hotter than cayenne pepper, cuss, bust
Kickin' up dust is a must
I can't trust, a cracker in a blue uniform
Stick a nigga like a unicorn
Born, wicked, Laurence, Powell, foul
Cut his fuckin' throat and I smile
Go to Simi Valley and surely
Somebody knows the address of the jury
Pay a little visit, "Who is it?" (Oh it's Ice Cube)
"Can I talk to the grand wizard," then boom!
Make him eat the barrel, modern day feral
Now he's zipped up like Leather Tuscadero
Pretty soon we'll catch Sergeant Koon
Shoot him in the face, run up in him with a broom
Stick, prick, devils ain't shit
Introduce his ass to the AK-40 dick
Two days niggas layed in the cut
To get some respect, we had to tear this muthafucka up!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
I got a Mac-10 for Officer Wind
Damn, his devil ass need to be shipped back to Kansas
In a casket, crew cut faggot
Now he ain't nothing but food for the maggots
Lunch, punch, Hawaiian, lying
Niggas ain't buying, ya story, bore me
Tearing up shit with fire, shooters, looters
Now I got a laptop computer
I told you it would happen, and you heard it, read it
But all you can call me was anti-Semitic
Regret it? Nope, said it? Yep
Listen to my big black boots as I step
Niggas had to break you off something, give Bush a push
But your National Guard ain't hard
You had to get Rodney to stop me, 'cause you know what?
We woulda to' this muthafucka up!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Ay Muggs, make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
It's on, "Gone With the Wind"
And I know white men can't dunk
Now I'm stealing blunts and a cake from Betty Crocker
Orville Reddenbacher
Don't fuck with the black-owned stores
But hit the Foot Lockers
Steal, motherfuck Fire Marshall Bill
Oh, what the hell? Throw the cocktail, I smell smoke
Got the fuck out, Ice Cube lucked out
My nigga had his truck out, didn't get stuck out
In front of that store with the Nikes and Adidas
Oh Jesus, Western Surplus got the heaters
Meet us, so we can get the 9's and the what-nots
Got the Mossberg with the double-eyed buckshot
Ready for Darryl, and like Baretta would say
Keep your eye on the barrel, a sparrow
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"
But I'm rolling, so that's a fucked-up slogan
The Hogan's, Heroes, spotted the guerilla by the Sizzler
Hitting up police killer
The super-duper nigga that'll buck
We had to tear this muthafucka up, so what the fuck
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Huh, make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Yo Muggs, make it rough
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Huh, make it rough
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Enough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Not guilty verdicts for Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy
Wind and Theodore Briseño, the four officers accused of beating
Motorist Rodney King"
Riots, melees and disturbances of the peace are against
The interests of all our people and therefore, cannot be permitted"
("The jury found that they were all not guilty, not guilty")
"We've been told that all along Crenshaw Boulevard, that there's a series of fires
A lot of looting is going on, a disaster area, obviously"
("The jury found that they were all not guilty, not guilty")
Make it rough!
("A lot of activity continues here at this command post")
Make it rough!
("We have sporadic fires, throughout the city of Los Angeles")
Not guilty, the filthy, devils tried to kill me
When the news get to the hood the niggas will be
Hotter than cayenne pepper, cuss, bust
Kickin' up dust is a must
I can't trust, a cracker in a blue uniform
Stick a nigga like a unicorn
Born, wicked, Laurence, Powell, foul
Cut his fuckin' throat and I smile
Go to Simi Valley and surely
Somebody knows the address of the jury
Pay a little visit, "Who is it?" (Oh it's Ice Cube)
"Can I talk to the grand wizard," then boom!
Make him eat the barrel, modern day feral
Now he's zipped up like Leather Tuscadero
Pretty soon we'll catch Sergeant Koon
Shoot him in the face, run up in him with a broom
Stick, prick, devils ain't shit
Introduce his ass to the AK-40 dick
Two days niggas layed in the cut
To get some respect, we had to tear this muthafucka up!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
I got a Mac-10 for Officer Wind
Damn, his devil ass need to be shipped back to Kansas
In a casket, crew cut faggot
Now he ain't nothing but food for the maggots
Lunch, punch, Hawaiian, lying
Niggas ain't buying, ya story, bore me
Tearing up shit with fire, shooters, looters
Now I got a laptop computer
I told you it would happen, and you heard it, read it
But all you can call me was anti-Semitic
Regret it? Nope, said it? Yep
Listen to my big black boots as I step
Niggas had to break you off something, give Bush a push
But your National Guard ain't hard
You had to get Rodney to stop me, 'cause you know what?
We woulda to' this muthafucka up!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Ay Muggs, make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
It's on, "Gone With the Wind"
And I know white men can't dunk
Now I'm stealing blunts and a cake from Betty Crocker
Orville Reddenbacher
Don't fuck with the black-owned stores
But hit the Foot Lockers
Steal, motherfuck Fire Marshall Bill
Oh, what the hell? Throw the cocktail, I smell smoke
Got the fuck out, Ice Cube lucked out
My nigga had his truck out, didn't get stuck out
In front of that store with the Nikes and Adidas
Oh Jesus, Western Surplus got the heaters
Meet us, so we can get the 9's and the what-nots
Got the Mossberg with the double-eyed buckshot
Ready for Darryl, and like Baretta would say
Keep your eye on the barrel, a sparrow
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"
But I'm rolling, so that's a fucked-up slogan
The Hogan's, Heroes, spotted the guerilla by the Sizzler
Hitting up police killer
The super-duper nigga that'll buck
We had to tear this muthafucka up, so what the fuck
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Huh, make it rough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Yo Muggs, make it rough
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Huh, make it rough
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
Enough!
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Wrong nigga to fuck with!"
"Not guilty verdicts for Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy
Wind and Theodore Briseño, the four officers accused of beating
Motorist Rodney King"
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