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.
If I had a perfect day
I would have it start this way
Open up the fridge and have a tall boy
Yeah
Then I'd meet up with my friends
Head out to the game again
We don't even really care who wins (hey) wins (hey) 1, 2, 3
Now excitement seems to grow
When we're hangin' with the bro's
When we're chillin' and we pound
A case of stroh's
Now the game is cool to see
You can high five on TV
Count the riot on the 1, 2, 3
Operation is in sight
And the field is open wide
When you break it then you know you're still alive
If the cops don't make you pay
And you make your getaway
Then you know
That's one fine day
On that day before we're through
We could torch a car or two
Then have ourselves another tall boy
Yeah
Water hoses and batons
That's the real game that's on
I don't really give a shit who wins (hey) wins (hey) 1, 2, 3
Now excitement seems to grow
When we're hangin' with the bro's
When we're chillin' and we pound
A case of stroh's
Now the game is cool to see
You can high five on TV
Count the riot on the 1, 2, 3
Operation is in sight
And the field is open wide
When you break it then you know you're still alive
If the cops don't make you pay
And you make your getaway
Then you know
That's one fine day
I believe it's my God-given right
To destroy everything in my sight
'cause it never gets dull
It never gets old (whoa-oh)
The only thing it gets is more bold (whoa-oh-oh)
Drinkin', fightin', going to the game (whoa-oh)
In our world it's a way to stay sane (whoa-oh-oh)
If you're asking me (whoa-oh-oh-oh)
To have it my way (whoa-oh)
I'd say that's one fine day
Now excitement seems to grow
When we're hangin' with the bro's
When we're chillin' and we pound
A case of stroh's
Now the game is cool to see
You can high five on TV
Count the riot on the 1, 2, 3
Operation is in sight
And the field is open wide
When you break it then you know you're still alive
If the cops don't make you pay
And you make your getaway
Then you know
That's one fine day
Then you know that it's one fine day
(Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey)
I would have it start this way
Open up the fridge and have a tall boy
Yeah
Then I'd meet up with my friends
Head out to the game again
We don't even really care who wins (hey) wins (hey) 1, 2, 3
Now excitement seems to grow
When we're hangin' with the bro's
When we're chillin' and we pound
A case of stroh's
Now the game is cool to see
You can high five on TV
Count the riot on the 1, 2, 3
Operation is in sight
And the field is open wide
When you break it then you know you're still alive
If the cops don't make you pay
And you make your getaway
Then you know
That's one fine day
On that day before we're through
We could torch a car or two
Then have ourselves another tall boy
Yeah
Water hoses and batons
That's the real game that's on
I don't really give a shit who wins (hey) wins (hey) 1, 2, 3
Now excitement seems to grow
When we're hangin' with the bro's
When we're chillin' and we pound
A case of stroh's
Now the game is cool to see
You can high five on TV
Count the riot on the 1, 2, 3
Operation is in sight
And the field is open wide
When you break it then you know you're still alive
If the cops don't make you pay
And you make your getaway
Then you know
That's one fine day
I believe it's my God-given right
To destroy everything in my sight
'cause it never gets dull
It never gets old (whoa-oh)
The only thing it gets is more bold (whoa-oh-oh)
Drinkin', fightin', going to the game (whoa-oh)
In our world it's a way to stay sane (whoa-oh-oh)
If you're asking me (whoa-oh-oh-oh)
To have it my way (whoa-oh)
I'd say that's one fine day
Now excitement seems to grow
When we're hangin' with the bro's
When we're chillin' and we pound
A case of stroh's
Now the game is cool to see
You can high five on TV
Count the riot on the 1, 2, 3
Operation is in sight
And the field is open wide
When you break it then you know you're still alive
If the cops don't make you pay
And you make your getaway
Then you know
That's one fine day
Then you know that it's one fine day
(Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey)
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What amuses me most are the posts on here by people who don't realize the song is a SATIRE, as are so many of The Offspring's best. Despite being brilliantly catchy and fun, the actual content of the song is SATIRE, not a glorification of football riots. The point is that it's sad, pathetic really, that people think of this sort of thing as "one fine day." As with a majority of The Offspring's work, this song is a piece of social commentary about yet another thing that's wrong with people and society. The crowning line comes toward the end: "I believe it's my God-given right, to destroy everything in my sight." It doesn't take a dedicated fan to get the message from their other work that they clearly don't believe that, any more than they believe that it's really "Cool To Hate." I guess that's the danger of satire: there's always someone out there stupid enough to not notice that it's satire and take it at face-value.
"The problem with irony and satire is the dumb motherfuckers don't get it."<br /> -Ray Wylie Hubbard<br /> <br /> That being said, I really enjoy this song's message non-satirically. Running around blowing up cars and getting drunk is something that's really fun to listen to a song about, even if it's not something I'd like to do in real life.