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.
Mother please forgive them
For they know not what they do
Looking back in history's books
It seems it's nothing new
Oh! Let my mother live
Heaven is for heroes
And hell is full of fools
Stupidity, no will to live
They're breaking God's own rules
Please let my mother live
Father, of all creation
I think we're all going wrong
The course they're taking
Seems to be breaking
And it won't take too long
Children of the future
Watching empires fall
Madness the cup they drink from
Self destruction the toll
I had a vision, l saw the world burn
And the seas had turned red
The sun had fallen, the final curtain
In the land of the dead
Mother, please show the children
Before it's too late
To fight each other, there's no-one winning
We must fight all the hate
For they know not what they do
Looking back in history's books
It seems it's nothing new
Oh! Let my mother live
Heaven is for heroes
And hell is full of fools
Stupidity, no will to live
They're breaking God's own rules
Please let my mother live
Father, of all creation
I think we're all going wrong
The course they're taking
Seems to be breaking
And it won't take too long
Children of the future
Watching empires fall
Madness the cup they drink from
Self destruction the toll
I had a vision, l saw the world burn
And the seas had turned red
The sun had fallen, the final curtain
In the land of the dead
Mother, please show the children
Before it's too late
To fight each other, there's no-one winning
We must fight all the hate
Lyrics submitted by ChildOfAcid
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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a great song ! to me...it's not how fast you move your fingers up and down the fret board of a guitar...it's feeling and emotion of how well the song is written and played that matters to me. it's insane to think that ozzy can fortell the future !
Fans of Marty Friedman my disagree with the speed bit lol
@xl5ron " it's insane to think that ozzy can fortell the future" <br /> <br /> WOW no truer words could be said.
Ozzy can't foretell the future, he says what he thinks will happen in the future in this song.
The world is crumbling...empires are falling and nobody seems to care. The children of today need to do something about it so their futures will not collapse sooner than they plan for them too...
We don't wantthe children of today to be children of the grave (heh heh)
Probably the only guitar solo that can compete with "Mr Crowley"
It's fuckin insance how someone could move their fingers that fast.
*fuckin insane
Ozzy can't foretell the future, he says what he thinks will happen in the future in this song.
Ozzy can't foretell the future, he says what he thinks will happen in the future in this song.
now this is what is happening the empires fell didnt they children died and many other ppl. this is a great song
This song has the greatest solo i have ever heard and my favourite Randy Rhoads solo.
This Song Seems Sad Somehow