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.
Those who start wars, never fight them
And those who fight wars, they never like them
And those who write laws, they can recite them
And those of us who just fight laws
We live and die them
But I know, they never gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies
It's time
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Those who build walls are pretending
That forever they can defend them (No, no, no)
Those who dam streams can build fountains (Yes they can)
But those of us who just let them run free
We can move mountains
But I know, they never gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies
It's time
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
(It's time, it's time!)
How many people were they runnin' from and
How many people never saw it comin'
How many people never heard the warnin'
How many people never stayed at home and
How many people never heard the callin'
How many people never saw it all and
How many people did they spend it on and
How many people got to sing the song and
How many people never heard the cry and
How many people gotten pushed aside
How many people never saw the dust fly
How many people never said goodbye and
How many people never saw the fall and
How many people did we end it all and
How many people never saw the wrong and
How many people did we drop the bomb on
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away
It's time
It's time to go home!
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
And those who fight wars, they never like them
And those who write laws, they can recite them
And those of us who just fight laws
We live and die them
But I know, they never gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies
It's time
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Those who build walls are pretending
That forever they can defend them (No, no, no)
Those who dam streams can build fountains (Yes they can)
But those of us who just let them run free
We can move mountains
But I know, they never gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies, no
Never ever gonna tell you why, no
They only wanna tell you lies
It's time
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
It's time to go home
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
(It's time, it's time!)
How many people were they runnin' from and
How many people never saw it comin'
How many people never heard the warnin'
How many people never stayed at home and
How many people never heard the callin'
How many people never saw it all and
How many people did they spend it on and
How many people got to sing the song and
How many people never heard the cry and
How many people gotten pushed aside
How many people never saw the dust fly
How many people never said goodbye and
How many people never saw the fall and
How many people did we end it all and
How many people never saw the wrong and
How many people did we drop the bomb on
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away, no
Don't take our girls away, no
Don't take our boys away
It's time
It's time to go home!
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
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Great version of a great song,
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