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 was nothin' but a city boy
My trumpet was my only toy
I've been blowin' my horn
Since I knew I was born
But there ain't nobody wants to know
I've been sleepin' on the sidewalk
Rollin' down the road
I may get hungry
But I sure don't want to go home
So round the corner comes a limousine
And the biggest grin I ever seen
Here sonny won't you sign
Right along the dotted line
What you sayin' are you playin'
Sure you don't mean me?
I've been sleepin' on the sidewalk
Rollin' down the road
I may get hungry
But I sure don't want to go home
(Now I tell you what happened...)
They took me to a room without a table
They said 'blow your trumpet into here'
I played around as well as I was able
And soon we had the record of the year
I was a legend all through the land
I was blowin' to a million fans
Nothin' was a missin'
All the people want to listen
You'd have thought I was a happy man
And I was sleepin' like a princess
Never touch the road
I don't get hungry
And I sure don't want to go home
(Have to have some fun...)
Now they tell me that I ain't so fashionable
An' I owe the man a million bucks a year
So I told 'em where to stick the fancy label
It's just me and the road from here
I'm back to playin' and layin'
I'm back on the game
I'm sleepin' on the sidewalk
Rollin' down the road
I sure get hungry and
I sure do want to go home
(Yeah)
My trumpet was my only toy
I've been blowin' my horn
Since I knew I was born
But there ain't nobody wants to know
I've been sleepin' on the sidewalk
Rollin' down the road
I may get hungry
But I sure don't want to go home
So round the corner comes a limousine
And the biggest grin I ever seen
Here sonny won't you sign
Right along the dotted line
What you sayin' are you playin'
Sure you don't mean me?
I've been sleepin' on the sidewalk
Rollin' down the road
I may get hungry
But I sure don't want to go home
(Now I tell you what happened...)
They took me to a room without a table
They said 'blow your trumpet into here'
I played around as well as I was able
And soon we had the record of the year
I was a legend all through the land
I was blowin' to a million fans
Nothin' was a missin'
All the people want to listen
You'd have thought I was a happy man
And I was sleepin' like a princess
Never touch the road
I don't get hungry
And I sure don't want to go home
(Have to have some fun...)
Now they tell me that I ain't so fashionable
An' I owe the man a million bucks a year
So I told 'em where to stick the fancy label
It's just me and the road from here
I'm back to playin' and layin'
I'm back on the game
I'm sleepin' on the sidewalk
Rollin' down the road
I sure get hungry and
I sure do want to go home
(Yeah)
Lyrics submitted by UseYourIllusion
Sleeping on the Sidewalk Lyrics as written by Brian May
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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