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.
What's the matter with the clothes I'm wearing?
Can't you tell that your tie's too wide?
Maybe I should buy some old tab collars
Welcome back to the age of jive
Where have you been hidin' out lately, honey?
You can't dress trashy 'til you spend a lot of money
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound, funny
But it's still rock and roll to me
What's the matter with the car I'm driving?
Can't you tell that it's out of style?
Should I get a set of whitewall tires?
Are you gonna cruise a miracle mile?
Nowadays, you can't be too sentimental
Your best bet's a true baby blue Continental
Hot funk, cool punk, even if it's old junk
It's still rock and roll to me
Oh, it doesn't matter what they say in the papers
'Cause it's always been the same old scene
There's a new band in town but you can't get the sound
From a story in a magazine
Aimed at your average teen
How about a pair of pink sidewinders
And a bright orange pair of pants?
Well, you could really be a Beau Brummel baby
If you just give it half a chance
Don't waste your money on a new set of speakers
You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock and roll to me
Alright
Ooh, what's the matter with the crowd I'm seeing?
Don't you know that they're out of touch?
Well, should I try to be a straight-A student?
If you are then you think too much
Don't you know about the new fashion, honey?
All you need are looks and a whole lotta money
It's the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock and roll to me
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound, funny
But it's still rock and roll to me
Can't you tell that your tie's too wide?
Maybe I should buy some old tab collars
Welcome back to the age of jive
Where have you been hidin' out lately, honey?
You can't dress trashy 'til you spend a lot of money
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound, funny
But it's still rock and roll to me
What's the matter with the car I'm driving?
Can't you tell that it's out of style?
Should I get a set of whitewall tires?
Are you gonna cruise a miracle mile?
Nowadays, you can't be too sentimental
Your best bet's a true baby blue Continental
Hot funk, cool punk, even if it's old junk
It's still rock and roll to me
Oh, it doesn't matter what they say in the papers
'Cause it's always been the same old scene
There's a new band in town but you can't get the sound
From a story in a magazine
Aimed at your average teen
How about a pair of pink sidewinders
And a bright orange pair of pants?
Well, you could really be a Beau Brummel baby
If you just give it half a chance
Don't waste your money on a new set of speakers
You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock and roll to me
Alright
Ooh, what's the matter with the crowd I'm seeing?
Don't you know that they're out of touch?
Well, should I try to be a straight-A student?
If you are then you think too much
Don't you know about the new fashion, honey?
All you need are looks and a whole lotta money
It's the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock and roll to me
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound, funny
But it's still rock and roll to me
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Billy Joel is such a talented artist and makes some great comments about society in this song. What I got from the song is that, no matter if its pop, funk, punk, grunge, new wave, emo, or any other type of rock, it all goes back to the roots of Rock and Roll. Also, in the same sense, no matter what is popular, it will always have the same influence on the people, with the current trends.
Weird Al wrote a parody to this song called "It's Still Billy Joel To Me", but Billy Joel and Christee Brinkley (who were together at the time) hated it, and it was never released on cd...but anyway, I love this song
The song has a lot of sarcasm directed at people obsessed with being in style, knowing the latest trends, and having the newest stuff.
Billy Joel is essentially saying that in the end, it's all about the music, not about being cool and current.
joking eh..... not funny..... well like i said i am a #1 ozzy fan along with alice in chains rob zombie acdc guns n roses metallica velvet revolver (gnr is better tho) van halen nirvana trapt etc etc etc well i just remember a time when someone was rocking back in their stool at MY house and fell str8 backwards and banged there head it was u phalupe so im not the one that was dropped and i remember we were like 4 and i remember we were eating fig newtons lol so u were the one that fell...... jp but its true tho
Couldn't you guys have emailed each other instead of wasting the space on this board?
Two retards took over this comment page... They should be baninnated! (Or at least delete their divel.)
Duh, be your own person.
billy got a lot of flac over this song, one critic said it was the worst rock tribute song ever written, i think it's very ironic and funny
Really, some people just seem sort of dense. Howcome few people understand the fact that it's a parody?
The only weak thing about this song is that the record version doesn't really get me going. Hearing it live is MUCH better.
LOL....ok then...i think i know who got dropped on their head when they were a baby...i'm joking...but anyway...billy joel music is awesome!!!!!!!