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.
When I look back, boy, I must have been green
Bopping in the country, fishing in a stream
Looking for an answer, trying to find a sign
Until I saw your city lights, honey, I was blind
They said, get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, mmhm-hm-hm, oh, change is gonna do me good
You better get back, honky cat
Living in the city ain't where it's at
It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
It's like trying to drink whiskey, oh, from a bottle of wine
Well, I read some books, and I read some magazines
About those high-class ladies down in New Orleans
And all the folks back home, well, said I was a fool
They said, oh, "Believe in the Lord" is the golden rule
They said, get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
But I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, change is gonna do me good
They said, get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, change is gonna do me good
They said, stay at home, boy, you gotta tend the farm
Living in the city, boy, is, is going to break your heart
But how can you stay when your heart says no?
How can you stop when your feet say go?
You better get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, the change is gonna do me good
You better get back, honky cat
Living in the city ain't where it's at
It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
It's like trying to drink whiskey, oh, from a bottle of wine
Oh, yeah
Get back, honky cat
Get back, honky cat
Get back, woo
Get back, honky cat
Get back, honky cat
Get back, woo
Oh, get back, honky cat
Get back, get back, honky cat, woo
(Oh yeah, redneck ways and, woo)
Bopping in the country, fishing in a stream
Looking for an answer, trying to find a sign
Until I saw your city lights, honey, I was blind
They said, get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, mmhm-hm-hm, oh, change is gonna do me good
You better get back, honky cat
Living in the city ain't where it's at
It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
It's like trying to drink whiskey, oh, from a bottle of wine
Well, I read some books, and I read some magazines
About those high-class ladies down in New Orleans
And all the folks back home, well, said I was a fool
They said, oh, "Believe in the Lord" is the golden rule
They said, get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
But I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, change is gonna do me good
They said, get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, change is gonna do me good
They said, stay at home, boy, you gotta tend the farm
Living in the city, boy, is, is going to break your heart
But how can you stay when your heart says no?
How can you stop when your feet say go?
You better get back, honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
And, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, the change is gonna do me good
You better get back, honky cat
Living in the city ain't where it's at
It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
It's like trying to drink whiskey, oh, from a bottle of wine
Oh, yeah
Get back, honky cat
Get back, honky cat
Get back, woo
Get back, honky cat
Get back, honky cat
Get back, woo
Oh, get back, honky cat
Get back, get back, honky cat, woo
(Oh yeah, redneck ways and, woo)
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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