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.
(Superstition, fear, and jealousy)
Dead I am the one, exterminating son
Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze
Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry
While they slowly turn, conquering the worm
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool
Weak and what you need, nowhere as you bleed
Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat
Tender is the fur, dying as you purr
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Do it baby, do it baby
Do it baby, do it baby
(And burn like an animal)
Dead I am the life, dig into the skin
Knuckle crack the bone, twenty-one to win
Dead I am the dog, "Hound of Hell", you cry
Devil on your back, I can never die
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Do it baby, do it baby
Do it baby, do it baby
(And burn like an animal)
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dead I am the one, exterminating son
Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze
Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry
While they slowly turn, conquering the worm
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool
Weak and what you need, nowhere as you bleed
Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat
Tender is the fur, dying as you purr
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Do it baby, do it baby
Do it baby, do it baby
(And burn like an animal)
Dead I am the life, dig into the skin
Knuckle crack the bone, twenty-one to win
Dead I am the dog, "Hound of Hell", you cry
Devil on your back, I can never die
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Do it baby, do it baby
Do it baby, do it baby
(And burn like an animal)
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my Dragula!
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Littlegothdoll makes me sad. "I'm offended. No, I'm not, but I am. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I'm just so FREAKY!" Jesus. I'm sick of Wiccans getting all huffy about "the burning times" relating it to the holocaust. The vast majority of the people burned weren't even witches or wiccans or wytches or whatever spooky-hippie name you want to be called. Wicca's not part of your heritage, it's a teenage phase. I respect it when the people involved are respectable. Oh, and by calling yourself "goth" you automatically aren't. Pretentious snooty goth rule number one.
Agreed. She's a fucking histrionic pitycase. Wiccans shoukd all burn for they fucking New Age Satanism shit. "White Magick" It's A FUCKING JOKE! Even Anton LeVay, the founder of mondern Satanism states there is no dividing line between "White" & "Black" magic, except for the hypocrisy of the White MAgician to call themselves "Good."<br /> <br /> Wicca is a pathetic Hoillywood propagated escape that soulless teens are turning to for identity. Taking "Offense" to Witch Burning. GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELF YOU HIPPY SHIT!<br /> FUCK YOU! IF I HAD ME MY ZIPPO RIGHT NOW & SOME AEROSAL STARTER FLUID, I WOULD LIGHT THE SKIES WITH YOUR BURNING FLESH!<br /> <br /> Goddamned fucking hippy ass witches. Fuck you...
Back in the day they just labeled any deviants they wanted to be rid of witches to have an excuse to burn them