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.
Flash Gordon soundtrack,
I was in second grade.
My first real record, yeah,
worn down it played and played.
Young and blind,
my double mind.
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
I was in eighth grade,
I said he was a queer,
I thought he had it coming,
he died of AIDs that year.
My liberty,
Like Christ's death meant nothing to me.
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
When my veins choked thick with spite,
blind man's bluff burns in hindsight,
for Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
Predisposed to bigotry,
the regular run-of-the-mill American story.
The stench of greasepaint on our faces,
pass the mask to our next of kin,
instead of wiser idioms,
like "love the sinner, hate the sin".
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
When my veins choked thick with spite,
blind man's bluff burns in hindsight,
for Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
I'm sorry, so sorry.
I'm sorry, so sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I was in second grade.
My first real record, yeah,
worn down it played and played.
Young and blind,
my double mind.
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
I was in eighth grade,
I said he was a queer,
I thought he had it coming,
he died of AIDs that year.
My liberty,
Like Christ's death meant nothing to me.
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
When my veins choked thick with spite,
blind man's bluff burns in hindsight,
for Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
Predisposed to bigotry,
the regular run-of-the-mill American story.
The stench of greasepaint on our faces,
pass the mask to our next of kin,
instead of wiser idioms,
like "love the sinner, hate the sin".
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
When my veins choked thick with spite,
blind man's bluff burns in hindsight,
for Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
When the world was black and white,
watch me turn my back tonight,
on Freddie Mercury,
Mr. Fahrenheit.
I'm sorry, so sorry.
I'm sorry, so sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Lyrics submitted by ThreeMilesDown, edited by CrisMusic
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
not to be argumentative the whole christians being anti-homosexual argument certainly pertains but I think this song was just about being judgemental as a kid in those days the whole homosexual thing was considered alot weirder than it is today and he was just a kid making judgements "My liberty, like Christ's death meant nothing to me" then when he was older, and had a better understanding and desire to live in a more christlike way he realized the error of his ways.