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.
Took the 60 bus out of downtown Cambell Ben Zandito
He was on there he was waitin' for me
All the punk rockers and the moon stompers
Are out on the corners where
They sparing for change
I started thinking, you know I started drinking
I don't remember too much of that day
Something struck me funny when we ran out of money
Where do you go now when you're only fifteen?
With the music execution and the talk of revolution
It bleeds in me
And it goes
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
The radio was playing, Desmond Dekker was singing
On the 43 bus as we climbed up the hill
Nothing incoming but the reggae drumming
And we all come from unloving homes, I said
Why even bother and pick up the bottle
Mr. Bus Driver please let these people on
Rude girl Carol was a mini-skirt girl
My blurry vision saw nothin' wrong
With the music execution and the talk of revolution
It bleeds in me
And it goes
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
On my stereo
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Took the 60 bus out of downtown Campbell Ben Zanotto
He was on there, he was waiting for me
All the punk rockers and the moon stompers
Are out on the corners where they're sparing for change
And the radio was playing, Desmond Dekker was singing
On the 43 bus as we climbed up the hill
Rude girl Carol was a mini-skirt girl
My blurry vision saw nothing wrong
With the music execution and the talk of revolution
It bleeds in me
And it goes
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
He was on there he was waitin' for me
All the punk rockers and the moon stompers
Are out on the corners where
They sparing for change
I started thinking, you know I started drinking
I don't remember too much of that day
Something struck me funny when we ran out of money
Where do you go now when you're only fifteen?
With the music execution and the talk of revolution
It bleeds in me
And it goes
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
The radio was playing, Desmond Dekker was singing
On the 43 bus as we climbed up the hill
Nothing incoming but the reggae drumming
And we all come from unloving homes, I said
Why even bother and pick up the bottle
Mr. Bus Driver please let these people on
Rude girl Carol was a mini-skirt girl
My blurry vision saw nothin' wrong
With the music execution and the talk of revolution
It bleeds in me
And it goes
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
On my stereo
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Took the 60 bus out of downtown Campbell Ben Zanotto
He was on there, he was waiting for me
All the punk rockers and the moon stompers
Are out on the corners where they're sparing for change
And the radio was playing, Desmond Dekker was singing
On the 43 bus as we climbed up the hill
Rude girl Carol was a mini-skirt girl
My blurry vision saw nothing wrong
With the music execution and the talk of revolution
It bleeds in me
And it goes
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the radicals
Give 'em the boot, you know I'm a radical
Give 'em the boot, the roots, the reggae on my stereo
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This song is about the times spent with Ben Zanotto rolling around on the bus where reggae was usually playing. When they played newer reggae stuff on the bus they were saying "hey this crap sucks compared to the real guys like Desmond Decker". Also they liked the Mighty Diamonds, Dandy Livingstone, up through to Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, the Ethiopians and so on. Give em the "Roots", give the newer reggae and dub the "boot".
This song is about the roots of reggae, which of course were ska, and thats why Desmond Dekker is referred to because he is the father of ska music. And, by using the C F G chord progression as the basis for the song structure, they are paying further tribute to the ska movement of the early 60's.
Almost every ska song by every ska artist in Jamaica at the time had this same basic chord progression, I IV V or I IV V IV, or any combination of the I IV V progression. Although Rancid throw a little twist with the Bb chord, but basically every ska song was either CFG, GCD, ADE or EAB. It wasn't until rock steady that minor chords were slightly used and then with reggae, the minor chord became more common. Modern reggae and modern dub rarely use the I IV V progression, and that is why this song is expressing the fact that "hey the early stuff is the reall stuff, the roots, the reggae".
@janeaparis1 <br /> <br /> This is the smartest answer!