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.
I see him look at you and speak with such eloquence
All I can do is rhyme "eloquence" with "precedence"
It's the only word I think about
When you're his and not mine
(So unkind, so unkind)
And it gets so annoying like a chick magazine
With Seventeen subscription cards shoved in between
They fall past my seat and they land at my feet
Right next to my pride
Now can you beat that?
What can I say?
I come from race cars and goth rock
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this crash
Seven days passed since your last break-up note
With its shaky and scribbled-out, started-over, broken words that you wrote
You know, having what you needed wasn't good enough for you
(Never do, never do)
And now you're in his house that's the size of a mall
I've never seen a grand piano look so fucking small
You know, it's probably one of many things that are small about him too
Oh what can I say?
I come from race cars and punk rock
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this
Can we just try to forget that we were ever very different?
'Cause the tattoo on your shoulder tells me, baby, that ain't true
But I like that in you
So quit trying to prove yourself
And wake up and lose yourself in me
And what can I say?
I come from race cars and cock rock
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this
What can I say?
I come from race cars an pop rocks
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this
All I can do is rhyme "eloquence" with "precedence"
It's the only word I think about
When you're his and not mine
(So unkind, so unkind)
And it gets so annoying like a chick magazine
With Seventeen subscription cards shoved in between
They fall past my seat and they land at my feet
Right next to my pride
Now can you beat that?
What can I say?
I come from race cars and goth rock
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this crash
Seven days passed since your last break-up note
With its shaky and scribbled-out, started-over, broken words that you wrote
You know, having what you needed wasn't good enough for you
(Never do, never do)
And now you're in his house that's the size of a mall
I've never seen a grand piano look so fucking small
You know, it's probably one of many things that are small about him too
Oh what can I say?
I come from race cars and punk rock
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this
Can we just try to forget that we were ever very different?
'Cause the tattoo on your shoulder tells me, baby, that ain't true
But I like that in you
So quit trying to prove yourself
And wake up and lose yourself in me
And what can I say?
I come from race cars and cock rock
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this
What can I say?
I come from race cars an pop rocks
And what can you do?
You're just California gridlock
A broken-down Camaro
Overheated, but you'll never know
You're the one that caused this
Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry
Race Cars and Goth Rock Lyrics as written by Butch Walker
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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THIS SONG HOS NO COMMENTS WTF!?!? this song, takes several times listening to for it to grow on you but honestly once it does its the most amazing of all of his songs, honestly, its so GOOD!!