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.
We made Oklahoma a little after three
Randy, his brother Bob, and my old GFC
We had some moonshine whiskey and some of Bob's homegrown
We were so messed up we didn't know if we were drunk or stoned
Randy was a sad sack - tall, kinda frail
Bob was a raving maniac, crazier than hell
We been kicked out of high school several years ago
For kicking over port-o-cans at the 4-H rodeo
Since they done the little dance right outside the law
Popped twice in Oklahoma and once in Arkansas
And I don't know what possessed me to want to tag along
'Cause I was raised a Christian, and I knew right from wrong
[Chorus]
Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line, you're gonna pay
Into the dawn before the light
Live or die by shades of gray
We stole two Charolais heifers
From Randy's sweetheart's pa
And sold them at the livestock sale outside of Wichita
We got nine hundred dollars and never did suspect
The world of hurt we'd be in once we cashed that check
Next day we heard the story on the local radio
And made our plans that very night to go to Mexico
And I swear we would've made it if it wasn't for the shine
I got sick about the time we crossed that Kansas line
[Chorus]
I was lying in the bar ditch, praying I would die
When a light came on above us
And a voice called from the sky
A half dozen unmarked cars came screeching to a halt
They grabbed Bob, he started screaming that it was my fault
There were men and dogs and helicopters flying all around
They had the brothers on the pickup hood
And me on the ground
Then Bob flew all to pieces, but Randy - he held tight
When a black man in a suit and tie stepped into the light
He told his men to turn us loose
And they put down their guns
He said these are just some sorry kids
They ain't the ones
[Chorus]
They left us by the roadside downhearted and alone
Randy got behind the wheel, said, "Boys, I'm going home."
So we turned 'round and faced our fate, hung over but alive
On that morning Oklahoma, late April ninety-five
Randy, his brother Bob, and my old GFC
We had some moonshine whiskey and some of Bob's homegrown
We were so messed up we didn't know if we were drunk or stoned
Randy was a sad sack - tall, kinda frail
Bob was a raving maniac, crazier than hell
We been kicked out of high school several years ago
For kicking over port-o-cans at the 4-H rodeo
Since they done the little dance right outside the law
Popped twice in Oklahoma and once in Arkansas
And I don't know what possessed me to want to tag along
'Cause I was raised a Christian, and I knew right from wrong
[Chorus]
Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line, you're gonna pay
Into the dawn before the light
Live or die by shades of gray
We stole two Charolais heifers
From Randy's sweetheart's pa
And sold them at the livestock sale outside of Wichita
We got nine hundred dollars and never did suspect
The world of hurt we'd be in once we cashed that check
Next day we heard the story on the local radio
And made our plans that very night to go to Mexico
And I swear we would've made it if it wasn't for the shine
I got sick about the time we crossed that Kansas line
[Chorus]
I was lying in the bar ditch, praying I would die
When a light came on above us
And a voice called from the sky
A half dozen unmarked cars came screeching to a halt
They grabbed Bob, he started screaming that it was my fault
There were men and dogs and helicopters flying all around
They had the brothers on the pickup hood
And me on the ground
Then Bob flew all to pieces, but Randy - he held tight
When a black man in a suit and tie stepped into the light
He told his men to turn us loose
And they put down their guns
He said these are just some sorry kids
They ain't the ones
[Chorus]
They left us by the roadside downhearted and alone
Randy got behind the wheel, said, "Boys, I'm going home."
So we turned 'round and faced our fate, hung over but alive
On that morning Oklahoma, late April ninety-five
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