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.
The great British mistake was looking for a way out,
Was getting complacent, not noticing
The pulse was racing.
The mistake was fighting.
The change, was staying the same.
It couldn't adapt so it couldn't survive,
Something had to give.
The people take a downhill slide into the gloom.
Into the darn recesses of their minds.
I swoop over your city like a bird.
I climb the high branches and observe.
Into the mouth, into the soul.
I cast a shadow that swallows you whole.
I swoop, I climb, I cling, I suck,
I swallow you whole.
String out the drip-feed, they're losing their world,
They're losing their hard boys and magazine girls.
Advert illegal, T.V. as outlaw, motive as spell.
They'll see the books burn. They'll be 451,
It's people against things and not against each other.
Out of the pre-pack, into the fear, into themselves.
They're the great British mistake.
The genie's out of the bottle, call in the magician.
They didn't mean to free him, devil behind them,
devil in the mirror, chained to their right hands.
They're the great British mistake.
They'll have to come to terms now, they'll take it out somehow.
They'll blame it all on something.
The British mistake - when will it be over?
How can they avoid it?
The great British mistake.
The great British mistake.
The great British mistake.
Was getting complacent, not noticing
The pulse was racing.
The mistake was fighting.
The change, was staying the same.
It couldn't adapt so it couldn't survive,
Something had to give.
The people take a downhill slide into the gloom.
Into the darn recesses of their minds.
I swoop over your city like a bird.
I climb the high branches and observe.
Into the mouth, into the soul.
I cast a shadow that swallows you whole.
I swoop, I climb, I cling, I suck,
I swallow you whole.
String out the drip-feed, they're losing their world,
They're losing their hard boys and magazine girls.
Advert illegal, T.V. as outlaw, motive as spell.
They'll see the books burn. They'll be 451,
It's people against things and not against each other.
Out of the pre-pack, into the fear, into themselves.
They're the great British mistake.
The genie's out of the bottle, call in the magician.
They didn't mean to free him, devil behind them,
devil in the mirror, chained to their right hands.
They're the great British mistake.
They'll have to come to terms now, they'll take it out somehow.
They'll blame it all on something.
The British mistake - when will it be over?
How can they avoid it?
The great British mistake.
The great British mistake.
The great British mistake.
Lyrics submitted by rocket.jaw.smash
Great British Mistake Lyrics as written by Tim Tv Smith
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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