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.
Is the can half diseased
Or is the disease half canned
And is the man half machine
Or is the machine half man
I'm unretrofied
For you I'll just fake it
In the end just save it
For a new song and leave dead
In the end time is wasted
In the end wood paneled wagon
Carpool dragons
Killing me again
Now they're looting our holes
Until there is nothing left
Calloused intentions it seems,
Coward's invention at best
I'm unretrofied
For you Jesus can't play the music
Caused he's nailed to the cross
And over gnawed off feet I find
That I can't walk
I can't even walk
We're all dead
Or is the disease half canned
And is the man half machine
Or is the machine half man
I'm unretrofied
For you I'll just fake it
In the end just save it
For a new song and leave dead
In the end time is wasted
In the end wood paneled wagon
Carpool dragons
Killing me again
Now they're looting our holes
Until there is nothing left
Calloused intentions it seems,
Coward's invention at best
I'm unretrofied
For you Jesus can't play the music
Caused he's nailed to the cross
And over gnawed off feet I find
That I can't walk
I can't even walk
We're all dead
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I am pretty sure it is about conformity and is a very sarcastic song. This explains why this song sounds much more mainstream since the lyrics have to deal with conformity.
-and is the man half machine or is the machine half man - I think the machine part has more to do with us doing what we are told without question instead of being apathetic towards everything. Major record comanies basically tell their clients how to make songs and what they should sound like and this is just a sarcastic statement as if they were one of those bands.
I don't think it has anything to do with them going mainstream or a personal event, just that they are mocking bands that do chose to live their lives as slaves (machines) to record companies.
I also see this as a shot towards our society. As previously mentioned before, most people are slaves to fads and cliques (even the "rebels" are still conforming to their supposed non-conformity style) and as a result we act like machines since we can't think for ourselves. We are being told what is "cool" by men we don't see for their profit (calloused intentions it seems, coward's invention at best), and we are unable to think for ourselves (I can't walk).
I didn't hit every line but I think this pretty much summed up the song. I just got done ranting about how much American education produces slaves so that might have influenced my thinkiing but eh.