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.
Heard of a land held by untroubled hands,
Where the whiskey runs cold.
Don't you dare go ask the newsman,
'Cause tell you everything he don't know.
She was a child of the second American Revolution,
Tall girl with a stone's constitution.
When she fell into the hands of the enemy,
She touched her hand, and sank her ankles deep.
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground,
In this here London town.
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Got my back to the fire,
But it ain't the greatest night of falling down.
Ophelia used to swim in the rain,
Ain't nothing she'd rather do.
I was beside myself when the news had come.
It had nothing to do with you.
They meant to say they'd never fight no more,
After the days she went away.
What in the world are we asking for
If we don't give each shot a time?
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground,
In this here London town.
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Got my back to the fire, and my feet on the ground,
But it ain't the bridges that are falling.
Go and riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go....
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the greatest night of falling down.
Riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go...
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the bridges that are falling down.
Go and riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go....
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the greatest night of falling down.
Riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go...
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the bridges that are falling down.
Where the whiskey runs cold.
Don't you dare go ask the newsman,
'Cause tell you everything he don't know.
She was a child of the second American Revolution,
Tall girl with a stone's constitution.
When she fell into the hands of the enemy,
She touched her hand, and sank her ankles deep.
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground,
In this here London town.
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Got my back to the fire,
But it ain't the greatest night of falling down.
Ophelia used to swim in the rain,
Ain't nothing she'd rather do.
I was beside myself when the news had come.
It had nothing to do with you.
They meant to say they'd never fight no more,
After the days she went away.
What in the world are we asking for
If we don't give each shot a time?
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground,
In this here London town.
So go and riddle me over,
I'm a man got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Got my back to the fire, and my feet on the ground,
But it ain't the bridges that are falling.
Go and riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go....
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the greatest night of falling down.
Riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go...
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the bridges that are falling down.
Go and riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go....
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the greatest night of falling down.
Riddle me over.
I'm a man, got nothing to show for,
My work in the ground.
Go...
And riddle me over.
But it ain't the bridges that are falling down.
Lyrics submitted by veritas at aequitas
Riddle Lyrics as written by Nik Kershaw
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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