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.
Meet me on the wastelands - later this day
We'll sit and talk and hold hands maybe
For there's not much else to do in this drab and colorless place
We'll sit amongst the rubber tires
Amongst the discarded bric-a-brac
People have no use for - amongst the smoldering embers of yesterday
And when or if the sun shines
Lighting our once beautiful features
We'll smile but only for seconds
For to be caught smiling is to acknowledge life
A brave but useless show of compassion
And that is forbidden in this drab and colorless world
Meet me on the wastelands - the ones behind
The old houses - the ones - left standing pre-war
The ones overshadowed by the monolith monstrosities
Councils call homes
And there amongst the shit - the dirty linen
The holy Coca-Cola tins - the punctured footballs
The ragged dolls - the rusting bicycles
We'll sit and probably hold hands
And watch the rain fall - watch it - watch it
Tumble and fall - tumble and falling
Like our lives - like our lives
Just like our lives
We'll talk about the old days
When the wasteland was release when we could play
And think - without feeling guilty
Meet me later but we'll have to hold hands
Tumble and fall - tumble and falling
Like our lives - like our lives
Exactly like our lives
We'll sit and talk and hold hands maybe
For there's not much else to do in this drab and colorless place
We'll sit amongst the rubber tires
Amongst the discarded bric-a-brac
People have no use for - amongst the smoldering embers of yesterday
And when or if the sun shines
Lighting our once beautiful features
We'll smile but only for seconds
For to be caught smiling is to acknowledge life
A brave but useless show of compassion
And that is forbidden in this drab and colorless world
Meet me on the wastelands - the ones behind
The old houses - the ones - left standing pre-war
The ones overshadowed by the monolith monstrosities
Councils call homes
And there amongst the shit - the dirty linen
The holy Coca-Cola tins - the punctured footballs
The ragged dolls - the rusting bicycles
We'll sit and probably hold hands
And watch the rain fall - watch it - watch it
Tumble and fall - tumble and falling
Like our lives - like our lives
Just like our lives
We'll talk about the old days
When the wasteland was release when we could play
And think - without feeling guilty
Meet me later but we'll have to hold hands
Tumble and fall - tumble and falling
Like our lives - like our lives
Exactly like our lives
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
Wasteland Lyrics as written by Paul John Weller
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Reminds me of the area of Bradford where I grew up. I used to live in a terrace and just at the end of our road were a load of high-rises, or 'monolith monstrocities councils call homes' as Weller describes them.
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