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.
on the day that Dennis Brown's
lung collasped
spring rain was misting down on Kingston
and down at the harbor
local cops were intercepting
an inbound shipment
and for a while there it was chaos
as they handcuffed and then ruffed up
some sailors
on the day my lung collapses
it's not gonna be much different
on the day that Dennis Brown's
habbits caught up with him
school children sang in choir
and out behind the Chinese resturants
guys were jumping into dumpsters
and the stench was overbearing
but they were past the point of caring
on the day my habits catch up with me
i'll be down among the jumpers
and when the birds come home in spring
we will fill them up with buckshot
and jets of contaminated blood
will cloud the rivers and the lakes
it took all the coke in town
to bring down Dennis Brown
on the day my lung collapses
we'll see just how much it takes
lung collasped
spring rain was misting down on Kingston
and down at the harbor
local cops were intercepting
an inbound shipment
and for a while there it was chaos
as they handcuffed and then ruffed up
some sailors
on the day my lung collapses
it's not gonna be much different
on the day that Dennis Brown's
habbits caught up with him
school children sang in choir
and out behind the Chinese resturants
guys were jumping into dumpsters
and the stench was overbearing
but they were past the point of caring
on the day my habits catch up with me
i'll be down among the jumpers
and when the birds come home in spring
we will fill them up with buckshot
and jets of contaminated blood
will cloud the rivers and the lakes
it took all the coke in town
to bring down Dennis Brown
on the day my lung collapses
we'll see just how much it takes
Lyrics submitted by fuckedupdog
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