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.
It was long ago
Seems like a dream
The day I sucked the air
From a bottle of whipped cream
And I got real high
And things got real slow
“I started talking like this”
What’s goin on, I don’t know
And then I sold my car
For Grateful Dead tickets
My dad yelled at me
He grounded me
He said I was a dick
It was the worst day of my life
And I’ll never forget
That the very next day I was doin bong hits
In the back of my friends Chevette
So don’t tell me we’re winning the war on drugs
Cause drugs are like a big old can of RAID
And your all little bugs
And don’t tell me to not get high
Cause I’m as low as I can get without kissin your ass
And blowin you at the same time
Man don’t tell me about love and peace
When one of the Jones’ has a handgun pointed at me
Don’t tell me to “Just say no”
I’m an addict, I say no to lettin it go
What ever happened to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
Now we just have AIDS, crack, and Techno
So they busted me for selling dope
And I went to jail and I wasn’t forgiven
Like that little fucker who shot the pope
They said I had the right to remain silent
But they couldn’t explain
I didn’t resist, no I wasn’t violent
Cause all I’ve ever wanted was the right to remain
They questioned me, and they asked my “Why”
I said, I don’t think I should be shot for sellin pot
It’s just my little way of saying “Hi”
I’m not allowed to vote
And two times a week they make me piss in a cup
But what I wanna do is piss down their throats
Man don’t tell me about love and peace
When one of the Jones’ has a handgun pointed at me
Don’t tell me to “Just say no”
I’m an addict, I say no to lettin it go
What ever happened to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
Now we just have AIDS, crack, and Techno
They told me that times had changed
That our parents had Hendrix, Janis and Jim
But what about River Phoenix and Curt Cobain
And they told me to praise the lord
But I’ve been waitin for so long for him to call me back
I think I’m gonna go pray at Betty Ford
And they told me that life is fair
But I can smoke a plant that was made by God
But I can kill my wife if I’m a football player
And they told me to just ignore
But I’d rather smoke crack out of Nancy Reagan’s skull
While getting a blow job from Tipper Gore
Man don’t tell me about love and peace
When one of the Jones’ has a handgun pointed at me
Don’t tell me to “Just say no”
I’m an addict, I say no to lettin it go
What ever happened to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
Now we just have AIDS, crack, and Techno
Seems like a dream
The day I sucked the air
From a bottle of whipped cream
And I got real high
And things got real slow
“I started talking like this”
What’s goin on, I don’t know
And then I sold my car
For Grateful Dead tickets
My dad yelled at me
He grounded me
He said I was a dick
It was the worst day of my life
And I’ll never forget
That the very next day I was doin bong hits
In the back of my friends Chevette
So don’t tell me we’re winning the war on drugs
Cause drugs are like a big old can of RAID
And your all little bugs
And don’t tell me to not get high
Cause I’m as low as I can get without kissin your ass
And blowin you at the same time
Man don’t tell me about love and peace
When one of the Jones’ has a handgun pointed at me
Don’t tell me to “Just say no”
I’m an addict, I say no to lettin it go
What ever happened to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
Now we just have AIDS, crack, and Techno
So they busted me for selling dope
And I went to jail and I wasn’t forgiven
Like that little fucker who shot the pope
They said I had the right to remain silent
But they couldn’t explain
I didn’t resist, no I wasn’t violent
Cause all I’ve ever wanted was the right to remain
They questioned me, and they asked my “Why”
I said, I don’t think I should be shot for sellin pot
It’s just my little way of saying “Hi”
I’m not allowed to vote
And two times a week they make me piss in a cup
But what I wanna do is piss down their throats
Man don’t tell me about love and peace
When one of the Jones’ has a handgun pointed at me
Don’t tell me to “Just say no”
I’m an addict, I say no to lettin it go
What ever happened to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
Now we just have AIDS, crack, and Techno
They told me that times had changed
That our parents had Hendrix, Janis and Jim
But what about River Phoenix and Curt Cobain
And they told me to praise the lord
But I’ve been waitin for so long for him to call me back
I think I’m gonna go pray at Betty Ford
And they told me that life is fair
But I can smoke a plant that was made by God
But I can kill my wife if I’m a football player
And they told me to just ignore
But I’d rather smoke crack out of Nancy Reagan’s skull
While getting a blow job from Tipper Gore
Man don’t tell me about love and peace
When one of the Jones’ has a handgun pointed at me
Don’t tell me to “Just say no”
I’m an addict, I say no to lettin it go
What ever happened to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll
Now we just have AIDS, crack, and Techno
Lyrics submitted by Haseque39
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