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.
What we need is a good jump kick, jump kick
To the head to get our ambitions in gear
For example, Jude at the party was taking her clothes off
Below the constellations
Outside the people, they pranced becoming lord of the dance
Another typical social plights
We greeted them with conversation and delight
Since Jude was mad at her dream for landing nowhere near the marker
To a boat on a island where nobody?s been
Except your best memories and your favorite friends
There ain't no self fished for dinner
This is a place, is a place, is a place, is a place
Is a place that's soft down in a chair
We?ll talk till the break, till the break, till the break
Till the sun comes up like the signal flare
Jude trailed off the trail, got her tail caught in a fail-proof safe
Didn't really fail for a night in jail with pale hail of everywhere
The nightingale did escape the whale
Couldn't we survive, they are fed alive, we all cried
Because she went and jumped overboard
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
To the head to get our ambitions in gear
For example, Jude at the party was taking her clothes off
Below the constellations
Outside the people, they pranced becoming lord of the dance
Another typical social plights
We greeted them with conversation and delight
Since Jude was mad at her dream for landing nowhere near the marker
To a boat on a island where nobody?s been
Except your best memories and your favorite friends
There ain't no self fished for dinner
This is a place, is a place, is a place, is a place
Is a place that's soft down in a chair
We?ll talk till the break, till the break, till the break
Till the sun comes up like the signal flare
Jude trailed off the trail, got her tail caught in a fail-proof safe
Didn't really fail for a night in jail with pale hail of everywhere
The nightingale did escape the whale
Couldn't we survive, they are fed alive, we all cried
Because she went and jumped overboard
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
She took a sad song, made it sadder
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i onced listened to this song 300 consecutive times. i like all the Jude references, too. i thought the lyrics went a different way but I think there's a lot of room for interpretation:
What we need is a good jump good jump kick to the head to get her ambitions in gear For example, Jude at the party, was taking her clothes off Below the constellations
Outside, the people they pranced becoming lord of the dance And other typical socialites We greet them with conversation and delight Since Jude was mad at her dream for landing nowhere near the marker To a boat, on an island, where's nobody's been except your best memories and your favorite friends We cooked south fish for dinner
This is a place, is a place, is a place, is a place is a place that's soft down in a chair We'll talk till the break, till the break, till the break, till the sun comes up Like the signal flare
Jude trailed off the trail got her tail caught in a fail-proof safe Didn't really fail for a night in jail with the pale hail of everywhere The nightingale did escape the whale Couldn't we survive, they are fed alive, we all cried, Because she went and jumped overboard
She took a sad song and made it sadder She took a sad song and made it sadder She took a sad song and made it sadder She took a sad song and made it sadder