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 a troubled hand
Where the whiskey runs the coal
Don't you dare go ask the newsman
Cause he'll tell you everything
He don't know
She was the daughter of the second American Revolution
A tall girl with a stones constitution
And when she looked into their eyes to see
She know she ain't never going back to what she believe
To what you believe
So go and riddle me over
I'm a man got nothing to show for
My work in the ground
In this here Londontown
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 bridges that are falling down
They said they would never fight no more
After the day she went away
What in the world are we all fighting for
If we don't give they're going to take
So go and riddle me over
I'm a man got nothing to show for
My work in the ground
In this here Londontown
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 down
Its just another
Its just a
Go and riddle me over
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 aint the bridges that are falling down
She did again
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
Where the whiskey runs the coal
Don't you dare go ask the newsman
Cause he'll tell you everything
He don't know
She was the daughter of the second American Revolution
A tall girl with a stones constitution
And when she looked into their eyes to see
She know she ain't never going back to what she believe
To what you believe
So go and riddle me over
I'm a man got nothing to show for
My work in the ground
In this here Londontown
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 bridges that are falling down
They said they would never fight no more
After the day she went away
What in the world are we all fighting for
If we don't give they're going to take
So go and riddle me over
I'm a man got nothing to show for
My work in the ground
In this here Londontown
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 down
Its just another
Its just a
Go and riddle me over
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 aint the bridges that are falling down
She did again
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
She did again
She did again
Oh that's not to hold in place
Lyrics submitted by shaynew216
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I love this song. I just did a presentation in school about it (as a poetic song), so that gave me a chance to think about it A LOT.
First off, I agree with the coal mining accident explanation , but I've just got even more metaphors (etc.) to point out:
I interpret the second verse as talking about World War One and the Great Depression that followed:
"They said they would never fight no more"
"After the day she went away"
"What in the world are we all fighting for If we don't give they're going to take"
Keeping with the theme of the mining accident, it could be saying something like: 'why are we arguing about weather there are people alive in the mine; we just need to hope there are and work together to get them out!' Or something.
Anyway, that's my (additional) two cents.