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.
The street looked kind of different –
harsher colours sharper angles.
Shops stacked high with stereos and rows of magazines.
Smells of coffee, glossy limousines.
The sun danced on the chromium.
Slant eyes drowning in the light.
Lights turned red as elbows jabbed,
voices snarled and luck turned sour,
Children screamed! Brakes were screeching!
Knees were pumping, ribs were crunching...
Crushing, drowning deeper...
The street looked kind of different.
The paving stones were playing cards,
they cried out as I skipped from the red to the black.
Cracked a joke about the joker, saluted all the kings,
threw a ring to the blackest queen who ushered me away
to the palace in the square
where the air's so cold and it gets so lonely
so lonely... in the night.
She whispered sleazy secrets on the couch by the TV.
3D visions of a soapflake, trumpets blared, a voice declared:
"Are you feeling dirty?" Yes but also very pleased.
Heard applause, felt the claws in my back,
rocking backwards, rocking forwards in the groove.
The earth moved! The couch moved!
We rolled on the felt, knocked the vases off the shelf.
Watched ourselves in the mirror, like animals like cannibals!
And you ate my ear so I nibbled on your shoulder.
Rolled your tongue up in my hands - I swallowed it whole.
Flesh decreasing by the second until all that remained
were the eyes, mine brown, yours black.
Tilted back, we stared at the hollywood sunset.
Hollywood, Hollywood...
Brighter now, Brighter now...
it looks so pretty tonight.
The light in my little girl's eyes
Brighter now
harsher colours sharper angles.
Shops stacked high with stereos and rows of magazines.
Smells of coffee, glossy limousines.
The sun danced on the chromium.
Slant eyes drowning in the light.
Lights turned red as elbows jabbed,
voices snarled and luck turned sour,
Children screamed! Brakes were screeching!
Knees were pumping, ribs were crunching...
Crushing, drowning deeper...
The street looked kind of different.
The paving stones were playing cards,
they cried out as I skipped from the red to the black.
Cracked a joke about the joker, saluted all the kings,
threw a ring to the blackest queen who ushered me away
to the palace in the square
where the air's so cold and it gets so lonely
so lonely... in the night.
She whispered sleazy secrets on the couch by the TV.
3D visions of a soapflake, trumpets blared, a voice declared:
"Are you feeling dirty?" Yes but also very pleased.
Heard applause, felt the claws in my back,
rocking backwards, rocking forwards in the groove.
The earth moved! The couch moved!
We rolled on the felt, knocked the vases off the shelf.
Watched ourselves in the mirror, like animals like cannibals!
And you ate my ear so I nibbled on your shoulder.
Rolled your tongue up in my hands - I swallowed it whole.
Flesh decreasing by the second until all that remained
were the eyes, mine brown, yours black.
Tilted back, we stared at the hollywood sunset.
Hollywood, Hollywood...
Brighter now, Brighter now...
it looks so pretty tonight.
The light in my little girl's eyes
Brighter now
Lyrics submitted by ilse
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