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.
Stepchild, you have outlived your time
You represent embarrassment and failure
And the father who must be killed
Is the blight upon your blighted life
And his might is his legal right
To ground you down
Stepchild, with every petty swipe
You just might find you're fighting for your life
And the father who must be killed
Is a step farther but nonetheless
The way he chews his food
Rips right through your senses
Stepchild, there's a knife in a drawer in a room downstairs
And you, you know what you must do
So the stepchild ran with a knife to his sleeping frame
And slams it in his arms, his legs, his face, his neck and says
There's a law against me now
And the father who must be killed
With his dying breath, he grabs her hand
And he looks into her eyes
He says "I'm sorry" and he dies
Stepchild, I release you
With this broken voice I beseech you
Why are lives so short?
The stepchild thought half pointing to the sky
No one to warn me
No hand to touch me
And no Bible-belters to mess with me
Mama don't miss me
Mama don't miss me
This death will complete me
"But where I go there will be no one to meet me
I know there will be no one to meet me"
But still the step-child press the knife to her throat
Half pointing to the sky
Just as mother-less birds fly high
Then so shall I
So shall I
So shall I
So shall I
So shall I
You represent embarrassment and failure
And the father who must be killed
Is the blight upon your blighted life
And his might is his legal right
To ground you down
Stepchild, with every petty swipe
You just might find you're fighting for your life
And the father who must be killed
Is a step farther but nonetheless
The way he chews his food
Rips right through your senses
Stepchild, there's a knife in a drawer in a room downstairs
And you, you know what you must do
So the stepchild ran with a knife to his sleeping frame
And slams it in his arms, his legs, his face, his neck and says
There's a law against me now
And the father who must be killed
With his dying breath, he grabs her hand
And he looks into her eyes
He says "I'm sorry" and he dies
Stepchild, I release you
With this broken voice I beseech you
Why are lives so short?
The stepchild thought half pointing to the sky
No one to warn me
No hand to touch me
And no Bible-belters to mess with me
Mama don't miss me
Mama don't miss me
This death will complete me
"But where I go there will be no one to meet me
I know there will be no one to meet me"
But still the step-child press the knife to her throat
Half pointing to the sky
Just as mother-less birds fly high
Then so shall I
So shall I
So shall I
So shall I
So shall I
Lyrics submitted by raisedbypuffins, edited by leesong
The Father Who Must Be Killed Lyrics as written by Alain Gordon Whyte Steven Morrissey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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