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.
[Lil Mo]
Ladies I wrote me a manual
How to keep your man
These rules you must follow
My 10 commandments (oo oo oo)
Let me break it down for you
Rule number 1
Never give him someone to turn to at night
Rule number 2
Never bring your man around your crew
Rule number 3
Never call him first let him call you
Rule number 4
Never let him know your every move
Rule number 5
Never tell him about your past
How many other lovers you've had
How many other lovers went bad
Make no exceptions
If you want it to last
[Chorus:]
Girl you got to understand him
If you want to keep your man whipped
Follow my 10 commandments
And he'll keep coming back for more
And more and more
[Lil Mo]
Rule number 6
Never mix business with pleasure
Rule number 7
Never move in unless he tell you
Rule number 8
Never tell your friends about your bedroom
Rule number 9
Never let them know his shoe size
Rule number 10
Should have been rule number 1
'cause If you give in on the first night
Make sure you ride that thing
Scream his name
And he'll be yours for life
'cause you know your excited
(Cos you know your excited)
And you just can't fight it
And you wanna tell all your friends
But you've got to make sure loves intact
Because you want him to keep coming back
[Chorus: x2]
There's never no such thing as giving him to much
'cause if you want to wed with your man
You can never give enough
'cause you get excited
And wanna tell everybody
But you've got to make sure
Loves intact
Then it will help you bring him back
[Lil Kim]
I've been in this thing for years
It made me an animal
Me and my girl
Mo wrote you'll a manual
Step by step booklet for you to keep
Your man in place
And out the next girls' face
Rule number 1
Never give a dude money
Girl don't be a dummy
Let the homie stay bummy
'cause once he start,
He don't stop,
That's it
And all he gonna do is spend it on the next chic
Rule number 2
Before you give him some
It's your way
Shop in a new car
Now that what I call for play
Now don't get me wrong
Respect your man
But if dude gets out of line
Then check your man
Rule number 3
Should have been rule number 1
Never go down
Till he licks you round
Your neck, your back, your puss and ass crack
Rule number 4, 5 and 6
Very important lessons
Keep your man guessing
Never let him see you stressing
And if you love here's 7, 8, 9 and 10
Never ever ever mess with his friend
See if you follow these
You'll have mad red to breaka house on the beach
And mad trips to jaca
He'll be home at night cooking you a steaka
And he'll keep coming back for more
On the wake up
[Chorus: x2]
Understand If you want to keep your man
And you want to hold on to him
Keep your man whipped
Follow my 10 commandments
Ha
You got it
Ha
Keep coming back for more
Understand
Keep your man
My command
More and more and more
More and more and more
Ladies I wrote me a manual
How to keep your man
These rules you must follow
My 10 commandments (oo oo oo)
Let me break it down for you
Rule number 1
Never give him someone to turn to at night
Rule number 2
Never bring your man around your crew
Rule number 3
Never call him first let him call you
Rule number 4
Never let him know your every move
Rule number 5
Never tell him about your past
How many other lovers you've had
How many other lovers went bad
Make no exceptions
If you want it to last
[Chorus:]
Girl you got to understand him
If you want to keep your man whipped
Follow my 10 commandments
And he'll keep coming back for more
And more and more
[Lil Mo]
Rule number 6
Never mix business with pleasure
Rule number 7
Never move in unless he tell you
Rule number 8
Never tell your friends about your bedroom
Rule number 9
Never let them know his shoe size
Rule number 10
Should have been rule number 1
'cause If you give in on the first night
Make sure you ride that thing
Scream his name
And he'll be yours for life
'cause you know your excited
(Cos you know your excited)
And you just can't fight it
And you wanna tell all your friends
But you've got to make sure loves intact
Because you want him to keep coming back
[Chorus: x2]
There's never no such thing as giving him to much
'cause if you want to wed with your man
You can never give enough
'cause you get excited
And wanna tell everybody
But you've got to make sure
Loves intact
Then it will help you bring him back
[Lil Kim]
I've been in this thing for years
It made me an animal
Me and my girl
Mo wrote you'll a manual
Step by step booklet for you to keep
Your man in place
And out the next girls' face
Rule number 1
Never give a dude money
Girl don't be a dummy
Let the homie stay bummy
'cause once he start,
He don't stop,
That's it
And all he gonna do is spend it on the next chic
Rule number 2
Before you give him some
It's your way
Shop in a new car
Now that what I call for play
Now don't get me wrong
Respect your man
But if dude gets out of line
Then check your man
Rule number 3
Should have been rule number 1
Never go down
Till he licks you round
Your neck, your back, your puss and ass crack
Rule number 4, 5 and 6
Very important lessons
Keep your man guessing
Never let him see you stressing
And if you love here's 7, 8, 9 and 10
Never ever ever mess with his friend
See if you follow these
You'll have mad red to breaka house on the beach
And mad trips to jaca
He'll be home at night cooking you a steaka
And he'll keep coming back for more
On the wake up
[Chorus: x2]
Understand If you want to keep your man
And you want to hold on to him
Keep your man whipped
Follow my 10 commandments
Ha
You got it
Ha
Keep coming back for more
Understand
Keep your man
My command
More and more and more
More and more and more
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Ten Commandments Lyrics as written by Chris E. Martin Carlton Ridenhour
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.