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.
In this world, if you read the papers, darling,
You know everybody's fighting with each other.
You got no one you can count on, dear,
Not even your own brother.
So if someone comes along,
He gonna give you love and affection,
I'd say get it while you can, yeah,
Honey, get it while you can, yeah,
Honey, grab it while you can,
Don't you turn your back on love, no, no, no.
When you're loving somebody, baby,
You're taking a gamble against some sorrow.
But who knows, baby,
'Cause we may not be here tomorrow.
And if anybody comes along,
He gonna give you love and affection,
I'd say get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, grab it when you're gonna need it!
Yeah hey, hold it while you can,
Don't you turn your sweet back on love,
No no no, no no no no no!
Ah! Once I had me a man,
But I didn't know enough at the time
To count my blessings, no no,
But I wish he could see me crying today,
'Cause his love don't feel to listen.
And if anybody comes along,
He gonna give me love and affection,
Yeah, hey!, Hey! Yeah! Hey!
Get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, get it while you can,
Don't you turn your back on love,
No no no, no no no no.
Get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, grab it while you can, yeah!
I said, hold on to that man, love,
Hold on to that man whole,
Yeah, get it, want it, need it,
Get it, get it, hold it, need it, want it,
Get it, need it, want it, hold it,
Get it, squeeze it, love it, touch it,
Use it, need it, want it, get it,
Need it, want it, hold it,
Yeah hey, get it while you can, baby,
Yeah hey, get it while you can,
Honey, don't you go and turn your sweet back on love,
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, daddy, you'll be sorry,
No, no, no, no!
Why, thank you! I don't smoke.
I just don't sleep, man, that's the trouble.
I gotta sleep sometime.
There's too much happening, why sleep, man?
I might miss a party.
Ball and Chain! Ball and Chain! Ball and Chain.
Stay short tonight man, shorten it, shorten it, shorten it.
Three, four!
Yeah!
You know everybody's fighting with each other.
You got no one you can count on, dear,
Not even your own brother.
So if someone comes along,
He gonna give you love and affection,
I'd say get it while you can, yeah,
Honey, get it while you can, yeah,
Honey, grab it while you can,
Don't you turn your back on love, no, no, no.
When you're loving somebody, baby,
You're taking a gamble against some sorrow.
But who knows, baby,
'Cause we may not be here tomorrow.
And if anybody comes along,
He gonna give you love and affection,
I'd say get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, grab it when you're gonna need it!
Yeah hey, hold it while you can,
Don't you turn your sweet back on love,
No no no, no no no no no!
Ah! Once I had me a man,
But I didn't know enough at the time
To count my blessings, no no,
But I wish he could see me crying today,
'Cause his love don't feel to listen.
And if anybody comes along,
He gonna give me love and affection,
Yeah, hey!, Hey! Yeah! Hey!
Get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, get it while you can,
Don't you turn your back on love,
No no no, no no no no.
Get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, grab it while you can, yeah!
I said, hold on to that man, love,
Hold on to that man whole,
Yeah, get it, want it, need it,
Get it, get it, hold it, need it, want it,
Get it, need it, want it, hold it,
Get it, squeeze it, love it, touch it,
Use it, need it, want it, get it,
Need it, want it, hold it,
Yeah hey, get it while you can, baby,
Yeah hey, get it while you can,
Honey, don't you go and turn your sweet back on love,
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, daddy, you'll be sorry,
No, no, no, no!
Why, thank you! I don't smoke.
I just don't sleep, man, that's the trouble.
I gotta sleep sometime.
There's too much happening, why sleep, man?
I might miss a party.
Ball and Chain! Ball and Chain! Ball and Chain.
Stay short tonight man, shorten it, shorten it, shorten it.
Three, four!
Yeah!
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