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.
You try so hard to please the teacher
Play it straight and you toe the line
You try so hard to win their favour
But it's just a bore, a waste of time.
Trapped all day behind a window
Trained to work from nine to five
Taught to feel you're just a number
Forget what it's like to be alive
So you jump the wall and break for freedom
Where the air is fresh and the sky is high
You roam the streets and laugh for pleasure
Remember what it's like to be alive.
I'm biding my time for my perfect crime
I've already done my time
You sit at the back to cheat the teacher
Your body's trapped
and they waste your mind
They've got you now
and they want your future
So you go on the run to steal back some time
And kids from before you can remember
Were chained to their desks,
but what's the crime ?
They broke the locks, escaped the numbers
Bunking off to find some pride
So you jump the wall
and break for freedom
Where the air is fresh and the sky is high
You rush the streets like running water
Remember what it's like to be alive
You meet your mates behind the shelter
In the toilets, out of sight
You go where you go so they can't get you
Disobey, it's the basic right
You wanted something from your teachers
Something real that's worth your time
But they let you down,
they taught you failure
So you jump the wall. The Perfect Crime
So you jump the wall
and break for freedom
But where can you go to find your pride
Where can you go for love and laughter
To remember what it's like to be alive
Play it straight and you toe the line
You try so hard to win their favour
But it's just a bore, a waste of time.
Trapped all day behind a window
Trained to work from nine to five
Taught to feel you're just a number
Forget what it's like to be alive
So you jump the wall and break for freedom
Where the air is fresh and the sky is high
You roam the streets and laugh for pleasure
Remember what it's like to be alive.
I'm biding my time for my perfect crime
I've already done my time
You sit at the back to cheat the teacher
Your body's trapped
and they waste your mind
They've got you now
and they want your future
So you go on the run to steal back some time
And kids from before you can remember
Were chained to their desks,
but what's the crime ?
They broke the locks, escaped the numbers
Bunking off to find some pride
So you jump the wall
and break for freedom
Where the air is fresh and the sky is high
You rush the streets like running water
Remember what it's like to be alive
You meet your mates behind the shelter
In the toilets, out of sight
You go where you go so they can't get you
Disobey, it's the basic right
You wanted something from your teachers
Something real that's worth your time
But they let you down,
they taught you failure
So you jump the wall. The Perfect Crime
So you jump the wall
and break for freedom
But where can you go to find your pride
Where can you go for love and laughter
To remember what it's like to be alive
Lyrics submitted by Anal_Cunt
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