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.
So what the fuck is this UK
Gunnin' with this US of A
In Iraq and Iran and in Afghanistan
Does not a day go by
Without the Israeli Air Force
Fail to drop its bombs from the sky?
How many mothers to cry?
How many sons have to die?
How many missions left to fly over Palestine?
Cause as a matter of facts
It's a pact, it's an act
These are illegal attacks
So bring the soldiers back
These are illegal attacks
It's contracts for contacts
I'm singing concrete facts
So bring the soldiers back
What mean that you beat my people
What mean that you beat my people
And grind the faces of the poor
So tell me just how come were the Taliban
Sat burning incense in Texas
Roaming round in a Lexus
Sittin' on six billion oil drums
Down with the Dow Jones, up on the Nasdaq
Pushed into the war zones
It's a commercial crusade
Cause all the oil men get paid
And only so many soldiers come home
It's a commando crusade
A military charade
And only so many soldiers come home
Soldiers, soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
Through all the blood and sweat
Nobody can forget
It ain't the size of the dog in the fight
It's the size of the fight in the dog on the day or the night
There's no time to reflect
On the threat, the situation, the bark nor the bite
These are commercial crusades
'Cos all the oil men get paid
These are commando crusades
Commando tactical rape
And from the streets of New York and Baghdad to Tehran and Tel Aviv
Bring forth the prophets of the Lord
From dirty bastards fillin' pockets
With the profits of greed
These are commercial crusades
Commando tactical raids
Playin' military charades to get paid
And who got the devils?
And who got the Lords?
Build yourself a mountain - Drink up in the fountain
Soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
What mean ya that you beat my people
What mean ya that you beat my people
And grind the faces of the poor.
Gunnin' with this US of A
In Iraq and Iran and in Afghanistan
Does not a day go by
Without the Israeli Air Force
Fail to drop its bombs from the sky?
How many mothers to cry?
How many sons have to die?
How many missions left to fly over Palestine?
Cause as a matter of facts
It's a pact, it's an act
These are illegal attacks
So bring the soldiers back
These are illegal attacks
It's contracts for contacts
I'm singing concrete facts
So bring the soldiers back
What mean that you beat my people
What mean that you beat my people
And grind the faces of the poor
So tell me just how come were the Taliban
Sat burning incense in Texas
Roaming round in a Lexus
Sittin' on six billion oil drums
Down with the Dow Jones, up on the Nasdaq
Pushed into the war zones
It's a commercial crusade
Cause all the oil men get paid
And only so many soldiers come home
It's a commando crusade
A military charade
And only so many soldiers come home
Soldiers, soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
Through all the blood and sweat
Nobody can forget
It ain't the size of the dog in the fight
It's the size of the fight in the dog on the day or the night
There's no time to reflect
On the threat, the situation, the bark nor the bite
These are commercial crusades
'Cos all the oil men get paid
These are commando crusades
Commando tactical rape
And from the streets of New York and Baghdad to Tehran and Tel Aviv
Bring forth the prophets of the Lord
From dirty bastards fillin' pockets
With the profits of greed
These are commercial crusades
Commando tactical raids
Playin' military charades to get paid
And who got the devils?
And who got the Lords?
Build yourself a mountain - Drink up in the fountain
Soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
Soldiers come home
What mean ya that you beat my people
What mean ya that you beat my people
And grind the faces of the poor.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Bravo Ian Brown. It's good to have a singer who stands up against war and injustice. And it's good that Ian Brown is brave enough to speak the truth about Israel. It's like the singers who spoke out against Apartheid. Or the people who stood up against the Holocaust. Singers and other in society should speak up against global injustices! Ian Brown is not ignorant about it, he is enlightened.
@Varooom My up vote is for your reply to Shiraz. There is no option to up vote people's replies. Well said.
Good lyrics. About time someone with a voice said something critical of Israel.
Still genious!!
Maybe some of the finer points in the lyrics are incorrect but the msg is surely clear??
Genius lyrics from a genius.
This song is soo powerful. Really amazing. The meanings pretty clear. Its so truthful aswell just wowww.
this song is good, perfect harmony between song, songwriter and singer/s, must state though it wasn't the taliban of Afghanistan burning incense in texas, raoming around... it was the Bin Ladens. Bit lost on that verse, it puzzles me.
Abermike, Whilst you start off an argument you fail to tell us why hes peddling lies, gossip, rumour and propaganda.
Shit man, i can admit he cant sing. why? cos i heard the motherfucker with my own ears but he can write to provoke. Insult us further by telling us your American and propwely insulting us with your 'war' comments.
I'm a big fan of Ian Brown, but this is like bad 6th form poetry. He can do way way better than this.
Abermike, I agree he's jumping on the bandwaggon, though I'd like to believe those are views that he holds too. I'm not sure about the lies, gossip and rumour though.
I should point out — I am anti-war.
As for the song, the meaning is fairly clear… in fact I doubt it could be any less subtle without the lyric "war war go away" or something. Such a lyric probably wouldn't be out of place amongst this dire collection of cliché and primary school rhyming.
I'm a huge fan of the Roses and I quite like Ian Brown's solo stuff as a whole, but it seems these days his "God like genius" may have abandoned him. I just hope the rest of the new album is better than this pile of bollocks.
Just my opinion on the matter anyway.
Xias is right. I love Ian. The man is literally a genius in the true sense of the word, but that is what makes these lyrics a touch disappointing. Hey it's his music , it's his world but......These lyrics leave me hoping he just rushed the lyrics and focused on teh music......
Course i wouldn't know because they have released the damn thing in the States!!!! Anyone know when that might happen?
Does ian and his record company WANT me to steal it off the net?