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.
Oh you could have been a diamond
A flicker in the campfire
But what shall you do now
Nothing nothing
YOU WILL DO NOTHING
Oh you could've been the 13 of spades
Destroyer of the jerk-off of hearts
Well you know where shall you go
Nowhere nowhere
YOU WON'T BE ANYWHERE ELSE
I am right, vigorous(?)
You are wrong, pigorous(?)
Holy F holy U holy C-K-O-S-H-A-W-A
Oh you could've been a Modoc
The last free Indians in Washington
500 or 600 girls like you
Spilling their Percocet out on the lava flow
White nerd
What have you learned
White nerd
You let us down (x2)
Oh you could've more anti-yourself
So astoundingly un-silent
Put make-up over your pimples
Will blow us fresh away
La la la la la la
I am un-wrong, vigorous(?)
You are un-right, pigorous(?)
Holy F holy U holy C-K-O-S-H-A-W-A
White nerd
What have you learned
White nerd
You let us down
White nerd
What have you learned
Black nerd
We let you down
A flicker in the campfire
But what shall you do now
Nothing nothing
YOU WILL DO NOTHING
Oh you could've been the 13 of spades
Destroyer of the jerk-off of hearts
Well you know where shall you go
Nowhere nowhere
YOU WON'T BE ANYWHERE ELSE
I am right, vigorous(?)
You are wrong, pigorous(?)
Holy F holy U holy C-K-O-S-H-A-W-A
Oh you could've been a Modoc
The last free Indians in Washington
500 or 600 girls like you
Spilling their Percocet out on the lava flow
White nerd
What have you learned
White nerd
You let us down (x2)
Oh you could've more anti-yourself
So astoundingly un-silent
Put make-up over your pimples
Will blow us fresh away
La la la la la la
I am un-wrong, vigorous(?)
You are un-right, pigorous(?)
Holy F holy U holy C-K-O-S-H-A-W-A
White nerd
What have you learned
White nerd
You let us down
White nerd
What have you learned
Black nerd
We let you down
Lyrics submitted by plzgirlfriendplz, edited by anameforyou
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Great version of a great song,
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I see it as more directed at someone else. All this money and effort goes into educating white youth and so little for the "black nerd" (hence letting them down). And what is done with this education you receive? What have you learned? You let us down. You didn't do anything but perpetuate the cycle. You will do nothing.
this is as much as i could get. second favorite off "women as lovers".
sad song. just a rant, i think.
i think it might be "percocet out on the lava flow". its only a guess though.
Oshawa is a city near Toronto, fuck Oshawa apparently!
knowing who/what the song is about is terribly fucking creepy
What is that?
^^ this song is about her.. above.. aagirl... ask her about it. oooooooohhhhhhhhh
"oh you could have been a diamond a flicker in the campfire but what shall you do now nothing, nothing, you will do nothing or you could've been the 13 of spades destroyer of the jerk-off of hearts well you know where should you go nowhere nowhere, you won't be anywhere else i am right, vigorous (oh yeah!!!) you are wrong, pig-orous (oh yeah!!!) holy F holy U holy CK O-S-H-A-W-A oh you could've been a Modoc the last free indians in washington 500 or 600 girls like you spilling their Percocet out on the lava flow white nerd what have you learned? white nerd you let us down oh you could've more anti-yourself so astoundingly unsilent but make-up over your pimples will blow us freshhhhhh away la la la la la la i am unwrong, vigorous (meow!!!) you are unright, pig-orous (woof!!! woof!!!) black nerd we let you down"
I've always thought it would be amazing to have a song written about me by Xiu Xiu but now I take that back. Pigorous? I'm not sure I know what that means but it sure doesn't sound nice.
i feel like this is somehow trying to deal with white guilt, or the guilt of social privilege. to me it seems like the "white nerd" is being yelled at by some faceless figure of authority telling them that they can't stand for anything important because of the experience their privilege costs her/him. maybe has to do with JS wanting to be political but feeling disempowered as a representative of change or a political empathizer bc he's male, american, white and well-read? if so, that's pretty terribly honest. :)
"pigorous" though? really?
I think it's about racism in the 'nerd' community.