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.
A cripple walks amongst you
All you tired human beings
He's got all the things a cripple has not
Two working arms and legs
And vital parts fall from his system
And dissolve in Scottish rain
But vitally, he doesn't miss them
He's too fucked up to care
Well is that you in front of me?
Coming back for even more of exactly the same
You must be a masochist
To love a modern leper on his last leg, on his last leg
Well I crippled your heart a hundred times
And still can't work out why
You see, I've got this disease
I can't shake and I'm just rattling through life
Well this is how we do things now
Yeah this is how the modern stay scared
So I cut out all the good stuff
Yeah I cut off my foot to spite my leg
Is that you in front of me?
Coming back for even more of exactly the same
You must be a masochist
To love a modern leper on his last leg
Well I am ill but I'm not dead
And I don't know which of those I prefer
Because that limb which I have lost
Well it was the only thing holding me up, holding me up
Well I'm lying on the ground now
And you're walking through the only door
Well I have lost my eyesight like I said I would
But I still know
That that is you in front of me
And you are back for even more of exactly the same
Well are you a masochist?
You love a modern leper on his last leg
And you're not ill and I'm not dead
Doesn't that make us the perfect pair?
You should sit with me and we'll start again
And you can tell me all about what you did today
What you did today
All you tired human beings
He's got all the things a cripple has not
Two working arms and legs
And vital parts fall from his system
And dissolve in Scottish rain
But vitally, he doesn't miss them
He's too fucked up to care
Well is that you in front of me?
Coming back for even more of exactly the same
You must be a masochist
To love a modern leper on his last leg, on his last leg
Well I crippled your heart a hundred times
And still can't work out why
You see, I've got this disease
I can't shake and I'm just rattling through life
Well this is how we do things now
Yeah this is how the modern stay scared
So I cut out all the good stuff
Yeah I cut off my foot to spite my leg
Is that you in front of me?
Coming back for even more of exactly the same
You must be a masochist
To love a modern leper on his last leg
Well I am ill but I'm not dead
And I don't know which of those I prefer
Because that limb which I have lost
Well it was the only thing holding me up, holding me up
Well I'm lying on the ground now
And you're walking through the only door
Well I have lost my eyesight like I said I would
But I still know
That that is you in front of me
And you are back for even more of exactly the same
Well are you a masochist?
You love a modern leper on his last leg
And you're not ill and I'm not dead
Doesn't that make us the perfect pair?
You should sit with me and we'll start again
And you can tell me all about what you did today
What you did today
Lyrics submitted by indierocker13, edited by 121345
The Modern Leper Lyrics as written by Scott John Hutchison Grant David Hutchison
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
i think that this song is just about being in love with someone that isnt good for you for whatever reason. we're all guilty of this. for example me and my on/off boyfriend go round in this cycle when you forget the other person's faults and fall for them time and time again and end up getting hurt -hence the 'masochist' theme.
build you up then drag you down this song helps me a lot.
Yep, that's how I see it too.