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.
Me and Billy roofers of houses
Met at the local union hall
It was like I found my long lost brother
We drank like fish and worked like dogs
Lookin’ back I knew he’d get me in trouble
But I didn’t have too many friends
Runnin up and down that Dixie highway
We thought the good times would never end
Down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
We chased women and we chased whiskey
From the gulf up to ohio
Then one night we ran out of money
We robbed us an all night Texaco
Right in there I guess the friendship ended
That’s where the good times fell apart
I remember screamin at billy
You shoulda let that kid alone shoulda drove off in the dark
Down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
Well we pulled on a back road
I stopped to think about what wed done
I got out, took a leak and I lit a smoke
Now im wishin I had run
Cuz billy always was a mean one
And he was stoned on out of his head
Well I guess he quit shootin
When he thought that I was dead
On down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
I woke up sometime around daylight
But I didn’t live long after that
I was taken back up to the highway
By a ghost he was wearin a Texaco hat
Now me and that kid we haunt that stretch of highway
And go and see billy from time to time
Now billy always acted a little bit crazy
But now he’s done gone plumb out of his mind
On down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
Met at the local union hall
It was like I found my long lost brother
We drank like fish and worked like dogs
Lookin’ back I knew he’d get me in trouble
But I didn’t have too many friends
Runnin up and down that Dixie highway
We thought the good times would never end
Down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
We chased women and we chased whiskey
From the gulf up to ohio
Then one night we ran out of money
We robbed us an all night Texaco
Right in there I guess the friendship ended
That’s where the good times fell apart
I remember screamin at billy
You shoulda let that kid alone shoulda drove off in the dark
Down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
Well we pulled on a back road
I stopped to think about what wed done
I got out, took a leak and I lit a smoke
Now im wishin I had run
Cuz billy always was a mean one
And he was stoned on out of his head
Well I guess he quit shootin
When he thought that I was dead
On down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
I woke up sometime around daylight
But I didn’t live long after that
I was taken back up to the highway
By a ghost he was wearin a Texaco hat
Now me and that kid we haunt that stretch of highway
And go and see billy from time to time
Now billy always acted a little bit crazy
But now he’s done gone plumb out of his mind
On down that long black highway
Theres a deep dark hole
Down that long black highway
Theres a lot of things you never know
Lyrics submitted by nicoleeelove
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Song is pretty self-explanitory...
But is something that most of us can relate to...
how we have a friend that will never leave and then things change in what seems like an instant...
best friends turn...