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.
(Noises that a beetle likes to hear)
I had a little beetle
So that beetle was his name
And I called him Alexander
And he answered just the same
And I put him in a matchbox
And I kept him all the day
But Nanny let my beetle out
Nanny let my beetle out
She went and let my beetle out
And beetle ran away
She said she didn't mean it
And I never said she did
She said she wanted matches
And she just took off the lid
She said I musn't worry
And I really musn't mind
That there's lots and lots of beetles
That she's certain we could find
She said I musn't worry
But it's difficult to catch
An excited sort of beetle
You've mistaken for a match
If we looked in all the places
That a beetle might be near
And we made the kind of noises
That a beetle likes to hear
(Noises that a beetle likes to hear)
And I heard a kind of something
And I gave a sort of shout
It was a beetle house
And Alexander beetle coming out
It was Alexander beetle
I'm as certain as can be
And he had a kind of look as though
He thought it might be me
And he had a kind of look as though
He thought he ought to say
"I'm really very sorry
That I tried to run away"
And Nanny's very sorry, too
Cause you know what she did
And she's writing "Alexander"
Very blackly on the lid
So Nan and me are friends because
It's difficult to catch
An excited Alexander
You've mistaken for a match
(Noises that a beetle likes to hear)
I had a little beetle
So that beetle was his name
And I called him Alexander
And he answered just the same
And I put him in a matchbox
And I kept him all the day
But Nanny let my beetle out
Nanny let my beetle out
She went and let my beetle out
And beetle ran away
She said she didn't mean it
And I never said she did
She said she wanted matches
And she just took off the lid
She said I musn't worry
And I really musn't mind
That there's lots and lots of beetles
That she's certain we could find
She said I musn't worry
But it's difficult to catch
An excited sort of beetle
You've mistaken for a match
If we looked in all the places
That a beetle might be near
And we made the kind of noises
That a beetle likes to hear
(Noises that a beetle likes to hear)
And I heard a kind of something
And I gave a sort of shout
It was a beetle house
And Alexander beetle coming out
It was Alexander beetle
I'm as certain as can be
And he had a kind of look as though
He thought it might be me
And he had a kind of look as though
He thought he ought to say
"I'm really very sorry
That I tried to run away"
And Nanny's very sorry, too
Cause you know what she did
And she's writing "Alexander"
Very blackly on the lid
So Nan and me are friends because
It's difficult to catch
An excited Alexander
You've mistaken for a match
(Noises that a beetle likes to hear)
Lyrics submitted by Whatsifsowhatsit
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