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.
Sing us the song of the century
That sings like American eulogy
The dawn of my love and conspiracy
Of forgotten hope and the class of 13
Tell me a story into that goodnight
Sing us a song for me
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Red alert is the color of panic
Elevated to the point of static
Beating into the hearts of the fanatics
And the neighborhood's a loaded gun
Idle thought leads to full-throttle screaming
And the welfare is asphyxiating
Mass confusion is all the new rage
And it's creating a feeding ground
For the bottom feeders of hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
True sounds of maniacal laughter
And the deaf-mute is misleading the choir
The punchline is a natural disaster
And it's sung by the unemployed
Fight fire with a riot
The class war is hanging on a wire
Because the martyr is a compulsive liar
When he said
"It's just a bunch of niggers throwing gas into the hysteria"
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
There's a disturbance on the oceanside
They tapped into the reserve
The static response is so unclear now
Mayday, this is not a test!
As the neighborhood burns, America is falling
Vigilantes warning you
Calling Christian and Gloria
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I'm the class of thirteen
In the era of dissent
A hostage of the soul
On a strike to pay the rent
The last of the rebels
Without a common ground
I'm gonna light a fire
Into the underground
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I am a nation
Without bureaucratic ties
Deny the allegation as it's written
I want to take a ride to the great divide
Beyond the "up to date"
And the neo-gentrified
The high definition for the low resident
Where the value of your mind
Is not held in contempt
I can hear the sound of
A beating heart
That bleeds beyond a system
That's falling apart
With money to burn
On minimum wage
Cause I don't give a shit
About the modern age
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
That sings like American eulogy
The dawn of my love and conspiracy
Of forgotten hope and the class of 13
Tell me a story into that goodnight
Sing us a song for me
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Red alert is the color of panic
Elevated to the point of static
Beating into the hearts of the fanatics
And the neighborhood's a loaded gun
Idle thought leads to full-throttle screaming
And the welfare is asphyxiating
Mass confusion is all the new rage
And it's creating a feeding ground
For the bottom feeders of hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
True sounds of maniacal laughter
And the deaf-mute is misleading the choir
The punchline is a natural disaster
And it's sung by the unemployed
Fight fire with a riot
The class war is hanging on a wire
Because the martyr is a compulsive liar
When he said
"It's just a bunch of niggers throwing gas into the hysteria"
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
Mass hysteria
There's a disturbance on the oceanside
They tapped into the reserve
The static response is so unclear now
Mayday, this is not a test!
As the neighborhood burns, America is falling
Vigilantes warning you
Calling Christian and Gloria
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I'm the class of thirteen
In the era of dissent
A hostage of the soul
On a strike to pay the rent
The last of the rebels
Without a common ground
I'm gonna light a fire
Into the underground
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I am a nation
Without bureaucratic ties
Deny the allegation as it's written
I want to take a ride to the great divide
Beyond the "up to date"
And the neo-gentrified
The high definition for the low resident
Where the value of your mind
Is not held in contempt
I can hear the sound of
A beating heart
That bleeds beyond a system
That's falling apart
With money to burn
On minimum wage
Cause I don't give a shit
About the modern age
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
I don't want to live in the modern world
Mass hysteria
Lyrics submitted by bfg1024, edited by Mellow_Harsher
American Eulogy: A. Mass Hysteria/B. Modern World Lyrics as written by Frank E. Billie Joe Armstrong
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
"Mass Hysteria" sounds a bit like "Deadbeat Holiday" from Warning. Also... "Mass Hysteria" is a song by Social Distortion (different song all together of course)... and on the deluxe version they cover Social Distortion's "Another State of Mind." But, I'm pretty sure this is just a huge coincidence.
Also, on the deluxe version they cover Dylan, The Who, and Arthur Crudup.
funny you say that new moon, because around 3:17 when the mini-solo kicks in, it sounds exactly like that one part of I Fought The Law. if i knew how to read tabs, im sure i'd find a huge similarity