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.
Wake you sleepers
It's time to get dressed
Somebody's coming
So you better look your best
Cause out in the garden
There's things you hid away
But the grass has withered
And the flower's begun to fade
And there's nowhere left to hide it
Someone's sure to find it
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(Soon will be)
Soon will be gone
(Soon will be)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
Dear Mr. Thoughtless,
There's thing you shouldn't say
(Things you shouldn't say)
For the judge can hear you
And it soon will be the day
(Soon will be the day)
Well he'll bring the words you spoke
And lay them at your feet
(Lay them at your feet)
Syllables and decibels
He didn't miss a beat
(Didn't, didn't)
And we'll see what you can do to try to buy and lie your way outta this one, pal.
Cause the world is gonna be
Gone, gone.
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(Soon will be)
Soon will be gone
(Soon will be)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
We are all guilty of importance
(Playing life is hard)
Borrow money and a Porsche
(Stealing poorly from afar)
But we want it
We need attention here
Or else we're just like everybody else
Is that wrong?
Romans and countrymen please lend me your ears
There's some late-breaking news
I know you'd like to hear
But the papers won't print it
And the TV's just won't air
Nobody gets the word
'Cuz there's nobody there
(There's no one)
As the scales were set
And the measurements taken
For the sheep left left for
The Great Vacation
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
It's time to get dressed
Somebody's coming
So you better look your best
Cause out in the garden
There's things you hid away
But the grass has withered
And the flower's begun to fade
And there's nowhere left to hide it
Someone's sure to find it
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(Soon will be)
Soon will be gone
(Soon will be)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
Dear Mr. Thoughtless,
There's thing you shouldn't say
(Things you shouldn't say)
For the judge can hear you
And it soon will be the day
(Soon will be the day)
Well he'll bring the words you spoke
And lay them at your feet
(Lay them at your feet)
Syllables and decibels
He didn't miss a beat
(Didn't, didn't)
And we'll see what you can do to try to buy and lie your way outta this one, pal.
Cause the world is gonna be
Gone, gone.
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
(Soon will be)
Soon will be gone
(Soon will be)
All of the world
(All of the)
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
We are all guilty of importance
(Playing life is hard)
Borrow money and a Porsche
(Stealing poorly from afar)
But we want it
We need attention here
Or else we're just like everybody else
Is that wrong?
Romans and countrymen please lend me your ears
There's some late-breaking news
I know you'd like to hear
But the papers won't print it
And the TV's just won't air
Nobody gets the word
'Cuz there's nobody there
(There's no one)
As the scales were set
And the measurements taken
For the sheep left left for
The Great Vacation
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
All of the world
All of the world
All of the world
Soon will be gone
Lyrics submitted by MrDelirious, edited by zanyzarah
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I interpret this as not a literal song about the end of the world, but the end of a cult. In my opinion, this song addresses the leader of a cult who’s finally facing repercussions for his actions. This is the end of his world as he knows it. The first stanza screams “cult leader who stopped getting away with all his nefarious shenanigans” to me. The flowers have begun to fade? Seems like members of the cult and even outsiders no longer view the cult as the idyllic utopia that it’s been advertised as. In the third and fourth stanza, the song is telling the cult leader that he’s going to trial for what he’s done, and he’ll most definitely be found guilty. I feel that stanza six is referring to the urge that everyone experiences to gain power, so the speaker has at least some empathy for the leader of the cult. Then, in stanza seven, I believe that the cult members are now gone—not the entire world. They’ve abandoned their leader for good, which is why stories about the cult will never reach them. It’s behind them now. In the following stanza, all the sheep left for… respite. Respite from the cult. Sounds like a great vacation to me! This is just what I think because I have too much time on my hands and like to analyze things I don’t completely understand at first.
@musicnerd23 <br /> <br /> FACT!!