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.
Yeah, I love you so much.
I don't need to resist.
I don't need to exist.
Dripping blue blood from the wrist.
I don't need to resist.
And all the neighbors get pissed when I come home.
I make em nervous.
Yeah, I make em nervous.
Crack a window, crack a broken bone.
Crack your knuckles when you're at home.
Lick an ice cream cone. Crack a bone.
All you had to do was ask.
Who is it that wears the mask?
When you give me the task.
Leave me broke and shirtless.
Check your lips at the door woman.
Shake your hips like battleships.
Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
Sing. Sing. Sing.
I only got one face da da da da.
I tried too long to erase.
You know if I left. da da da da.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
If I left you woman, you know, I wouldn't leave a trace.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
If I left, you'd never see me again.
You'd never see me again.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
You'd never see me again.
I don't need to resist.
I don't need to exist.
Dripping blue blood from the wrist.
I don't need to resist.
And all the neighbors get pissed when I come home.
I make em nervous.
Yeah, I make em nervous.
Crack a window, crack a broken bone.
Crack your knuckles when you're at home.
Lick an ice cream cone. Crack a bone.
All you had to do was ask.
Who is it that wears the mask?
When you give me the task.
Leave me broke and shirtless.
Check your lips at the door woman.
Shake your hips like battleships.
Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
Sing. Sing. Sing.
I only got one face da da da da.
I tried too long to erase.
You know if I left. da da da da.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
If I left you woman, you know, I wouldn't leave a trace.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
If I left, you'd never see me again.
You'd never see me again.
I wouldn't leave a trace.
You'd never see me again.
Lyrics submitted by deepintheorchard, edited by JayKlook
Blue Blood Blues Lyrics as written by Jack White Jack Lawrence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I like maxperkins' thinking.
I don't know what it's about. I've spent a long time trying to figure it out to no avail, but I was wondering whether 'blue blood' is a reference to those of a aristocratic background (blue blooded people) and that he's "dripping blue blood from his wrist" that even though he is seperated from ordinary people by his wealth and fame, he still feels and he lets that out through the songs. That kind of ties in with "when you give me the task you leave me broke and shirtless"- he's as vulnerable as anyone else, which is shown through the music.
Maybe the part "check your lips at the door woman/ shake your hips like battleships" is about temptation to stray from what he's loyal to because the opportunity is always there because of who he is- either through people he knows or through fans or groupies, taking the idea that the White maybe should be capitalised, so it's "all the White girls trip when I sing at sunday service"- him being Jack White, singing, he had a religious upbringing but he does rock'n'roll, so girls like the fact he's the good boy gone bad, or vice versa.
The part about having the face he tried to erase might be about the fact he tried hard to hide from the fame and notoriety in the early days, but he's embraced it knowing that he could live without it now if he wanted to. When he says "if I left you woman, you know" I'm thinking he was aiming it at somebody, don't know who, but just playing on his own words.