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.
White door, ninth floor, silent number
It's autumn on a cold avenue
Telex intercept, he sips a cigarette
And warms up his V.D.U.
He gets his kicks from microchips
Orders from the C.I.A.
Birobugs and lasers, casual surveillance
Boardrooms and communiques
Don't use your phone and don't use mine
Don't speak treason, they're tapping the line
Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything's legal, anything goes
The nights gettinG darker and an ill wind blows
Your life's in a databank at ASIO
Trained in the ghettos of the Lebanon
Truncheons and an M16
Selling skag, a U.N. flag
Now he's trading in securities
Darwin rendezvous, a B-52, trenchcoat slightly creased
From a coup in Asia, A U.S. Air Force major
Buying dirty laundry, swearin' it's for peace
Infiltration, we'll never know
Just like Chile but the bruises don't show
Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything's legal, anything goes
The nights get darker and an ill wind blows
Your life's in a databank at ASIO
Spook behind the bar, unmarked car
Rumour hangs like stale perfume
Flushing under beds, sniffin' out the Reds
Nobody can feel immune
No names, no stress, no blame, no press
Clean when the dirty work's done
Allocate a budget, special branch thugs
Do it for the practice, do it for the fun
Midnight, flashlight, a crash on the door
Rats on the table, blood on the floor
Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything's legal, anything goes
The nights get darker and an ill wind blows
Your life's in a databank at ASIO
It's autumn on a cold avenue
Telex intercept, he sips a cigarette
And warms up his V.D.U.
He gets his kicks from microchips
Orders from the C.I.A.
Birobugs and lasers, casual surveillance
Boardrooms and communiques
Don't use your phone and don't use mine
Don't speak treason, they're tapping the line
Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything's legal, anything goes
The nights gettinG darker and an ill wind blows
Your life's in a databank at ASIO
Trained in the ghettos of the Lebanon
Truncheons and an M16
Selling skag, a U.N. flag
Now he's trading in securities
Darwin rendezvous, a B-52, trenchcoat slightly creased
From a coup in Asia, A U.S. Air Force major
Buying dirty laundry, swearin' it's for peace
Infiltration, we'll never know
Just like Chile but the bruises don't show
Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything's legal, anything goes
The nights get darker and an ill wind blows
Your life's in a databank at ASIO
Spook behind the bar, unmarked car
Rumour hangs like stale perfume
Flushing under beds, sniffin' out the Reds
Nobody can feel immune
No names, no stress, no blame, no press
Clean when the dirty work's done
Allocate a budget, special branch thugs
Do it for the practice, do it for the fun
Midnight, flashlight, a crash on the door
Rats on the table, blood on the floor
Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything's legal, anything goes
The nights get darker and an ill wind blows
Your life's in a databank at ASIO
Lyrics submitted by blood is thin
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