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.
You look out your window at the cold grey dawn
It's seven o'clock on a Monday morning
Pour a cup of coffee, better make it a strong one
Weather man on the radio says
It's going to rain and it's going to blow
But i'll be all right, it'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run
Australia marched out of Vietnam
Out on the streets against Uncle Sam,
We won the fight, it was a long one
Uranium demo the other day
One of my mates got dragged away
As they slammed the door I heard her say
It'll be all right in the long run
Italian bloke who works with me
We swap laughs and company
And he slapped me on the back
Said "You're wrong, son
This isn't the land I was told it would be
It's not so equal and not so free
But i'll be all right, it'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run"
From the shadow of history a convict screams
The shearers curse, the people dream
We've taken some right turns
They've been the wrong ones
Troop ships leave and the headlines blaze
Australia remembers happier days
And the faith lives on within the haze
It'll be all right in the long run
So you sit in your camp and you stare at the fire
The doubts drop away as the hopes get higher
And you sing to yourself
It'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run
And the sun gives ground to a long cold night
You screw your courage for another night
But you know in your heart
But i'll be all right, it'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run
And the sun streams in with power and might
And you look at your kids in a different light
And you know in your heart as you kiss them goodnight
It'll be all right in the long run.
It's seven o'clock on a Monday morning
Pour a cup of coffee, better make it a strong one
Weather man on the radio says
It's going to rain and it's going to blow
But i'll be all right, it'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run
Australia marched out of Vietnam
Out on the streets against Uncle Sam,
We won the fight, it was a long one
Uranium demo the other day
One of my mates got dragged away
As they slammed the door I heard her say
It'll be all right in the long run
Italian bloke who works with me
We swap laughs and company
And he slapped me on the back
Said "You're wrong, son
This isn't the land I was told it would be
It's not so equal and not so free
But i'll be all right, it'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run"
From the shadow of history a convict screams
The shearers curse, the people dream
We've taken some right turns
They've been the wrong ones
Troop ships leave and the headlines blaze
Australia remembers happier days
And the faith lives on within the haze
It'll be all right in the long run
So you sit in your camp and you stare at the fire
The doubts drop away as the hopes get higher
And you sing to yourself
It'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run
And the sun gives ground to a long cold night
You screw your courage for another night
But you know in your heart
But i'll be all right, it'll be all right, it'll be all right in the long run
And the sun streams in with power and might
And you look at your kids in a different light
And you know in your heart as you kiss them goodnight
It'll be all right in the long run.
Lyrics submitted by blood is thin
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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