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.
Janeway: Computer, initiate emergency medical holographic program.
Doctor: Please state the nature of the medical emergency.
Yeah, that's the ticket.
Come on y'all, let's take a ride.
Don’t you say Chakotay, just get inside.
It's time to take you all on another kind of ship,
So sit back and hear the tale of a fateful trip.
Captain Janeway's at the helm,
Givin' all of the orders in her Starfleet realm.
Searchin' Badlands for Maquis lunatics,
In the NCC-74656.
Ain't no Jean Luc, ain't no Benji,
Ain't no Klingons, Romulans, or Ferengi,
Or Bajorans, or Cardassians to attack,
So it really don’t matter, we just wanna get back,
I got brought here by the Caretaker.
70,000 light years, and it's such a heartbreaker.
If you can't take the heat, get your ass out the galley.
Uh! No time to dally.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Starflett and Maquis learning to survive.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
By the time I get home, I'll be 105.
I'm tryin' to find a way that I can be objective,
And still not violate the Prime Directive.
Help the Ocampa find a way to live on,
Without livin' in fear of the Keyzon.
And even if I get away from those Keyzon idiots,
I still gotta worry about those phagin' Vidians.
They're gross and decrepit, but they do not beg,
Cause and rendezvous will cost an arm and a leg.
I try to have faith in my crew,
but sometimes my crew keeps splittin' in two.
"You don’t understand about fightin' to be free,
'Cause you ain't Maquis!"
And, "You know how to take orders and stand to the beat,
'Cause now you're Starfleet!"
If you wanna get home, then just stop this fight.
(Hell yeah) And let the crew unite.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
We do what we do just to survive.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Just cruisin' along at warp 9.5.
Holo Doc Zimmerman could be nicer,
But still I gotta say to him "Hail Lord Schweitzer!"
And Kes will finesse will impress on the test
And the rest may have guessed, as a nurse, she's the best.
Neelix, is cookin' up the soup dujour,
for Security Vulcan, Tuvok Shakur.
Chakotay helps me to adapt,
And Ensign Harry Kim is always gettin' kidnapped.
The pilot Tom Paris is an egotister,
He went out with both of the Delaney sisters,
And I'm sure he'll wanna, get with B'lanna
Torres Klingonna, tryin' to reach nirvana.
Searchin' and scannin' and cavortin'.
If we wanna get somewhere, then we better start warpin'
That's the way I rock a jam on the UPN.
Stay tuned, up next is Platypus Man.
Come along and fly on a fantastic platypus.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Richard Jeni makes me laugh with a twist of lime.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Monday nights, 8 o'clock, Eastern Standard Time.
Just warp along. That's what you do. Just warp along. That's right.
Just warp along. That's what you do. Just warp along. That's right.
Do you want to Trek with me?
Do you want to Trek with me?
Do you want to Trek with me?
Do you want to Trek with me?
Doctor: Please state the nature of the medical emergency.
Yeah, that's the ticket.
Come on y'all, let's take a ride.
Don’t you say Chakotay, just get inside.
It's time to take you all on another kind of ship,
So sit back and hear the tale of a fateful trip.
Captain Janeway's at the helm,
Givin' all of the orders in her Starfleet realm.
Searchin' Badlands for Maquis lunatics,
In the NCC-74656.
Ain't no Jean Luc, ain't no Benji,
Ain't no Klingons, Romulans, or Ferengi,
Or Bajorans, or Cardassians to attack,
So it really don’t matter, we just wanna get back,
I got brought here by the Caretaker.
70,000 light years, and it's such a heartbreaker.
If you can't take the heat, get your ass out the galley.
Uh! No time to dally.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Starflett and Maquis learning to survive.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
By the time I get home, I'll be 105.
I'm tryin' to find a way that I can be objective,
And still not violate the Prime Directive.
Help the Ocampa find a way to live on,
Without livin' in fear of the Keyzon.
And even if I get away from those Keyzon idiots,
I still gotta worry about those phagin' Vidians.
They're gross and decrepit, but they do not beg,
Cause and rendezvous will cost an arm and a leg.
I try to have faith in my crew,
but sometimes my crew keeps splittin' in two.
"You don’t understand about fightin' to be free,
'Cause you ain't Maquis!"
And, "You know how to take orders and stand to the beat,
'Cause now you're Starfleet!"
If you wanna get home, then just stop this fight.
(Hell yeah) And let the crew unite.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
We do what we do just to survive.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Just cruisin' along at warp 9.5.
Holo Doc Zimmerman could be nicer,
But still I gotta say to him "Hail Lord Schweitzer!"
And Kes will finesse will impress on the test
And the rest may have guessed, as a nurse, she's the best.
Neelix, is cookin' up the soup dujour,
for Security Vulcan, Tuvok Shakur.
Chakotay helps me to adapt,
And Ensign Harry Kim is always gettin' kidnapped.
The pilot Tom Paris is an egotister,
He went out with both of the Delaney sisters,
And I'm sure he'll wanna, get with B'lanna
Torres Klingonna, tryin' to reach nirvana.
Searchin' and scannin' and cavortin'.
If we wanna get somewhere, then we better start warpin'
That's the way I rock a jam on the UPN.
Stay tuned, up next is Platypus Man.
Come along and fly on a fantastic platypus.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Richard Jeni makes me laugh with a twist of lime.
Come along and fly on a fantastic Voyager.
Slide, Slipidy slide.
Monday nights, 8 o'clock, Eastern Standard Time.
Just warp along. That's what you do. Just warp along. That's right.
Just warp along. That's what you do. Just warp along. That's right.
Do you want to Trek with me?
Do you want to Trek with me?
Do you want to Trek with me?
Do you want to Trek with me?
Lyrics submitted by JohnnyLurg
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.