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.
Jesse and the padre try to keep things cool
Knowing exactly how to make stone into jewels
The judge was the kind of man who always talked fast
And the way things were going
His world wouldn't last
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The judge said boys don't you know this town is mine
Don't going try to change it everything will be just fine
Those desperadoes don't pay them no mind
Everybody knows that they can't read or write
The judge put Jesse in the jail
Although there is no crime
The padre tried to get him out
With a stick of dynamite
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays a price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
Oh no
The drifter knows he can't always go with the tide
The time will come when he'll have to choose up sides
Which way will he go will it be left or right
The judge says things are either black or white
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
Knowing exactly how to make stone into jewels
The judge was the kind of man who always talked fast
And the way things were going
His world wouldn't last
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The judge said boys don't you know this town is mine
Don't going try to change it everything will be just fine
Those desperadoes don't pay them no mind
Everybody knows that they can't read or write
The judge put Jesse in the jail
Although there is no crime
The padre tried to get him out
With a stick of dynamite
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays a price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
Oh no
The drifter knows he can't always go with the tide
The time will come when he'll have to choose up sides
Which way will he go will it be left or right
The judge says things are either black or white
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Drifter Lyrics as written by Bogart Giner Anna Pesquidous
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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