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.
Well, did you hear the good news?
There's gonna be some bad blues
Somebody said they're playing all night long
So go and fill your brown bag and put on all your clean rags
Let's go downtown and see what's going on
You take me down the Vine Street
Stop when you hear the back beat
And I'll sneak past the bounccer at the door
Now I know that he ain't looking
Not when the band is cooking
Because he's watching the ladies dancing on the floor
Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving
Well, the scotch has started flowing
And some girls she is showing everything she's got
Folks, it's a sight!
Some men will give a week's pay if she would just dance down their way and say
"Baby, I'm gonna take you home with me tonight"
Outside the streets is shaking and I hear the windows breaking
Some poor fool's gonna land in jail tonight
Well, all those hookers trying to pull your coat and the pimps reach out to cut your throat
Ain't no way out of here without a fight
(What's that fool saying?)
Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving
"Hi, you know that you're going to get arrested
The way that those pants fit around your thighs
Oh, come back honey! Don't leave now."
"Hey, bud
Come here, let me talk to you for a second
Give me that"
"Cops coming"
"869 Victor"
"Jesus, this guy's a mess"
"Well, he's just drunk
Come on, pick him up, put him in the car
And take him downtown"
Well, his mama told him not to go
Little sister told him too
But the poor boy just didn't listen
Like he should have, that's too bad
He hitchhiked all the way from Burbank
Now, he's gonna end up in drunk tank
Some old man say
"Yeah, well, that's just the way it goes down in Hollywood"
Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
For truth! Man, I'm telling you
Well, they'll do anything down in that low-down Hollywood
He'll be in a world of trouble now
Lord, have mercy
Can I get a witness
There's gonna be some bad blues
Somebody said they're playing all night long
So go and fill your brown bag and put on all your clean rags
Let's go downtown and see what's going on
You take me down the Vine Street
Stop when you hear the back beat
And I'll sneak past the bounccer at the door
Now I know that he ain't looking
Not when the band is cooking
Because he's watching the ladies dancing on the floor
Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving
Well, the scotch has started flowing
And some girls she is showing everything she's got
Folks, it's a sight!
Some men will give a week's pay if she would just dance down their way and say
"Baby, I'm gonna take you home with me tonight"
Outside the streets is shaking and I hear the windows breaking
Some poor fool's gonna land in jail tonight
Well, all those hookers trying to pull your coat and the pimps reach out to cut your throat
Ain't no way out of here without a fight
(What's that fool saying?)
Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving
"Hi, you know that you're going to get arrested
The way that those pants fit around your thighs
Oh, come back honey! Don't leave now."
"Hey, bud
Come here, let me talk to you for a second
Give me that"
"Cops coming"
"869 Victor"
"Jesus, this guy's a mess"
"Well, he's just drunk
Come on, pick him up, put him in the car
And take him downtown"
Well, his mama told him not to go
Little sister told him too
But the poor boy just didn't listen
Like he should have, that's too bad
He hitchhiked all the way from Burbank
Now, he's gonna end up in drunk tank
Some old man say
"Yeah, well, that's just the way it goes down in Hollywood"
Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
For truth! Man, I'm telling you
Well, they'll do anything down in that low-down Hollywood
He'll be in a world of trouble now
Lord, have mercy
Can I get a witness
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Down in Hollywood Lyrics as written by Timothy Lee Drummond Ryland Peter Cooder
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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