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.
I had her on the carpet twisting and squirming about,
Trying to guess what she needs,
Trying to guess what the fuss was about.
She had a conscience that surely did need pricking,
I was there for the picking as she would soon find out.
The Greedy Ugly People are not like us,
They don't feel the love that she and I would die without.
I had her on a chair in the middle of the living room,
And then we went to the bedroom, where we were making spoons.
When we went out she started clicking her heels,
She was sticking her chest out, cause she was starting to feel.
Love don't stop no wars, don't stop no cancer,
It stops my heart.
Trying to guess what she needs,
Trying to guess what the fuss was about.
She had a conscience that surely did need pricking,
I was there for the picking as she would soon find out.
The Greedy Ugly People are not like us,
They don't feel the love that she and I would die without.
I had her on a chair in the middle of the living room,
And then we went to the bedroom, where we were making spoons.
When we went out she started clicking her heels,
She was sticking her chest out, cause she was starting to feel.
Love don't stop no wars, don't stop no cancer,
It stops my heart.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Greedy Ugly People Lyrics as written by Darren Hayman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
This is a very cynical song, but Hefner is all about cynicism when it comes to relationships. Like, raw painful truth. Their songs make me smile with a sneer sometimes, cause it's true. Love ain't all flowers…
Basically some severe co-dependence going on…no need to say more really…
The woman, according to the writers perception, doesn't have the capacity to express what she needs, she seems to have a guilty past, or so the guy thinks/projects is the situation, but maybe is just excusing himself when in fact he is just in it for the sex.
But it is up to the guy, according to himself, to 'work it out' of her somehow, cause she seems closed down and unavailable in some kind of distant silent way.
He notes she was clicking her heels and sticking her chest out cause she was starting to feel - attributing his 'work' as being successful but you don't really trust his observations, cause 'having her on the chair in the middle of the living room', seems like he is just screwing to screw. That's why this kind of 'love' don't stop no wars/cancer just his own heart - cause it's not love. It's his conscience that needs pricking…and he's aware of this, in a way, thus the final refrain - he believe love cannot stop war or heal cancers etc. His understanding of love is so limited, cannot see beyond a physical co-dependent perspective. Sad.