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.
Early one morning at county line
The swells 4-6 approaching 9
The barrel of my life hit the Malibu Sky
A Golden State Pipe
Conchita was mine
Suddenly a local on a Boogie in a thong
Cut in on my line
My Barrel was gone
Her Pepperdine stud screamed,
Val that's what you get
I shot him with a gun behind Neptune's Net.
Killed a man I don't know what the fuss is
I'm just looking for some California Justice
Took off in the Mustang for the 395
Double double in Mohave
Took a left at Lone Pine
I powered up the top of Mt Whitney
They may not have a Jamba Juice but here they'll never get me
While working my tan looked down the cliff to see
A line of black and whites dropped by a yellow jersey
Called Uncle Arnie said,
What's going on
He said,
New sheriff in town name's Lance Armstrong
Killed a man I don't know what the fuss is
I'm just looking for some California justice
Hired a fixer to keep things blurry
Sent the shuttle to space for the perfect jury
The judge dropped the bar and to the court decreed
You can lay down all you like
Tell me what you see
I'm free
Heading up the Truckee River
To catch me a brown though the water makes me shiver
Mistake I made was crossing the border
Casinos for me are cooked and made to order
I didn't intend to kill the dealer last night
But I doubled down to 20
His 16 pulled a 5
Now I'm heading back to Cali bound for Tahoe City
Killed a man I don't know what the fuss is
I'm just looking for some California justice
Moral of the story keep the straight and narrow
Your eyes on the ball
Your hands off the sparrow
Every country needs one broken arrow
At least we gave you Ronnie Reagan, Sonny & Chero
I'll meet you down behind Neptune's Net
Catch my honey in the thong
Do you get it yet?
We'll catch barrels every day
I'm just surfing U.S.A.
The swells 4-6 approaching 9
The barrel of my life hit the Malibu Sky
A Golden State Pipe
Conchita was mine
Suddenly a local on a Boogie in a thong
Cut in on my line
My Barrel was gone
Her Pepperdine stud screamed,
Val that's what you get
I shot him with a gun behind Neptune's Net.
Killed a man I don't know what the fuss is
I'm just looking for some California Justice
Took off in the Mustang for the 395
Double double in Mohave
Took a left at Lone Pine
I powered up the top of Mt Whitney
They may not have a Jamba Juice but here they'll never get me
While working my tan looked down the cliff to see
A line of black and whites dropped by a yellow jersey
Called Uncle Arnie said,
What's going on
He said,
New sheriff in town name's Lance Armstrong
Killed a man I don't know what the fuss is
I'm just looking for some California justice
Hired a fixer to keep things blurry
Sent the shuttle to space for the perfect jury
The judge dropped the bar and to the court decreed
You can lay down all you like
Tell me what you see
I'm free
Heading up the Truckee River
To catch me a brown though the water makes me shiver
Mistake I made was crossing the border
Casinos for me are cooked and made to order
I didn't intend to kill the dealer last night
But I doubled down to 20
His 16 pulled a 5
Now I'm heading back to Cali bound for Tahoe City
Killed a man I don't know what the fuss is
I'm just looking for some California justice
Moral of the story keep the straight and narrow
Your eyes on the ball
Your hands off the sparrow
Every country needs one broken arrow
At least we gave you Ronnie Reagan, Sonny & Chero
I'll meet you down behind Neptune's Net
Catch my honey in the thong
Do you get it yet?
We'll catch barrels every day
I'm just surfing U.S.A.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
California Justice Lyrics as written by John Ondrasik
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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