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.
Boys, workin' on empty
Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?
I just think about my baby
I'm so full of love I could barely eat
There's nothing sweeter than my baby
I'd never want once from the cherry tree
'Cause my baby's sweet as can be
She give me toothaches just from kissin' me
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
Boys, when my baby found me
I was three days on a drunken sin
I woke with her walls around me
Nothin' in her room but an empty crib
And I was burnin' up a fever
I didn't care much how long I lived
But I swear I thought I dreamed her
She never asked me once about the wrong I did
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
My babe would never fret none
About what my hands and my body done
If the Lord don't forgive me
I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me
When I was kissing on my baby
And she put her love down soft and sweet
In the low lamplight I was free
Heaven and hell were words to me
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?
I just think about my baby
I'm so full of love I could barely eat
There's nothing sweeter than my baby
I'd never want once from the cherry tree
'Cause my baby's sweet as can be
She give me toothaches just from kissin' me
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
Boys, when my baby found me
I was three days on a drunken sin
I woke with her walls around me
Nothin' in her room but an empty crib
And I was burnin' up a fever
I didn't care much how long I lived
But I swear I thought I dreamed her
She never asked me once about the wrong I did
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
My babe would never fret none
About what my hands and my body done
If the Lord don't forgive me
I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me
When I was kissing on my baby
And she put her love down soft and sweet
In the low lamplight I was free
Heaven and hell were words to me
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
Lyrics submitted by basser, edited by randy11242, teaspill, WunderWolfieHH, sedowney18
Work Song Lyrics as written by Andrew Hozier-byrne
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm not sure about the violence/guilt/abuse interpretation, but here's how I see it:
The man has done many wrongs in his life, to the point where he has ended up on the floor, probably close to death, drunk and high and completely ruined. I think he's telling the story of how he was saved, not quite by an angel, but by his love. As the song progresses, it is apparent he believes he owes his life to her, and that having and loving her is worth more than death. As the chorus states, "No grave can ever hold my body down, I'll crawl home to her." And again in the third verse he says "heaven and hell were but words to me," saying that death and anything after it is virtually nothing compared to her saviour. Perhaps he's saying that the death he almost encountered, whether it was purposeful suicide or otherwise, was a permanent problem to a temporary solution and that all he really needed was this his love. As for the title and the first verse, I think he's just telling his story to his fellow workers, when they're having a hard day at work, he tells them he thinks about this woman who changed his life and saved it and how he's ultimately working for her. Therefore, the work is worth it if it helps his saviour.
I totally agree about him working for his girl, whether literally labouring to put food on the table or working to better himself.
@iaskyousmile I love your interpretation, but about that line " heaven and hell.." I think that he is saying that he is not guided any more by the fear or encorngment From hell or heaven because she is now his Guiding him and they are just words @iaskyousmile