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.
Me and Willie played in a country band
Seven long years together playing those one night stands
Used to say the booze and bars is going to wear him out
Hold On, a song he wrote tear your heart right out
We traveled the northern route and from the Greate Lakes to Monreal
Hitting all the honky-tonks, I bet we played them all
Willie played to ease his soul and drank to ease his mind
I never understood how he played it so good while drinking himself half blind
And you wouldn't think a man so weak could be so strong
Take a crowd of rowdy drunks and hush them with a song
And I'd rather be singing my heart out in a dark and dingy bar
Hitting those high notes with Willie's sad guitar
And I'd rather be singing a blues song, singing sweet and high
Willie standing right by my side playing country slide
Me and Willie watched a lot of dreams die young
Plans we made how quick they fade, fumbling one by one
Willie never let it bother him and if he did, it didn't show
You know he had a way of letting go and sing the blue times old
And you wouldn't think a man so weak could be so strong
Take the blues right out of you and put them in a song
I'd rather be singing a blues song, singing sweet and high
Willie standing right by my side playing country slide
I left Willie in a bar in Marietta
Couldn't stand to watch the man I love drink himself to death
Now I'm working in Ottawa and I'm doing well I guess
You know the good life don't look so good from behind a desk
And I'd rather be singing a blues song, singing sweet and high
Willie standing right by my side playing country slide
Seven long years together playing those one night stands
Used to say the booze and bars is going to wear him out
Hold On, a song he wrote tear your heart right out
We traveled the northern route and from the Greate Lakes to Monreal
Hitting all the honky-tonks, I bet we played them all
Willie played to ease his soul and drank to ease his mind
I never understood how he played it so good while drinking himself half blind
And you wouldn't think a man so weak could be so strong
Take a crowd of rowdy drunks and hush them with a song
And I'd rather be singing my heart out in a dark and dingy bar
Hitting those high notes with Willie's sad guitar
And I'd rather be singing a blues song, singing sweet and high
Willie standing right by my side playing country slide
Me and Willie watched a lot of dreams die young
Plans we made how quick they fade, fumbling one by one
Willie never let it bother him and if he did, it didn't show
You know he had a way of letting go and sing the blue times old
And you wouldn't think a man so weak could be so strong
Take the blues right out of you and put them in a song
I'd rather be singing a blues song, singing sweet and high
Willie standing right by my side playing country slide
I left Willie in a bar in Marietta
Couldn't stand to watch the man I love drink himself to death
Now I'm working in Ottawa and I'm doing well I guess
You know the good life don't look so good from behind a desk
And I'd rather be singing a blues song, singing sweet and high
Willie standing right by my side playing country slide
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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