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.
Today is the day, bewilderness
Comes to reclaim everything
Burning bridge lights up the sky
Zip your lip until you've picked a side
You get right up then sit back down
The revolution is one spin 'round
You get back up then sit right down
A revolution is one spin 'round
All for one, all for naught
Perish, baby, perish the thought
Beat the kids to the punch
You've got heart, I'll have it for lunch
You get right up then sit back down
The revolution is one spin 'round
You get back up then sit right down
Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, we all fall down
Tell me, where's the goddamn gold?
Gold
Pretty pets, once were wild
Domesticated love slave, give us a smile
You got a number, is it the same?
Who you belong to?
You feral or tame? (Probably tame)
Tell us where you keep the gold (For what?)
We wanna help you rule the world (I think not)
We won't tell a single soul (So they all say)
So tell us, where's the goddamn gold?
I'll tell you where the gold is
It's in the ground
You wonder where's the reason?
It's in the lost and found
I'll tell you where the gold is
It's in the ground
You wonder where's the freedom?
In the lost and found
Still not found
I'll tell you where the gold is
It's all mine
Mine
Get right up, kneel and bow
Where's your revolution now?
Get back up, sit right down
Tears of gold, drink them down
Get right up, kneel and bow
Shrunken heads parade through town
Tears of gold, drink them down
Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, we all fall down
Comes to reclaim everything
Burning bridge lights up the sky
Zip your lip until you've picked a side
You get right up then sit back down
The revolution is one spin 'round
You get back up then sit right down
A revolution is one spin 'round
All for one, all for naught
Perish, baby, perish the thought
Beat the kids to the punch
You've got heart, I'll have it for lunch
You get right up then sit back down
The revolution is one spin 'round
You get back up then sit right down
Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, we all fall down
Tell me, where's the goddamn gold?
Gold
Pretty pets, once were wild
Domesticated love slave, give us a smile
You got a number, is it the same?
Who you belong to?
You feral or tame? (Probably tame)
Tell us where you keep the gold (For what?)
We wanna help you rule the world (I think not)
We won't tell a single soul (So they all say)
So tell us, where's the goddamn gold?
I'll tell you where the gold is
It's in the ground
You wonder where's the reason?
It's in the lost and found
I'll tell you where the gold is
It's in the ground
You wonder where's the freedom?
In the lost and found
Still not found
I'll tell you where the gold is
It's all mine
Mine
Get right up, kneel and bow
Where's your revolution now?
Get back up, sit right down
Tears of gold, drink them down
Get right up, kneel and bow
Shrunken heads parade through town
Tears of gold, drink them down
Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, we all fall down
Lyrics submitted by nzgoodfella
Domesticated Animals Lyrics as written by Joshua Michael Homme Dean Anthony Fertita
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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So far after a few listens I think this song is about how Americans get upset about our current society/politics, but ultimately do nothing about it. (Get right up, sit back down). We fight and struggle for equality and fair wages, but always give in (I'll tell you where the gold is; It's all mine; Mine, from the perspective of the superior). Furthermore, we simply go back to appeasing our superiors of Government and large corporations (Get right up, kneel and bow)
We are the Domesticated Animals.
@zach101352 I wonder what the shrunken heads line means though.
Citizens of the world apart from the ultra elite that pull the strings with money are domesticated animals:
Today is the day, bewilderness Comes to reclaim everything Burning bridge lights up the sky Zip your lip until you've picked a side
Bewilderment is a feeling of being perplexed and confused. Wilderness is a vast expanse. The feeling is always expanding. 'A burning bridge' or an act of terrorism: you zip your lips until you've picked the side of the argument. You are forced to comply with partisanship or your voice will not be heard. Sanity and logic don't work.
You get right up then sit back down The revolution is one spin 'round You get back up then sit right down A revolution is one spin 'round
You vote for change. "If my side wins it will be revolutionary"...until the other side wins. Repeat exponentially.
All for one, all for naught Perish, baby, perish the thought Beat the kids to the punch You've got heart, I'll have it for lunch
All for one and one for all: This is what divides both political sides between the right and left. Perish baby or perish the thought. You choose on abortion .Beat the kids to the punch and you've got heart, I'll have it for lunch: leaving the next generation with worse problems.
Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, we all fall down:
We are getting so partisan that we will collapse.
I'll tell you where the gold is It's in the ground You wonder where's the reason? It's in the lost and found
The profit is war. You being 6 feet under. It's found with you in the ground. The reason for war is to create conflict. Freedom is constantly lost and found on purpose to generate war for profit.
Get right up, kneel and bow Shrunken heads parade through town Tears of gold, drink them down Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, we all fall down
Hardly anyone realizes everything I've pointed out. We are stupid. Our brains are small (shrunken). Tears of gold we keep drinking, they give us a small share of their profit just to keep us happy enough not to turn.
If we keep going like this we are all going to fall down.