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.
A thousand marks,
to start a fire.
The price we pay,
for wars retire.
Worthless paper,
sooth and ash...
The streets are lined with devalued cash.
Depression reigns,
a shroud descends.
No place to work,
no trust in friends.
Food is scarce,
our children cry,
they are the victims of Versailles.
To steal or die,
please tell me why?
Forced into this life.
A shameful choice,
from whom to take.
I won't look deep,
they are opaque.
A treaty signed, sealed our fate.
All winters long, doomed to stagflate.
The pleasant life peace should leave,
denied to us they did conceive.
We are pawns in their deadly games.
Tell me whats gained for all we lost?
I heard a speech from a Munich man,
he had a vision and a master plan.
He promised we could take the reigns,
we need not live, tied up in chains.
We'd rise again, we'd take our land...
From east to west,
from Alps to sand.
My son admired the Nazi plan.
He raised his hand, so it began...
The blame for the great war we bore the full brunt,
but Germans were killed to on the western front.
I maybe a child but I know right and wrong...
The youth of the nation we train to grow strong.
Our fathers before us we seek our vengeance,
the years of oppression now time to advance.
We will reclaim our peoples living space,
we are the children of the aryan race.
At sixteen we're soldiers armed with Lugers and knives,
elsewhere at our age toys still rule children lives.
The fire in his eyes,
His savage desires,
woven into his mind,
Re-shapen by lies.
His soul's been acquired,
ripped up rewired.
He was only a child, only a child.
His childhood'ss demise,
his school's just a guise,
propaganda and lies, willing to give his life.
He knows his place one of the master race.
He was only a child, only a child.
Father has betrayed the fuhrer this night.
He will not accept that we all have the right,
to take what is ours and enslave the lesser race.
He's not my father he is a disgrace.
Send him to Austwich to them he'll relate.
All who are impure they'll suffer the fate.
The red army beckons they knock at our gates.
We are the last line their deaths we await!
The fire in his eyes,
His savage desires,
woven into his mind,
Re-shapen by lies.
His soul's been acquired,
ripped up rewired.
He was only a child, only a child.
His childhood'ss demise,
his school's just a guise,
propaganda and lies, willing to give his life.
He knows his place one of the master race.
He was only a child, only a child.
to start a fire.
The price we pay,
for wars retire.
Worthless paper,
sooth and ash...
The streets are lined with devalued cash.
Depression reigns,
a shroud descends.
No place to work,
no trust in friends.
Food is scarce,
our children cry,
they are the victims of Versailles.
To steal or die,
please tell me why?
Forced into this life.
A shameful choice,
from whom to take.
I won't look deep,
they are opaque.
A treaty signed, sealed our fate.
All winters long, doomed to stagflate.
The pleasant life peace should leave,
denied to us they did conceive.
We are pawns in their deadly games.
Tell me whats gained for all we lost?
I heard a speech from a Munich man,
he had a vision and a master plan.
He promised we could take the reigns,
we need not live, tied up in chains.
We'd rise again, we'd take our land...
From east to west,
from Alps to sand.
My son admired the Nazi plan.
He raised his hand, so it began...
The blame for the great war we bore the full brunt,
but Germans were killed to on the western front.
I maybe a child but I know right and wrong...
The youth of the nation we train to grow strong.
Our fathers before us we seek our vengeance,
the years of oppression now time to advance.
We will reclaim our peoples living space,
we are the children of the aryan race.
At sixteen we're soldiers armed with Lugers and knives,
elsewhere at our age toys still rule children lives.
The fire in his eyes,
His savage desires,
woven into his mind,
Re-shapen by lies.
His soul's been acquired,
ripped up rewired.
He was only a child, only a child.
His childhood'ss demise,
his school's just a guise,
propaganda and lies, willing to give his life.
He knows his place one of the master race.
He was only a child, only a child.
Father has betrayed the fuhrer this night.
He will not accept that we all have the right,
to take what is ours and enslave the lesser race.
He's not my father he is a disgrace.
Send him to Austwich to them he'll relate.
All who are impure they'll suffer the fate.
The red army beckons they knock at our gates.
We are the last line their deaths we await!
The fire in his eyes,
His savage desires,
woven into his mind,
Re-shapen by lies.
His soul's been acquired,
ripped up rewired.
He was only a child, only a child.
His childhood'ss demise,
his school's just a guise,
propaganda and lies, willing to give his life.
He knows his place one of the master race.
He was only a child, only a child.
Lyrics submitted by diavlo1984
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