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.
I shall sing,
sing my song,
be it right,
be it wrong.
In the night,
in the day,
any how,
any way,
I shall sing.
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na
Oh, oh,
na na na na na naaa na
With my heart,
with my soul,
[from ?] the young
or the old,
when I'm high,
when I'm low,
when I'm fast,
when I'm slow,
I shall sing.
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
na na na naaa
I shall sing,
sing my song,
be it right,
be it wrong.
In the night,
in the day,
any how,
any way,
I shall sing.
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
Oh, oh,
un, oh, oh
I shall sing
sing my song,
be it right,
be it wrong.
In the night,
in the day,
any how,
any way,
I shall sing.
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na
Oh, oh,
na na na na na naaa na
With my heart,
with my soul,
[from ?] the young
or the old,
when I'm high,
when I'm low,
when I'm fast,
when I'm slow,
I shall sing.
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
na na na naaa
I shall sing,
sing my song,
be it right,
be it wrong.
In the night,
in the day,
any how,
any way,
I shall sing.
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
La la la la la la la la la
na na na na na na na na na
Oh, oh,
un, oh, oh
I shall sing
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira, edited by thezebra
I Shall Sing Lyrics as written by Van Morrison
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Joy of singing. Nothing deep here. Van gave this one to Art Garfunkel, whose version is arranged more in the spirit of "Cecilia", and features Simon on guitar, possibly alongside JJ Cale and Larry Carlton. Van's version is a lot looser (we only have a couple takes, neither making Moondance, obviously), but sounds quite a bit clearer despite the instrumental chaos; the difference between engineering by Shelly Yakus and Roy Halee maybe, or that Art's was recorded Wrecking Crew style, and in a Cathedral.