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.
Hey
Uh
Ah ah
Ah ah
Get on the snake with a swarm of motor fly's
Get on the snake under the cola colored sky
Don't worry, everything's clean
Road worthy, hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Get on the snake where the metal river bleeds
Get on the snake where you never will believe
Hey baby, what's your disease
My hearts bleeding
I'm dying to leave
Dying to leave
I'm dying to leave
Leave
Get on the snake where the water turns to steam
Get on the snake with a suicide machine
Don't worry, everything's clean
Road worthy, hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Uh
Ah ah
Ah ah
Get on the snake with a swarm of motor fly's
Get on the snake under the cola colored sky
Don't worry, everything's clean
Road worthy, hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Get on the snake where the metal river bleeds
Get on the snake where you never will believe
Hey baby, what's your disease
My hearts bleeding
I'm dying to leave
Dying to leave
I'm dying to leave
Leave
Get on the snake where the water turns to steam
Get on the snake with a suicide machine
Don't worry, everything's clean
Road worthy, hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Hungry and mean
Lyrics submitted by jt, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Get On The Snake Lyrics as written by Chris Cornell
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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My guess is that this song is about the fear of joining a gang. (motorcycle gang)
"Get on the snake with a swarm of motor flies, get on the snake under the cola-colored sky." -Join a gang that is badly viewed by others and is dark. (cola-colored)
"Don't worry, everything's clean, road worthy, hungry and mean." -The person gets worried and the gang says: it's fine, we won't get caught and someone has to do this job.
"Get on the snake where the metal river bleeds, Get on the snake where you never will believe, Hey baby, what's your disease? My heart's bleeding I'm dying to leave." -He sees destruction and death like he'd never believe and his heart and mind are through. (guess the disease and STD thing was to add filth?)
"Get on the snake where the water turns to steam, Get on the snake with a suicide machine." -He sees that the gang turns something that gives (water) into little or nothing. (steam) He also finds out gangs gain and loose members from death. (suicide machine)
"Don't worry, everything's clean road worthy, hungry and mean hungry and mean... hungry and mean..." -He leaves and realizes that the clean and worthy parts only look good in evil eyes. I guess the repetition of hungry and mean shows that it's the most of it.
Thanks for reading.