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.
Down in Mississippi where the sun beats down from the sky
They give it up and they give it up and they give it up
But they never ask why
Daddy was a rollin', rollin' stone
He rolled away one day and he never came home
It ain't hard to understand
This ain't Hitler's master plan
What it takes to be a man
In my mind, in my brain
I roll it over like a steamin' freight train
It ain't hard to ascertain
You only see what you want to believe
When you light up in the back with those tricks up your sleeve
That don't mean I can't hang
The day that I die
Will be the day that I shut my mouth and put down my guitar
Sunday morning hold church down at the bar
Get down on your knees and start to pray
Pray my itchy rash will go away
Back up y'all it ain't me
Kentucky Fried Chicken is all I see
It's a hellified way to start your day
If I make you cry all night
Me and daddy gonna have a fist fight
It ain't personal, it ain't me
I only hear what you told me to be
I'm a backward-ass hillbilly
I'm Dick Butkiss
You know I lie
I get mean, I'm a thief in the dark
I'm a ragin' machine
I'm a triple rectified ass son of a bitch
Rec-tite on my ass and it makes me itch
I can see for miles and miles and miles
My broken heart makes me smile
In my mind, in my brain
I go back and go completely insane
It ain't personal, it ain't me
If I make you cry I might
Be your daddy at the end of the night
Take a load from my big gun
You only see what you want to believe
When you creep from the back
I got tricks up my sleeve
Twenty four seven, devil's best friend
It makes no difference
It's all the same in the end
They give it up and they give it up and they give it up
But they never ask why
Daddy was a rollin', rollin' stone
He rolled away one day and he never came home
It ain't hard to understand
This ain't Hitler's master plan
What it takes to be a man
In my mind, in my brain
I roll it over like a steamin' freight train
It ain't hard to ascertain
You only see what you want to believe
When you light up in the back with those tricks up your sleeve
That don't mean I can't hang
The day that I die
Will be the day that I shut my mouth and put down my guitar
Sunday morning hold church down at the bar
Get down on your knees and start to pray
Pray my itchy rash will go away
Back up y'all it ain't me
Kentucky Fried Chicken is all I see
It's a hellified way to start your day
If I make you cry all night
Me and daddy gonna have a fist fight
It ain't personal, it ain't me
I only hear what you told me to be
I'm a backward-ass hillbilly
I'm Dick Butkiss
You know I lie
I get mean, I'm a thief in the dark
I'm a ragin' machine
I'm a triple rectified ass son of a bitch
Rec-tite on my ass and it makes me itch
I can see for miles and miles and miles
My broken heart makes me smile
In my mind, in my brain
I go back and go completely insane
It ain't personal, it ain't me
If I make you cry I might
Be your daddy at the end of the night
Take a load from my big gun
You only see what you want to believe
When you creep from the back
I got tricks up my sleeve
Twenty four seven, devil's best friend
It makes no difference
It's all the same in the end
Lyrics submitted by The Big Andowski
Same in the End Lyrics as written by Eric John Wilson Bradley James Nowell
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This songs about how Brad's sometimes arrogant and how he has problems with that. I love the line "the day that i die will be day that i shut my mouth and put down my guitar" I feel the same way. I just hope that the day that i die wont be the day that i overdose.