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.
This town's so hype it's got soul
As a Philly cat
I'm with the roll
And the swing of my things
How they work like clockwork
Tick tock tick tock
Times aways lurking in your head
Got to go to work and get fed
That man didn't eat but he goes to sleep
Gets up at dawn not to see the sunrise
But because it's too damn cold outside
Underneath the bridge they pump the city's bilge
Into the alley they sweet the city's filth
The flowers wilt the flowers wilt
Don't tell me about no game
Cause that is a man
And his family
Revolution family
Look at the family
Dig the family
They're living the wrong way
Can't get nothing
Don't get nothing all they wanted was
Something like a job, mercy mercy
But its robbed, mercy mercy
And there's so many street side
Beggars and disabled veterans
Glass-eyed and peddling
Drunk and just meddling
So you conclude it's their fault
They like the street they must like the asphalt
But that is man woman and children
The system has stalled shelter's home
That's not what I call it
I call it bad health
Some say help themselves
Yo if you you gots it
Everyone hundred people a dollar in change
Everyone hundred people a dollar in change
This ain't living
This ain't living
Oh no
You know it's rough, had enough fo holding a
Cup full of spare change
The doctor diagnosed me as a
Dome full of bad brains
So, toe to toe with employers
Cause they're telling me no
Hooked on prescription drugs
So I stay broke, I'd run away
But you can't run away from
Yourself or your health so
I deal with the cards that I'm dealt
Tweet-a-leet-leet
This morning bird sounding sweet
Though I sleep on the streets
I have a feeling I'm free
From society's hand picked hypocrisy
Mercy mercy don't give a damn for me
Mercy mercy now what am I going to eat
Peek through the windows of the restaurant
People eating caviar fifth bucks on lunch
A hand-me-down meal
Full of God knows what
Put it away in my gut
Quick and then I wonder
Why I'm sick, brick for brick
I know the city like my hand print
Just a pit in the gutter
Of a skid-row ditch
But I'll survive the pain
Let me know I'm alive
But I still feel that
This ain't living
Check my beat dig they rhythm
Me belly full but me hungry so I fill it
Once I start gaining taxes start taking
Cause the governments perfected funk faking
Breaking me down striking me down
What goes around comes around but
I keep rising seeing through the lies and
The surprise comes when I see myself
The music I felt
I'm on
This ain't living
This ain't living
Oh no
As a Philly cat
I'm with the roll
And the swing of my things
How they work like clockwork
Tick tock tick tock
Times aways lurking in your head
Got to go to work and get fed
That man didn't eat but he goes to sleep
Gets up at dawn not to see the sunrise
But because it's too damn cold outside
Underneath the bridge they pump the city's bilge
Into the alley they sweet the city's filth
The flowers wilt the flowers wilt
Don't tell me about no game
Cause that is a man
And his family
Revolution family
Look at the family
Dig the family
They're living the wrong way
Can't get nothing
Don't get nothing all they wanted was
Something like a job, mercy mercy
But its robbed, mercy mercy
And there's so many street side
Beggars and disabled veterans
Glass-eyed and peddling
Drunk and just meddling
So you conclude it's their fault
They like the street they must like the asphalt
But that is man woman and children
The system has stalled shelter's home
That's not what I call it
I call it bad health
Some say help themselves
Yo if you you gots it
Everyone hundred people a dollar in change
Everyone hundred people a dollar in change
This ain't living
This ain't living
Oh no
You know it's rough, had enough fo holding a
Cup full of spare change
The doctor diagnosed me as a
Dome full of bad brains
So, toe to toe with employers
Cause they're telling me no
Hooked on prescription drugs
So I stay broke, I'd run away
But you can't run away from
Yourself or your health so
I deal with the cards that I'm dealt
Tweet-a-leet-leet
This morning bird sounding sweet
Though I sleep on the streets
I have a feeling I'm free
From society's hand picked hypocrisy
Mercy mercy don't give a damn for me
Mercy mercy now what am I going to eat
Peek through the windows of the restaurant
People eating caviar fifth bucks on lunch
A hand-me-down meal
Full of God knows what
Put it away in my gut
Quick and then I wonder
Why I'm sick, brick for brick
I know the city like my hand print
Just a pit in the gutter
Of a skid-row ditch
But I'll survive the pain
Let me know I'm alive
But I still feel that
This ain't living
Check my beat dig they rhythm
Me belly full but me hungry so I fill it
Once I start gaining taxes start taking
Cause the governments perfected funk faking
Breaking me down striking me down
What goes around comes around but
I keep rising seeing through the lies and
The surprise comes when I see myself
The music I felt
I'm on
This ain't living
This ain't living
Oh no
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It's about BAD ghetto life, the tough life man.
exactley
word.
no doubt. more people should truly understand about the homeless in society and how they truly are sick in most cases. people don't always choose to hold a cup full of spare change. America's streets are booming with mentally ill people who have been kicked out of hospitals because there is no cure. its really sad, but G recognizes it and writes a dopeeee ass song about it which is why hes the fuckin truthhh
I work in the CBD of the city i live in, i know all the homeless guys that walk around, collecting cans, asking for spare change and cigarettes. This song has helped me understand that for the majority of them, it is not their personal choice to be living the way they are, the truth is that mental health is a major problem in our society, and it is clearly misunderstood.
One of my fav songs, helps me put things in perspective it think.
peace