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.
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Seen her at the corner shop
Sun dress dirty flip flops
Hand full of lollipops
Listenin' to hip hop
She knows everyone that comes around her grows
Waling down a dirt road
Blowin' open doors
And I know better but I keep getting heated
Jonsey want'a front
Don't want her baby getting treated
In the wrong way
But I gotta come along
Been a long day so put it in a song say
And I saw her at the fruit stand
And she smiled as if to say
I know that you are watching
When Ms. Jones jerked her away, my cutie
Waved from the car window
With one finger and a grin
And as the car got smaller all I could think about was sin
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Even though I'm grown
Got it for this little bitty full blown
But Ms. Jones got her in the home
I'm alone
With her Polaroid in my hand
I try to hide the fact that I live in a trash can, man
How she got me in the zone
Called up to her house but somebody hung up the phone
Dial tone and I'm hinding in the grass
All up in her yard just to get a look at her ass dawn
I know she's too young for me
Yo, she asked me to the fair
I wish she would ignore me
Hard to pretend not to stare
My friends all say she's skanky
But I dig her armpit hair
And when I get my license
I'm gonna ask her to a picnic, yeah
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Innocence and beauty
Such a deadly combination
Innocence and beauty
Such a deadly combination
Finally pulled her from the gridlock
Climax to the plot
Took her to see Kid Rock
Touched her on her wet spot
Now I got her open on Ms. Jones scopin'
Time for pokin' and I know
I don't really want her this way
But Ms. Jones kept her from my clutches everyday
So I go, hey, it will never be the same
And I don't even know her mother-fuckin' name
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Seen her at the corner shop
Sun dress dirty flip flops
Hand full of lollipops
Listenin' to hip hop
She knows everyone that comes around her grows
Waling down a dirt road
Blowin' open doors
And I know better but I keep getting heated
Jonsey want'a front
Don't want her baby getting treated
In the wrong way
But I gotta come along
Been a long day so put it in a song say
And I saw her at the fruit stand
And she smiled as if to say
I know that you are watching
When Ms. Jones jerked her away, my cutie
Waved from the car window
With one finger and a grin
And as the car got smaller all I could think about was sin
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Even though I'm grown
Got it for this little bitty full blown
But Ms. Jones got her in the home
I'm alone
With her Polaroid in my hand
I try to hide the fact that I live in a trash can, man
How she got me in the zone
Called up to her house but somebody hung up the phone
Dial tone and I'm hinding in the grass
All up in her yard just to get a look at her ass dawn
I know she's too young for me
Yo, she asked me to the fair
I wish she would ignore me
Hard to pretend not to stare
My friends all say she's skanky
But I dig her armpit hair
And when I get my license
I'm gonna ask her to a picnic, yeah
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
Innocence and beauty
Such a deadly combination
Innocence and beauty
Such a deadly combination
Finally pulled her from the gridlock
Climax to the plot
Took her to see Kid Rock
Touched her on her wet spot
Now I got her open on Ms. Jones scopin'
Time for pokin' and I know
I don't really want her this way
But Ms. Jones kept her from my clutches everyday
So I go, hey, it will never be the same
And I don't even know her mother-fuckin' name
Ms. Jones
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
Gotta pretty yellow bird that she be keepin' in a cage
Ms. Jones gotta yellow bird
But she don't want her pretty yellow bird to get laid
Get laid, get laid
But a B boy's gotta get paid
Get paid, get paid
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Cool song! I think it happened to these guys that wrote this in real life!
how come i feel this song is about child molesting ...
I agree with NIKKIE - sounds like child molestation - haha
kinda self explanatory. Ms. Jones has a daughter aka "pretty yellow bird". Ms. Jones is keeping her yellow bird/daugher in a cage.