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.
Rudy's on the midway
And Jacob's in the hole
The monkey's on the ladder
The devil shovels coal
With crows as big as airplanes
The lion has three heads
And someone will eat the skin that he sheds
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Dreaming of you
Well hell doesn't want you
And heaven is full
Bring me some water
And put it in this skull
I walk between the raindrops
I wait in bug house square
And the army ants
They leave nothing but the bones
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Dreaming of you
There was thunder, there was lightning
Then the stars went out
And the moon fell from the sky
It rained mackerel, it rained trout
And the great day of wrath has come
And here's mud in your big red eye
The poker's in the fire
And the locusts take the sky
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Dreaming of you
While dreaming of you
While dreaming of you
And Jacob's in the hole
The monkey's on the ladder
The devil shovels coal
With crows as big as airplanes
The lion has three heads
And someone will eat the skin that he sheds
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Dreaming of you
Well hell doesn't want you
And heaven is full
Bring me some water
And put it in this skull
I walk between the raindrops
I wait in bug house square
And the army ants
They leave nothing but the bones
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Dreaming of you
There was thunder, there was lightning
Then the stars went out
And the moon fell from the sky
It rained mackerel, it rained trout
And the great day of wrath has come
And here's mud in your big red eye
The poker's in the fire
And the locusts take the sky
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Well the earth died screaming
While I laid dreaming
Dreaming of you
While dreaming of you
While dreaming of you
Lyrics submitted by TrollE
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Fits excellently into the twelve monkeys soundtrack.