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.
Culture of mass incarceration, alarming rise of the population
Exploitation feeds the economy, shackled in the land of the free
Birth of a nation Death to civilization
Living each day under the threat of death, justice system weaponizing dissent
We are the products of history, written in blood and disparity
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by the blitzkrieg
Lock down all those who'd lead them, in a land that professes freedom
Thinly veiled racial appeals, threatening archaic ideals
Justice delayed is justice denied, pleas based in fear violate human rights
The racial caste has been redesigned under our noses labeled as war on crime
We are the products of history, written in blood and disparity
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by the blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
Rhetoric of law and order are smokescreens for persecution
you can jail revolutionaries, but you can't jail the revolution - Fred Hampton
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by thirteen
We are slaves to history, drenched in blood and disparity
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by thirteen
Exploitation feeds the economy, shackled in the land of the free
Birth of a nation Death to civilization
Living each day under the threat of death, justice system weaponizing dissent
We are the products of history, written in blood and disparity
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by the blitzkrieg
Lock down all those who'd lead them, in a land that professes freedom
Thinly veiled racial appeals, threatening archaic ideals
Justice delayed is justice denied, pleas based in fear violate human rights
The racial caste has been redesigned under our noses labeled as war on crime
We are the products of history, written in blood and disparity
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by the blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
Rhetoric of law and order are smokescreens for persecution
you can jail revolutionaries, but you can't jail the revolution - Fred Hampton
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by thirteen
We are slaves to history, drenched in blood and disparity
Movements destroyed systematically, criminalized by thirteen
Lyrics submitted by pUnK-jUnKiE
Thirteen Lyrics as written by Rick Jemenez Ian Cimaglia
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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i guess he's mad at a guy he likes a 13 year old