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.
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole
Larry made his nest up in the autumn branches
Built from nothing but high hopes and thin air
Collected up some baby blasted mothers
They took their chances and for a while
They lived quite happily up there
He came from New York City man
But he couldn't take the pace
He thought it was like a dog eat dog world
But he went to San Francisco
Spent a year in outer space
With a sweet little San Franciscan girl
I can hear my mother wailing
And a whole lot of scraping of chairs
I don't know what it is
But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole (I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
Well, yeah, New York City, he had to get out of there
And San Francisco, well, I don't know
And then to LA, where he spent about a day
He thought even the pale sky-stars were smart
Enough to keep well away from LA
Meanwhile Larry made up names for the ladies
Like Ms Boo and Ms Quick
He stockpiled weapons and took pot shots in the air
He feasted on their lovely bodies like a lunatic
And wrapped himself up in their soft yellow hair
I can hear chants and incantations
And some guy is mentioning me in his prayers
Well I don't know what it is
But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole (I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
Well New York City Man
San Francisco, LA, I don't know
But Larry grew increasingly neurotic and obscene
I mean, he, he never asked to be raised up from the tomb
I mean no one ever actually asked him to forsake his dreams
Anyway, to cut a long story short
Fame finally found him
Mirrors became his torturers
Cameras snapped him at every chance
The women all went back to their homes
And their husbands
With secret smiles in the corners of their mouths
He ended up, like so many of them do
Back in the streets of New York City
In a soup queue
A dope fiend
A slave
Then prison
Then the mad house
Then the grave
Oh poor Larry
But what do we really know of the dead
And who actually cares?
Well I don't know what it is
But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole (I want you to dig)
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that (dig, that's right, dig)
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that (I want you to dig)
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole
Larry made his nest up in the autumn branches
Built from nothing but high hopes and thin air
Collected up some baby blasted mothers
They took their chances and for a while
They lived quite happily up there
He came from New York City man
But he couldn't take the pace
He thought it was like a dog eat dog world
But he went to San Francisco
Spent a year in outer space
With a sweet little San Franciscan girl
I can hear my mother wailing
And a whole lot of scraping of chairs
I don't know what it is
But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole (I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
Well, yeah, New York City, he had to get out of there
And San Francisco, well, I don't know
And then to LA, where he spent about a day
He thought even the pale sky-stars were smart
Enough to keep well away from LA
Meanwhile Larry made up names for the ladies
Like Ms Boo and Ms Quick
He stockpiled weapons and took pot shots in the air
He feasted on their lovely bodies like a lunatic
And wrapped himself up in their soft yellow hair
I can hear chants and incantations
And some guy is mentioning me in his prayers
Well I don't know what it is
But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole (I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
(I want you to dig)
Well New York City Man
San Francisco, LA, I don't know
But Larry grew increasingly neurotic and obscene
I mean, he, he never asked to be raised up from the tomb
I mean no one ever actually asked him to forsake his dreams
Anyway, to cut a long story short
Fame finally found him
Mirrors became his torturers
Cameras snapped him at every chance
The women all went back to their homes
And their husbands
With secret smiles in the corners of their mouths
He ended up, like so many of them do
Back in the streets of New York City
In a soup queue
A dope fiend
A slave
Then prison
Then the mad house
Then the grave
Oh poor Larry
But what do we really know of the dead
And who actually cares?
Well I don't know what it is
But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole (I want you to dig)
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that (dig, that's right, dig)
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that (I want you to dig)
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, Lazarus
Dig yourself, back in that hole
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At first the "something going on upstairs" seems to be literal: Lazarus is lying in his tomb hearing what's going on above him - his mother grieving for him & "some guy" who is presumably Jesus praying for him. But at the end Cave is talking about what happens to the dead & the line turns into a vague declaration of faith. Very clever little twist!