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.
Pigs, they tend to wiggle when they walk
The infrastructure rots
And the owners hate the jocks
With their agents and their dates
If the signatures are checked
You'll just have to wait
And we're counting up the instants that we save
Tired nation so depraved
From the cheap seats see us
Wave to the camera
It took a giant ramrod
To raze the demon settlement
But high-ho silver, ride
High-ho silver, ride
Take another ride to see me home
Listen to me
I'm on the stereo stereo
Oh my baby baby baby baby babe
Gave me malaria hysteria
What about the voice of Geddy Lee
How did it get so high?
I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?
(I know him and he does)
And you're my fact-checkin' cuz
(Aww)
Well focus on the quasar in the mist
The Kaiser has a cyst
And I'm a blank want list
The qualms you have and if they stick
They will drown you in a crick
In the neck of a woods
That was populated by
Tired nation on the fly
Everybody knows advice
That was given out for free
Lots of details to discern
Lots of details
But high-ho silver ride
High-ho silver ride
Takes another ride to make me
Oh, get off the air
I'm on the stereo stereo
Oh my baby baby baby baby baby babe
Gave me malaria hysteria
The infrastructure rots
And the owners hate the jocks
With their agents and their dates
If the signatures are checked
You'll just have to wait
And we're counting up the instants that we save
Tired nation so depraved
From the cheap seats see us
Wave to the camera
It took a giant ramrod
To raze the demon settlement
But high-ho silver, ride
High-ho silver, ride
Take another ride to see me home
Listen to me
I'm on the stereo stereo
Oh my baby baby baby baby babe
Gave me malaria hysteria
What about the voice of Geddy Lee
How did it get so high?
I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?
(I know him and he does)
And you're my fact-checkin' cuz
(Aww)
Well focus on the quasar in the mist
The Kaiser has a cyst
And I'm a blank want list
The qualms you have and if they stick
They will drown you in a crick
In the neck of a woods
That was populated by
Tired nation on the fly
Everybody knows advice
That was given out for free
Lots of details to discern
Lots of details
But high-ho silver ride
High-ho silver ride
Takes another ride to make me
Oh, get off the air
I'm on the stereo stereo
Oh my baby baby baby baby baby babe
Gave me malaria hysteria
Lyrics submitted by Racazip, edited by johnnywa, siberianbreaks, engravement, ItsnotFerr
Stereo Lyrics as written by Stephen Malkmus
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i think this song is about being in a band. more specifically, it's about selling out and the danger of letting fame get in the way of protecting yourself and the band.
First, the band is getting signed by a label (most likely a major label). The "pigs" in this case are the label executives who are just trying to sign an indie band (not necesarily pavement themselves, but a band like them). The execs even go so far to say they hate jocks and their girlfriends just to appeal to the band.
Papers are signed (if the signatures are checked) and the band gets its first brush with fame. They start getting press in magazines & tv (wave to the camera), they start playing more shows (nation so depraved from the cheap seats see us), AND...
... they finally get to hear their band on the radio in the car (take another ride to see me home listen to me! i'm on the stereo).
After a while, they get to know famous people, (what about the voice of geddy lee... "i know him and he does!")
and then everything goes wrong for the band. The labels out to get them and their fans are getting bored with them. All because they were so caught up in being famous, they didn't read the fine print in the contract (well focus on the quasar in the mist). And in the end, taking the proper precautions against getting fucked by the label would have been common sense. (everybody knows advice that was given out for free. lots of details to discern)