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.
Thou shalt not steal if there is a direct victim.
Thou shalt not worship Pop Idols or follow Lostprophets.
Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer,
Johnny Hartman, Desmond Decker, Jim Morrison,
Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barrett in vain.
Thou shalt not think that any male over the age of 30
that plays with a child that is not their own is a paedophile.
Some people are just nice.
Thou shalt not read NME.
Thou shalt not stop liking a band just because they've become popular.
Thou shalt not question Stephen Fry.
Thou shalt not judge a book by its cover.
Thou shalt not judge Lethal Weapon by Danny Glover.
Thou shalt not buy Coca-Cola products.
Thou shalt not buy Nestle products.
Thou shalt not go into the woods with your boyfriend's best friend,
take drugs and cheat on him.
Thou shalt not fall in love so easily.
Thou shalt not use poetry, art or music to get into girls' pants.
Use it to get into their heads.
Thou shalt not watch Hollyoaks.
Thou shalt not attend an open mic and leave
as soon as you've done your shitty little poem or song
you self-righteous prick.
Thou shalt not return to the same club or bar week in,
week out just 'cause you once saw a girl there that
you fancied that you're never gonna fucking talk to anyway.
Thou shalt not put musicians and
recording artists on ridiculous pedestals
no matter how great they are or were.
The Beatles: Were just a band.
Led Zepplin: Just a band.
The Beach Boys: Just a band.
The Sex Pistols: Just a band.
The Clash: Just a band.
Crass: Just a band.
Minor Threat: Just a band.
The Cure: Were just a band.
The Smiths: Just a band.
Nirvana: Just a band.
The Pixies: Just a band.
Oasis: Just a band.
Radiohead: Just a band.
Bloc Party: Just a band.
The Arctic Monkeys: Just a band.
The Next Big Thing... JUST A BAND.
Thou shalt give equal worth to tragedies that occur in non-English
speaking countries as to those that occur in English speaking countries.
Thou shalt remember that guns,
bitches and bling were never part of the four elements and never will be.
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music,
thou shalt not make repetitive generic music,
thou shalt not make repetitive generic music,
thou shalt not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shalt not pimp my ride.
Thou shalt not scream if you wanna go faster.
Thou shalt not move to the sound of the wickedness.
Thou shalt not make some noise for Detroit.
When I say "Hey" thou shalt not say "Ho".
When I say "Hip" thou shalt not say "Hop".
When I say, he say, she say, we say, make some noise - kill me.
Ah, I forgot where I was, hang on
Thou shalt not quote me happy.
Thou shalt not shake it like a polaroid picture.
Thou shalt not wish your girlfriend was a freak like me.
Thou shalt spell the word "Pheonix" P-H-E-O-N-I-X
not P-H-O-E-N-I-X, regardless of what the Oxford English Dictionary tells you.
Thou shalt not express your shock at the fact that
Sharon got off with Brad at a club last night by saying "Is it".
Thou shalt think for yourselves.
And thou shalt always...
Thou shalt always kill!
Thou shalt not worship Pop Idols or follow Lostprophets.
Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer,
Johnny Hartman, Desmond Decker, Jim Morrison,
Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barrett in vain.
Thou shalt not think that any male over the age of 30
that plays with a child that is not their own is a paedophile.
Some people are just nice.
Thou shalt not read NME.
Thou shalt not stop liking a band just because they've become popular.
Thou shalt not question Stephen Fry.
Thou shalt not judge a book by its cover.
Thou shalt not judge Lethal Weapon by Danny Glover.
Thou shalt not buy Coca-Cola products.
Thou shalt not buy Nestle products.
Thou shalt not go into the woods with your boyfriend's best friend,
take drugs and cheat on him.
Thou shalt not fall in love so easily.
Thou shalt not use poetry, art or music to get into girls' pants.
Use it to get into their heads.
Thou shalt not watch Hollyoaks.
Thou shalt not attend an open mic and leave
as soon as you've done your shitty little poem or song
you self-righteous prick.
Thou shalt not return to the same club or bar week in,
week out just 'cause you once saw a girl there that
you fancied that you're never gonna fucking talk to anyway.
Thou shalt not put musicians and
recording artists on ridiculous pedestals
no matter how great they are or were.
The Beatles: Were just a band.
Led Zepplin: Just a band.
The Beach Boys: Just a band.
The Sex Pistols: Just a band.
The Clash: Just a band.
Crass: Just a band.
Minor Threat: Just a band.
The Cure: Were just a band.
The Smiths: Just a band.
Nirvana: Just a band.
The Pixies: Just a band.
Oasis: Just a band.
Radiohead: Just a band.
Bloc Party: Just a band.
The Arctic Monkeys: Just a band.
The Next Big Thing... JUST A BAND.
Thou shalt give equal worth to tragedies that occur in non-English
speaking countries as to those that occur in English speaking countries.
Thou shalt remember that guns,
bitches and bling were never part of the four elements and never will be.
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music,
thou shalt not make repetitive generic music,
thou shalt not make repetitive generic music,
thou shalt not make repetitive generic music.
Thou shalt not pimp my ride.
Thou shalt not scream if you wanna go faster.
Thou shalt not move to the sound of the wickedness.
Thou shalt not make some noise for Detroit.
When I say "Hey" thou shalt not say "Ho".
When I say "Hip" thou shalt not say "Hop".
When I say, he say, she say, we say, make some noise - kill me.
Ah, I forgot where I was, hang on
Thou shalt not quote me happy.
Thou shalt not shake it like a polaroid picture.
Thou shalt not wish your girlfriend was a freak like me.
Thou shalt spell the word "Pheonix" P-H-E-O-N-I-X
not P-H-O-E-N-I-X, regardless of what the Oxford English Dictionary tells you.
Thou shalt not express your shock at the fact that
Sharon got off with Brad at a club last night by saying "Is it".
Thou shalt think for yourselves.
And thou shalt always...
Thou shalt always kill!
Lyrics submitted by our.lady.of.sorrows
Thou Shalt Always Kill Lyrics as written by Daniel Stephens David Meads
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Exploration Group LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I first interpreted "kill" as "I just killed that performance" as well. The phoenix thing is in step with the rest of the song. The author is saying that you should do what makes sense, and not listen to what a higher authority says is correct (for their own abitrary reasons). I like "the four elements" of hip-hop part.
According to an interview (youtube.com/watch), "Kill" was meant more in the sense of "I just killed that performance". The phoenix/pheonix thing was also cleared up - just look at it: the word is pronounced fee-nicks, not fo-e-nicks, so why do we spell it that way? Can't take any of this too seriously, I assert that this piece is just here to get you thinking, not to set forth a set of guidelines for life (always think for youself, as it were).
what a fucking great song
I'm losing my edge, to the kids coming up from behind
Ha. Question Stephen Fry and I'll kill you.
Like Scroobius says, 'Thou shalt always, always kill'.
SLEEP WITH YOUR EYES OPEN, YEAH?
Pedantic corrections:
Led Zeppelin , just a band? The Sex Pistols , just a band?? The Clash , just a band??? Minor Threat , just a band???? The Smiths , just a band?????? i disagree =(
Love it love it love iiiiittttttt!
It's Desmond Dekker - the missing surname. The Pixies are missing from the band list.
I do like some of the things he's saying...but doesn't he contradict himself by saying 'thou shalt always think for yourselves' ? I guess it's supposed to be ironic, these things are usually intentional! Some of those references though are right on the money - such as 'izzit' - my God, I hate that sooo much!
It is supposed to be ironic, he spends the whole song telling people how to think, then he tells you to think for yourselves, immediately followed by "though shalt always kill" a statement most people will outright disagree with.
thou*
its "thou shall give equal word to tragedies that occur in non-english speaking countries as to those that occur in english speaking countries"
these lyrics are dead on and all true though, great stuff