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.
Your little hoodrat friend makes me sick
But after I get sick I just get sad
'Cause it burns being broke, hurts to be heartbroken
And always being both must be a drag
She's been calling me again
She's been calling me again
Your little hoodrat friend's been calling me again
And I can't stand all the things that she sticks into her skin
Like sharpened ballpoint pens and steel guitar strings
She says it hurts, but it's worth it
Tiny little text etched into her neck
It said "Jesus lived and died for all your sins"
She's got blue black ink and it's scratched into her lower back
Says "Damn right, He'll rise again"
Yeah, damn right, she'll rise again
Damn right, you'll rise again
And I've been dusted in the dark up in penetration park
And I've been plastered
I've been shaking hard and searching in a dirty storefront church
And I've been plowed
But I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
What makes you think I'm getting with your little hoodrat friend?
Your little hoodrat friend got me high though
We were seventeen and stuck up up in Osseo
She said it's funny how true love gets troubled by still water
And washed up in the Mississippi River
Her Claddagh ring was pointed at the people
She said St. Theresa came to me in dreams
She said I ain't gonna do anything sexual with you
I'm kinda saving myself for the scene
And I've been dusted in the dark up in penetration park
And I've been plastered
I've been shaking hard and searching in a dirty storefront church
And I've been plowed
But I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
What makes you think I'm getting with your little hoodrat friend?
She said city center used to be the center of our scene
Now city center's over, no one really goes there
Back then we used to drink beneath this railroad bridge
Some nights the bus wouldn't even stop, there were just too many kids
I was waiting for my ride and I got jumped from behind
I got punctured
I got stopped by the cops and they found it in my socks
And I got probed
But I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
What makes you think I'm getting with your little hoodrat friend?
But after I get sick I just get sad
'Cause it burns being broke, hurts to be heartbroken
And always being both must be a drag
She's been calling me again
She's been calling me again
Your little hoodrat friend's been calling me again
And I can't stand all the things that she sticks into her skin
Like sharpened ballpoint pens and steel guitar strings
She says it hurts, but it's worth it
Tiny little text etched into her neck
It said "Jesus lived and died for all your sins"
She's got blue black ink and it's scratched into her lower back
Says "Damn right, He'll rise again"
Yeah, damn right, she'll rise again
Damn right, you'll rise again
And I've been dusted in the dark up in penetration park
And I've been plastered
I've been shaking hard and searching in a dirty storefront church
And I've been plowed
But I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
What makes you think I'm getting with your little hoodrat friend?
Your little hoodrat friend got me high though
We were seventeen and stuck up up in Osseo
She said it's funny how true love gets troubled by still water
And washed up in the Mississippi River
Her Claddagh ring was pointed at the people
She said St. Theresa came to me in dreams
She said I ain't gonna do anything sexual with you
I'm kinda saving myself for the scene
And I've been dusted in the dark up in penetration park
And I've been plastered
I've been shaking hard and searching in a dirty storefront church
And I've been plowed
But I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
What makes you think I'm getting with your little hoodrat friend?
She said city center used to be the center of our scene
Now city center's over, no one really goes there
Back then we used to drink beneath this railroad bridge
Some nights the bus wouldn't even stop, there were just too many kids
I was waiting for my ride and I got jumped from behind
I got punctured
I got stopped by the cops and they found it in my socks
And I got probed
But I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
I ain't never been with your little hoodrat friend
What makes you think I'm getting with your little hoodrat friend?
Lyrics submitted by Cherub Rock
Your Little Hoodrat Friend Lyrics as written by Tad Kubler Craig Finn
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This entire album is incredibly lyrically dense. This particular song has a few ambiguous, problematic occurances that refer to other songs as well as other albums entirely. The first major problem is identifying which of the three major characters (if any) is the persona adopted by Finn in the song. In the song "Multitude of Casualties" we find that "he was getting with HER little hoodrat friend." So it is likely that the persona is being questioned by a female, which leaves us wondering whether or not the hoodrat friend is Halleluiah or a friend of hers. The song "How a Resurrection Really Feels," tells us that "Halleluiah was a hoodrat." Thus, it's probable that Hallelujah is the hoodrat being mentioned in the song. We also find in "Banging Camp," that Hallelujah has some connection to 'penetration park,' which points to her being the female in question. So, most likely the person being addressed by the persona is a friend of Hallelujah's. Now, going out on a limb here- in "Cattle and the Creeping things" Gideon is said to have seen someone (probably Holly) in Denver and he notes that "she was contagious"("i heard gideon did you in denver.") so it's possible that it is Gideon who has gotten with Holly; pointing to his existence as the insincere persona in this song. Of course, it's also entirely possible that the speaker is NOT one of the three main characters and that the song stands alone apart from Holly. But, Finn loves to entertwine his songs and weave seemingly simple stories that are actually quite complex so I would wager that Gideon is involved. If someone has other ideas, let me know, I'm very curious as to how other people believe this song fits into the continuity.
I think your first reason is why this song is NOT about Holly but about whoever Gideon is messing around with. <br /> <br /> Holly isn't supposed to be considered a hoodrat until How A Resurrection Really feels: "...now you finally know that". I think our protagonist is in denial of what Holly is because of his love for her.
I always assumed the narrator was talking to Holly, and he's screwed one of her friends....I see that as part of Holly's awakening
This song is about direct interaction between the storyteller (most likely craig) and Holly the hoodrat. In most of the songs, Craig only talks about seeing Holly or tells storys he's heard about her. In this song, he's speaking about what Holly is like in person. He is repulsed by her, but at the same time, pities her, and in the end, we find that he has feelings for her but she turns him down, claiming to be "saving herself for the scene" He then is taken aback and denies ever wanting to have sex with her (i.e. "what makes you think i'm gettin' withy our little hoodrat friend?") but secretly does. Him and Holly get high and she tells him about the old days with all of her friends. And she tells him about how true love gets troubled by trivial things (still water) by the missisippi river. Which is where Holly got high for the first (and last) time. So true love may be just a metaphor for a simpler, cleaner life.
Wow. That's deep. I bet you are right. He is repulsed by her, he pities her and at the same time he wants to have sex with her. I think you are right on!<br /> <br /> I love, "Damn right I'll rise again!" <br /> <br /> Also, "It hurts but it's worth it" Reminds me of love! <br /> <br /> I love The Hold Steady!!! Even their name. Rock ON you maniacs!
All very true, except, I don't think Finn is ever the narrator. He has said that he doesn't write songs about himself or his own life....Anywho, I suspected that Holly was this Hoodrat, cas the last song on the album says, "Holly was a hood rat and I bet you didn't know that"....However, who is the narrator talking to then? I once assumed it was Holly he was talking to about one of her friends, but now I'm not so sure....
This song brings a smile to my face every time. I love it
one question: is the "it's funny even true love gets troubled by still water / and washed up in the Mississippi River" line a reference to jeff buckley?
Stillwater is a city in Minnesota (where band members have roots). It is most well known for holding the prison so i am thinking it might have to do with that
Also literally 'still water', as in not flowing or waves or anything, no excitement, stuck in a standstill.
Great song, very entertaining and well written. I think the line about Stillwater (still water) represents a double entendre where it can most easily be interpreted as still water, but some may regonize it as Stillwater a town in the Twin Cities, which happens to be located on the St. Croix River which flows into the Mississippi River.
Mentioning Osseo, City Center, Prospect Park (my wife (ex hoodrat) says Penetration Park is that neighborhood with the witches hat tower), I'm inclined to believe that still water is Stillwater.
Looking at multitude of casualties where gideon gets with holly's hoodrat friend makes me think that this song is about gideon lying to holly about never being with her hoodrat friend (holly and her friend both being hoodrats)
"I think the line about Stillwater (still water) represents a double entendre"
Yea I'd be very surprised if Craig Finn included "still water" without intending it to be, at least on one level, a reference to the city. The St. Croix (which Stillwater is right on) and the Mississippi merge down around Hastings, so the "washed up in the Mississippi river" reference makes sense. Mr. Finn you are a clever dude