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.
Oh, but to just dance on steel, the Sky Pulaski way.
By the fires of Elizabeth, never cease to amaze.
So hats off to the industry's casualties
Tra loo tray lay.
Oh that swamp full of grabbing hands.
Pull you under New Amsterdam.
Chinese boxes hold their secrets well.
How many are there one can never tell.
Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church
Even the mole people got to get religion.
They gonna join that underground church.
Art class for the bourgeoisies, lab rats for the cat.
Real estate moguls, Chump Towers,
When the wind blows you can hear the windows go rat a tat rat a tat tat tat.
Jimmy Hoffa in the Meadowlands, weighing down that union man.
Grab his ankles, stevedores,
Oh how those Jets do roar.
Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church
Even the mole people got to get religion.
They gonna join that underground church.
Oh but to just dine on sewage, cold seagull pie.
Wrestle albino alligators and spin the good lie.
Oh that swamp full of grabbing hands.
Pull you under New Amsterdam.
Chinese boxes hold their secrets well.
How many are there one can never tell.
Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church
Even the mole people got to get religion.
They gonna join that underground church
By the fires of Elizabeth, never cease to amaze.
So hats off to the industry's casualties
Tra loo tray lay.
Oh that swamp full of grabbing hands.
Pull you under New Amsterdam.
Chinese boxes hold their secrets well.
How many are there one can never tell.
Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church
Even the mole people got to get religion.
They gonna join that underground church.
Art class for the bourgeoisies, lab rats for the cat.
Real estate moguls, Chump Towers,
When the wind blows you can hear the windows go rat a tat rat a tat tat tat.
Jimmy Hoffa in the Meadowlands, weighing down that union man.
Grab his ankles, stevedores,
Oh how those Jets do roar.
Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church
Even the mole people got to get religion.
They gonna join that underground church.
Oh but to just dine on sewage, cold seagull pie.
Wrestle albino alligators and spin the good lie.
Oh that swamp full of grabbing hands.
Pull you under New Amsterdam.
Chinese boxes hold their secrets well.
How many are there one can never tell.
Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church
Even the mole people got to get religion.
They gonna join that underground church
Lyrics submitted by almostmanda, edited by mcpierceaim
Pulaski Skyway Lyrics as written by Jean-paul Gaster Dan Maines
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
some acronym??? CBGBs is some acronym? jesus. pulaski skyway and elizabeth is in NJ btw.
If "CBGB" isn't an acronym, then what would you call it? Why don't you enlighten us, oh knowing one?
He wasn't disputing that CBGB is an acronym, he was stating that it's more than just "some acronym". Considering that CBGB was one of the most famous music clubs in the world I would tend to agree with him. Considering that Neil Fallon mentioned CBGB in the lyrics to this song, I tend to think that he would agree as well.
After looking it up, sure I agree with you. My main issue is that Lifeas's comment suggests that "CBGB" and what the acronym stands for should already be universally known, and that he/she is annoyed that I'm not in the loop. When I looked it up, I found that it was a club that is currently closed down, located in a state I have never been to nor lived anywhere near. It may even be considered "before my time," as it's heyday seems to have been about a decade before I was born. There's no realistic expectation for me to have been familiar with the place.
On the surface you have a point - but every music fan, regardless of location/era, runs into CBGBs eventually.
Then I guess this is my "eventually". Wouldn't have hurt him to be less condescending.
I believe its Fallon's hat off to hard labor for an excellent product. I think the "grabbin hands" and "underground religion" are the people that died building the bridge.
First time I heard it, I thought the line was
"Wrestle albino rhino-gators"
Which would have been so much cooler, and so much more like Clutch.
it goes:
"so grab his ankles, stevedores."
also,
"Oh that swamp full of grabbing hands pull you under New Amsterdam"
and I think Jets should be capitalized as it's a double meaning with the NY Jets.
and the mole people are people who live in abandoned subway tunnels in NYC. this song is so fucking cool. All the mythology of NYC piled up in layers.
pretty much all the stevedores too
This song is clearly about the underground being attacked by the hidden hand. Jimmy Hoffa was a union man that got murdered for organizing a powerful union and causing too much attention. Then Gotta get Religion Join the UNDERGROUND church. Make your own beleifs and remain like a child.
Oh but to just dine on sewage = Beleive the lies Cold seagull pie = Obvious old stanked up shit Wrestle albino alligators = Clutch being clutch = Fight a easy to see predator. And spin the good lie = And live life beleiveing the bullshit
Several errors in the lyrics above.
It's "pull you under New Amsterdam" not "Are you under New Amsterdam". It's "chump towers" not "Trump towers". It's "stevadores" not "steal the noise".
But here we are a few years after someone else corrected them (by citing the authors no less) and they're still wrong on the page.
According to the album insert, the lyrics go:
Oh, but to just dance on steel, the Sky Pulaski Way. By the fires of Elizabeth, never cease to amaze. So hats off to casualties of industry* Tra loo tray lay. Oh that swamp full of grabbing hands. Pull you under New Amsterdam. Chinese boxes hold their secrets well. How many are there one can never tell. Got to get religion, they gonna join that underground church Even the mole people got to get religion. They gonna join that underground church. ** Art class for the bourgeoisie, lab rats for the cat. Real estate moguls, Chump Towers, When the wind blows you can hear the windows go rat a tat rat a tat tat tat. Jimmy Hoffa in the Meadowlands, weighing down that union man. Grab his ankles, stevedores, Oh, how those Jets roar. Oh, but to just dine on sewage, cold seagull pie. Wrestle albino alligators and spin the good lie