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.
When I was young
I saw people helping people all the time
Because you were people helping people in your prime
I thought that people loving people were the norm
Because you were people loving people before the long dark storm
But now you're selfish and mean, your eyes glued to a screen
And what titillates you is depraved and obscene
And I know that it's dangerous to judge
But man you gotta find the truth
And when you find that truth don't budge
Until the truth you found begins to change
And it does, I know, I know
And when you love the truth enough you start to tell it all the time
And when it gets you into trouble you discover you don't mind
'Cause if good is finally gonna trump
Then man you gotta take stock and you gotta take your lumps
Or else they trickle down into someone else's cup below
You know
I wanna know who are these people blaming their sins on the fall
And who are these people
Well if I'm honest with myself at all these are my people
Man what else can I say
You are my people
We're the same in so many ways
But then your eyes turned green and you broke the machine
That when handed to you was still kinda functioning
And I know that it's dangerous to judge
But man you gotta find the truth
And when you find that truth don't budge
Until the truth you found begins to change
And it does, I know, I know
When you love the truth enough you start to tell it all the time
When it gets you into trouble you discover you don't mind
'Cause if good is finally gonna trump
Then man you gotta take stock and you gotta take your lumps
Or else they trickle down into someone else's cup below
You know
I saw people helping people all the time
Because you were people helping people in your prime
I thought that people loving people were the norm
Because you were people loving people before the long dark storm
But now you're selfish and mean, your eyes glued to a screen
And what titillates you is depraved and obscene
And I know that it's dangerous to judge
But man you gotta find the truth
And when you find that truth don't budge
Until the truth you found begins to change
And it does, I know, I know
And when you love the truth enough you start to tell it all the time
And when it gets you into trouble you discover you don't mind
'Cause if good is finally gonna trump
Then man you gotta take stock and you gotta take your lumps
Or else they trickle down into someone else's cup below
You know
I wanna know who are these people blaming their sins on the fall
And who are these people
Well if I'm honest with myself at all these are my people
Man what else can I say
You are my people
We're the same in so many ways
But then your eyes turned green and you broke the machine
That when handed to you was still kinda functioning
And I know that it's dangerous to judge
But man you gotta find the truth
And when you find that truth don't budge
Until the truth you found begins to change
And it does, I know, I know
When you love the truth enough you start to tell it all the time
When it gets you into trouble you discover you don't mind
'Cause if good is finally gonna trump
Then man you gotta take stock and you gotta take your lumps
Or else they trickle down into someone else's cup below
You know
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"When you love the truth enough you start to tell it all the time When it gets you into trouble you discover you don't mind 'Cause if good is finally gonna trump Then man you gotta take stock and you gotta take your lumps Or else they trickle down into someone else's cup below You know"
How fucking "true"
This is definitely my favorite song off of the new album. The chorus is fantastic!
Is there any way to get rid of the punctuation errors? There are all of these question marks where quotation marks should be. It's a tad annoying.
Honesty needs to make a comeback. such fatherly messages.
Is this song not about loss of faith in a conviction? it seems like another bazan story of coming out of christianity. frankly, i think it's goddamn beautiful, but i wonder if that's what other people consider the song to be about.