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.
See Johnny Thunder sitting on his motorbike
Riding along the highway,
Rock and roll songs from the nineteen-fifties
Buzzing around in his brain.
Johnny Thunder he's one of the original bebop generation
And he's got no time for complicated music
Or too much sophistication.
He's one of the survivors,
The motorbike riders.
You ought to see Johnny Thunder
Riding down the highway
One of the rock and roll survivors,
Twelve bars flowing through his brain.
He digs Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion and The Belmonts,
And Johnny and The Hurricanes.
He plays Hound Dog, Oh Boy,
And Great Balls of Fire
And Boppin' At The High School Hop.
And he's got no time for phonies or posers
Cause they don't know how to reel and rock.
And he plays Little Egypt and Ooh Poo Pah Doo,
And he plays Poison Ivy and Blue Suede Shoes,
The Hollywood Argyles, Danny and The Juniors,
Dion and The Belmonts, Johnny and The Hurricanes.
He's one of the survivors,
The boppers and the jivers,
Yeah and he rocks all day.
Johnny and The Hurricanes, Johnny and The Hurricanes.
Got my freedom riding along the freeway.
I ride a hundred miles an hour
But I don't mess up my D.A.
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll.
You can't stop rock 'n' rollin' music play.
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll.
You can't stop rock 'n' rollin' music play.
Feel those vibrations flow in my brain.
Got my freedom riding down the highway,
Keeps me sane, feel alive,
I'm one of the survivors.
Feel all right.
First gear, second gear,
Third gear, fourth gear, all right.
Old Johnny Thunder looks a little overweight,
And his sideburns are turning grey.
But he still likes to bebop, boogie and jive
To his worn out seventy-eights.
Johnny Thunder.
He's alright.
He's one of the survivors,
Twelve bars flowing through his brain,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion and The Belmonts,
Johnny and The Hurricanes,
Johnny and The Hurricanes.
Riding along the highway,
Rock and roll songs from the nineteen-fifties
Buzzing around in his brain.
Johnny Thunder he's one of the original bebop generation
And he's got no time for complicated music
Or too much sophistication.
He's one of the survivors,
The motorbike riders.
You ought to see Johnny Thunder
Riding down the highway
One of the rock and roll survivors,
Twelve bars flowing through his brain.
He digs Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion and The Belmonts,
And Johnny and The Hurricanes.
He plays Hound Dog, Oh Boy,
And Great Balls of Fire
And Boppin' At The High School Hop.
And he's got no time for phonies or posers
Cause they don't know how to reel and rock.
And he plays Little Egypt and Ooh Poo Pah Doo,
And he plays Poison Ivy and Blue Suede Shoes,
The Hollywood Argyles, Danny and The Juniors,
Dion and The Belmonts, Johnny and The Hurricanes.
He's one of the survivors,
The boppers and the jivers,
Yeah and he rocks all day.
Johnny and The Hurricanes, Johnny and The Hurricanes.
Got my freedom riding along the freeway.
I ride a hundred miles an hour
But I don't mess up my D.A.
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll.
You can't stop rock 'n' rollin' music play.
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll.
You can't stop rock 'n' rollin' music play.
Feel those vibrations flow in my brain.
Got my freedom riding down the highway,
Keeps me sane, feel alive,
I'm one of the survivors.
Feel all right.
First gear, second gear,
Third gear, fourth gear, all right.
Old Johnny Thunder looks a little overweight,
And his sideburns are turning grey.
But he still likes to bebop, boogie and jive
To his worn out seventy-eights.
Johnny Thunder.
He's alright.
He's one of the survivors,
Twelve bars flowing through his brain,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion and The Belmonts,
Johnny and The Hurricanes,
Johnny and The Hurricanes.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
One of the Survivors Lyrics as written by Ray Davies
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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