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.
Let me tell you about a girl I know
Had a drink about a hour ago
Sitting in a corner by herself, in a bar in downtown hell
She heard a noise and she looked through the door
And saw a man she'd never seen before
Light skin, light blue eyes, a double-chin and a plastic smile
Well, her heart raced as he walked in the door
And took an empty seat next to her at the bar
"My brand new car is parked right outside
How'd ya like to go for a ride?"
And she said "Wait a minute I have to think"
He said, "That's fine. May I please buy you a drink"
One drink turned into three or four and they left and got into his car
And they drove away someplace real far
Now babe the time has come
How'd ya like to have a little fun?
And she said "if we could only please be on our way, I will not run"
That's when things got out of control
She didn't want to, he had his way
She said, "let's go"
He said, "no way!"
Come on babe it's your lucky day
Shut your mouth, we're gonna do it my way
Come on baby don't be afraid
If it wasn't for date rape I'd never get laid
He finished up and he started the car
He turned around and drove back to the bar
He said "now baby don't be sad, in my opinion you weren't half-bad"
She picked up a rock, threw it at the car, hit him in the head, now he's got a big scar
Come on party people won't you listen to me
Date rape stylee
The next day she went to her drawer, look up her local attorney at law
Went to the phone and filed the police report and then she took the guy's ass to court
Well, the day he stood in front of the judge he screamed, "she lies that little slut!"
The judge knew that he was full of shit and he gave him twenty five years
And now his eyes are filled wit tears
One night in jail it was getting late
He was butt-raped by a large inmate, and he screamed
But the guards paid no attention to his cries
That's when things got out of control
The moral of the date rape story, it does not pay to be drunk and horny
But that's the way it had to be
They locked him up and threw away the key
Well, I can't take pity on men of his kind
Even though he now takes it in the behind
But that's the way it had to be
They locked him up and threw away the key
Well, I can't take pity on men of his kind
Even though he now takes it in the behind
Date rape!
She didn't want to, she didn't want to, she didn't want to, she didn't want to
Take it!
Had a drink about a hour ago
Sitting in a corner by herself, in a bar in downtown hell
She heard a noise and she looked through the door
And saw a man she'd never seen before
Light skin, light blue eyes, a double-chin and a plastic smile
Well, her heart raced as he walked in the door
And took an empty seat next to her at the bar
"My brand new car is parked right outside
How'd ya like to go for a ride?"
And she said "Wait a minute I have to think"
He said, "That's fine. May I please buy you a drink"
One drink turned into three or four and they left and got into his car
And they drove away someplace real far
Now babe the time has come
How'd ya like to have a little fun?
And she said "if we could only please be on our way, I will not run"
That's when things got out of control
She didn't want to, he had his way
She said, "let's go"
He said, "no way!"
Come on babe it's your lucky day
Shut your mouth, we're gonna do it my way
Come on baby don't be afraid
If it wasn't for date rape I'd never get laid
He finished up and he started the car
He turned around and drove back to the bar
He said "now baby don't be sad, in my opinion you weren't half-bad"
She picked up a rock, threw it at the car, hit him in the head, now he's got a big scar
Come on party people won't you listen to me
Date rape stylee
The next day she went to her drawer, look up her local attorney at law
Went to the phone and filed the police report and then she took the guy's ass to court
Well, the day he stood in front of the judge he screamed, "she lies that little slut!"
The judge knew that he was full of shit and he gave him twenty five years
And now his eyes are filled wit tears
One night in jail it was getting late
He was butt-raped by a large inmate, and he screamed
But the guards paid no attention to his cries
That's when things got out of control
The moral of the date rape story, it does not pay to be drunk and horny
But that's the way it had to be
They locked him up and threw away the key
Well, I can't take pity on men of his kind
Even though he now takes it in the behind
But that's the way it had to be
They locked him up and threw away the key
Well, I can't take pity on men of his kind
Even though he now takes it in the behind
Date rape!
She didn't want to, she didn't want to, she didn't want to, she didn't want to
Take it!
Lyrics submitted by The Big Andowski
Date Rape Lyrics as written by Bradley Nowell Marshall Goodman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm not gonna sit and read through 4 pages of this nonsense, so ill take this quote off the first page...
"sumtimes u gotta take stuff like this a little less serious..i dunno..its blatently meant to be more of a comedy than a serious sorta song..so alls goodheyhey" -- Pretty in Punk
Sublime, with a sublminal message...I'll be the first to admit its funny, but if you cant see the message of the song, your well plain stupid...
They tossed a humor around it so that numbskulls like you still like the song, while hopefully on an unconcious level you'll learn something.
I sometimes feel ambivalent towards this song because of the lyrics...
I didnt find the lyrics funny. In one sense, I dont like them, because the lyrics seem to downplay and make amusing the horrifics of date rape... (Obviously, most of you guys thought the lyrics were funny-- and you're entitled to that). But on the other hand, the bastard does get that jail sentence, and justice is served. (Legally, and in other ways). There is a moral So a good and a bad. I just cant make up my mind. lol
The music is absolutely awesome and amazing though.
@anna118k Same here... I don't like the facetiousness of the lyrics, but as a narrator he picks the right side, and the song's fantastic.
this is a cool song. i love it
great song, great moral, great voice, brad is god! ..
""Subline" isn't even a word..." - Roger Wilco
Might want to look into stuff before you make things up. Subline is indeed a word: "an inbred or selectively cultured line (as of cells) within a strain"
Good try at trying to sound smart, though.
fucking excellent song. who know what could have been
i believe this is their finest. i must agree with sweeet...fuck the moral this song is bloody amazing... DATE RAPE STYLEE
isn'y sublime just the best ever?, or is it just me
ok first of all its sublime and sublime is awsome and then theres an awsome song awsome songs come from awsome bands
I agree with anna, but i also agree with everyone else, it is a serious issue, as a guy i never going to be raped so its easier to see the funny side of the song. But most importantly SUBLIME FUCKING ROCKS.