This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Chaos...
Power, money, holy roads
Information overload
Leave me in the bitter cold to die
Killing time has just begun
Clinging to a holy gun
Leave me in the blazing sun to die
You get nothing for nothing
Except what you steal
I've got a cut in my soul
That just won't heal
Inject myself with cyanide
Break on through to the other side
Gimme one more try
One last lie, goodbye
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, you go down
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, Chaos
Breaking every promise made
Redefine a better way
Asphyxating while I pray, I'm dead
Destroy offend and terrorize
Nothing left to vandalize
You can't make me compromise, I'm dead
You get nothing for nothing
Except what you steal
I've got a cut in my soul
That just won't heal
Inject myself with cyanide
Break on through to the other side
Gimme one more try
One last lie, goodbye
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, you go down
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, Chaos
So if you think you're in control
It's dragging you further down the hole
Right when you thought it all would end
All of the pain is back again
Every attempt to make it stop
Is taking you right back to the top
Nothing you do can change it now
Not that it matters anyhow
Chaos...
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, you go down
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, Chaos
Power, money, holy roads
Information overload
Leave me in the bitter cold to die
Killing time has just begun
Clinging to a holy gun
Leave me in the blazing sun to die
You get nothing for nothing
Except what you steal
I've got a cut in my soul
That just won't heal
Inject myself with cyanide
Break on through to the other side
Gimme one more try
One last lie, goodbye
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, you go down
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, Chaos
Breaking every promise made
Redefine a better way
Asphyxating while I pray, I'm dead
Destroy offend and terrorize
Nothing left to vandalize
You can't make me compromise, I'm dead
You get nothing for nothing
Except what you steal
I've got a cut in my soul
That just won't heal
Inject myself with cyanide
Break on through to the other side
Gimme one more try
One last lie, goodbye
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, you go down
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, Chaos
So if you think you're in control
It's dragging you further down the hole
Right when you thought it all would end
All of the pain is back again
Every attempt to make it stop
Is taking you right back to the top
Nothing you do can change it now
Not that it matters anyhow
Chaos...
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, you go down
Chaos, you got a one way ticket to
Chaos, Chaos
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I always thought the beginning went "leave me in the blazing sun to die.... You're the only one I found, so I'll just steal back my soul. It just won't heal." I always thought that sounded cooler. Like he was on a journey for revenge after being left for dead. I'm gonna keep thinking of it that way.