Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
"Man I worked for one of the biggest companies in New York City
He didn't own his own company, white man owned it, so they owned him
Nobody owns me though"
(Your gangster is not defined)
Your gangster is not defined by how low your jeans fall by your waist
But more how your genes stand up to their expectations
"Never forgetting where you came from"
(Your gangster, your gangster)
Your gangster is not defined by how many rocks are in your watch
But more, how many rocks you move while on your watch
(Gangsters, hustlers, republicans, democrats, pimps and hoes)
Conservatives, labor, the seller, the buyer, the product, the producer
"See you are what you are in this world"
The gangster is absorbed and adored by those that don't understand the laws that govern gangsterment
(Gangsterment, gangsterment)
Gangsterment allows you to make up your own laws and create brand new words
Gangster mentality
(Gangster mentality, an American way created by the white
Mastered by the black, and absorbed by the fiends, taxed by the governmentality, charted by Forbes
If you believe in Jay-Z then you too can be a gangster)
Then you too can be a gangster by any means necessary
By owning that dream, I mean it's a long walk to freedom but
While deep, deep, deep inside the bush
(The war on terror screams, damn it feels good)
Damn it feels good to be a gangster
(To be a gangster, swagger is not a must, it's a liability, a cliche, a bad suit
Cut the bullshit, you know if it wasn't for this, there would be no that)
Which we call, the American Gangster
He didn't own his own company, white man owned it, so they owned him
Nobody owns me though"
(Your gangster is not defined)
Your gangster is not defined by how low your jeans fall by your waist
But more how your genes stand up to their expectations
"Never forgetting where you came from"
(Your gangster, your gangster)
Your gangster is not defined by how many rocks are in your watch
But more, how many rocks you move while on your watch
(Gangsters, hustlers, republicans, democrats, pimps and hoes)
Conservatives, labor, the seller, the buyer, the product, the producer
"See you are what you are in this world"
The gangster is absorbed and adored by those that don't understand the laws that govern gangsterment
(Gangsterment, gangsterment)
Gangsterment allows you to make up your own laws and create brand new words
Gangster mentality
(Gangster mentality, an American way created by the white
Mastered by the black, and absorbed by the fiends, taxed by the governmentality, charted by Forbes
If you believe in Jay-Z then you too can be a gangster)
Then you too can be a gangster by any means necessary
By owning that dream, I mean it's a long walk to freedom but
While deep, deep, deep inside the bush
(The war on terror screams, damn it feels good)
Damn it feels good to be a gangster
(To be a gangster, swagger is not a must, it's a liability, a cliche, a bad suit
Cut the bullshit, you know if it wasn't for this, there would be no that)
Which we call, the American Gangster
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
THE greatest Intro of all time! Read the lyrics..and you want proof jay is great? others have used the beat on mixtapes, and its not the same..elements came together on this deep track about jay's iconic rise to the top, straight from a speech like perspective, almost like he's preaching: "I would turn green, me, bein in the trenches Him, livin adventureous not worryin about expenditures I'm bravin temperatures below zero, no hero No father figure, you gotta pardon a nigga"