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.
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all, hey
You see, it started way back in NYC
When I stole my first rhyme from the M-I-C
At a west end avenue at 63
Is the beginning of a leap year, February, '96
With a guitar picked up in the mix
I committed to the licks like a nickel bag of tricks
Well, look at me now, look at me now
Look at me now, now, now, now
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all, hey
Well, then you're never gonna, never gonna guess where I've been, been, been
And I have no regrets that I bet my whole checking account
Because it all amounts to nothing up in the end
Well, you can only count on the road again
We'll soon be on my radio dial
And I've been paying close attention to the Willie Nelson style
Like a, a band of gypsies on the highway while
As I'm one man wishing on the California skyline drive
Up the coast, I brag and I boast
Because I'm picking up a pace and makin' time like space ghost
Raising a toast to the highway patrol with the most
Put my cruise controls on coast
'Cause I'm touring 'round the nation on extended vacation, see
I got Elsa the dog who exceeds my limitation
I say, "I like your style, crazy pound pup
You need a ride? Well come on, girl, hop in the truck"
With the curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come on
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all
See, I'm a down home brother, redneck undercover
With my guitar here, I'm ready to play
And Im' a sucker for a filly, got a natural ability
Geared to freestyle, look at my flexibility
Dangerous on the mike, my ghetto hat's cocked right
All the ladies say, "Yo', that kid is crazy"
We got the backstage betties taking more than they can get
They say, "What's up with M-R-A-Z?"
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Something's different in my world today
Well, they changed my traffic sign
To a brighter yellow
Hey, hey
Something's different in my world today
Well, they changed my traffic sign
To a brighter yellow
I'm just a curbside prophet (hey, hey)
A curbside prophet (something's different in my world today)
A curbside prophet (well, they changed my traffic sign)
A curbside, oh, come on (to a brighter yellow)
I'm just a curbside prophet (hey, hey)
Waiting for my rocket, waiting for my rocket to come (something's different in my world today)
A curbside prophet (well, they changed my traffic sign)
Come now, brother (to a brighter yellow)
You're a curbside prophet (hey, hey)
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all, hey
You see, it started way back in NYC
When I stole my first rhyme from the M-I-C
At a west end avenue at 63
Is the beginning of a leap year, February, '96
With a guitar picked up in the mix
I committed to the licks like a nickel bag of tricks
Well, look at me now, look at me now
Look at me now, now, now, now
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all, hey
Well, then you're never gonna, never gonna guess where I've been, been, been
And I have no regrets that I bet my whole checking account
Because it all amounts to nothing up in the end
Well, you can only count on the road again
We'll soon be on my radio dial
And I've been paying close attention to the Willie Nelson style
Like a, a band of gypsies on the highway while
As I'm one man wishing on the California skyline drive
Up the coast, I brag and I boast
Because I'm picking up a pace and makin' time like space ghost
Raising a toast to the highway patrol with the most
Put my cruise controls on coast
'Cause I'm touring 'round the nation on extended vacation, see
I got Elsa the dog who exceeds my limitation
I say, "I like your style, crazy pound pup
You need a ride? Well come on, girl, hop in the truck"
With the curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket to come on
I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket
And I'm waiting for my rocket, y'all
See, I'm a down home brother, redneck undercover
With my guitar here, I'm ready to play
And Im' a sucker for a filly, got a natural ability
Geared to freestyle, look at my flexibility
Dangerous on the mike, my ghetto hat's cocked right
All the ladies say, "Yo', that kid is crazy"
We got the backstage betties taking more than they can get
They say, "What's up with M-R-A-Z?"
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Something's different in my world today
Well, they changed my traffic sign
To a brighter yellow
Hey, hey
Something's different in my world today
Well, they changed my traffic sign
To a brighter yellow
I'm just a curbside prophet (hey, hey)
A curbside prophet (something's different in my world today)
A curbside prophet (well, they changed my traffic sign)
A curbside, oh, come on (to a brighter yellow)
I'm just a curbside prophet (hey, hey)
Waiting for my rocket, waiting for my rocket to come (something's different in my world today)
A curbside prophet (well, they changed my traffic sign)
Come now, brother (to a brighter yellow)
You're a curbside prophet (hey, hey)
Lyrics submitted by chickacherrycola
Curbside Prophet Lyrics as written by Jason Mraz Christina Ruffalo
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Word Collections Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Goo-Eyed Music, Fintage House Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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A curbside prophet is a homeless person that rants that the world is going to end.
With a hand in his pocket, his comment "waiting for my rocket to come" is a double entendre---both masturbation and sci-fi.
the song is pretty good, but it sounds like jason mraz is talkin about beatin his meat. think about it...."got my hand in my pocket and im waitin on my rocket to come" translated, it should say "im playin pocket pull, and im anticipating blowing my wad!"
I don't think that this song has any sexual reference it the chorus at all. When I hear I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket And I'm waiting for my rocket to come. By the hand-in-the-pocket thing, I think is refering to himself sitting and waiting patiently for his break to come. And the rocket is his sucess.
I think that this song is absolutly briliant. But I love Jason Mraz
jason mraz is so versitle. rappin in this song, has a lil country, folk, alternative, soul, pop. haha, and he's one of the few people i think, who sounds better live then recorded. haha, now that takes skillz! the entire album in incredible.
This is the greatest song. Its so off the wall you can't help but fall madly in love with it.
Um... about "beating the meat", I must confess I thought the same at one time... but I still love this song. In fact, I just love Jason Mraz. ^-^ If he's still a sucker, I'll be his filly! hahaha
My favorite lines come at the end: "They've changed my traffic signs to a brighter yellow". I think that shows that things in his life/career where looking up & life was going great. Life was just more vibrant.
This song is hilarious, I first heard it and I was like this sounds kinda country, and he sings the first verse and I was like yeah it does sound like a country but mixed with pop. But then he starts rapping, I was like "What the?". This song is just so funny! it has a crazy mix of different styles and I think that's what makes him so good. I think the song is mostly his story, how he started and now he's just waiting for his chance, to really become a huge star, to come.
Please... no more thinking this song is about beating meat.
This is just one of the best songs in a while, in every aspect. It has no complicated meaning its just there and funny and catchy.
i found some sexual connotation in the chorus...
a curbside prophet with his HAND in his POCKET waiting for his "ROCKET" to COME. yeah. i didn't think about it until he kept talking about truckers.