Don't you remember
The fizz in a pepper
Peanuts in a bottle
At ten, two and four

A fried bologna sandwich
With mayo and tomato
Sittin' round the table
Don't happen much anymore

We've gotten too complicated
It's all way over-rated
I like the old and out-dated
Way of life

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes

Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu

I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when

I loved my records
Black, shiny vinyl
Clicks and pops
And white noise
Man they sounded fine

I had my favorite stations
The ones that played them all
Country, soul and rock-and-roll
What happened to those times?

I'm readin' street slang for dummies
'Cause they put pop in my country
I want more for my money
The way it was back then

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes

Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu

I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when

Give me a flat top for strumming
I want the whole world to be humming
Oh, oh, oh
Just keep it coming
The way it was back then

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes

Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu

I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when


Lyrics submitted by alkalinelemon

Back When Lyrics as written by Jeff Stevens Stan Lynch

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Back When song meanings
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8 Comments

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    General Comment

    This Song means exactly what it sounds like. A long time ago (50s-60s I think) life was so much simpler. Coke was Cocacola. Hoes were garden tools to till up the land. But now, Coke is a drug that you shoot up, and hoes are, well, if you live in today's world you should know what a hoe is. I just have one question. Why put in disgusting things like eating fried bologna sandwiches with mayo and tomatoes? Ewww...

    Avenger101on April 24, 2006   Link

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