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.
Diamonds are forever
They won't leave in the night
I've no fear that they might
Desert me
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Close your eyes and imagine, feel the magic
Vegas on acid, seen through Yves St. Laurent glasses
And I've realized that I've arrived
Cause it take more than a magazine to kill my Vibe
Does he write his own rhymes, well sort of, I think 'em
That mean I forgot better shit than you ever thought of
Damn, is he really that caught up?
I ask if you talked about classics, do my name get brought up?
I remember I couldn't afford a Ford Escort
Or even a four-track recorder
So it's only right that I let the top drop on a drop-top Porsche
It's for yourself, that's important
If your stripper name "Porscha" and you get tips from many men
Then your fat friend, her nickname is "Minivan"
Excuse me, that's just the Henny, man
I smoke, I drink, I'm supposed to stop, I can't because
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
I was sick about awards, couldn't nobody cure me
Only playa that got robbed but kept all his jewelry
Alicia Keys tried to talk some sense in him
30 minutes later sein' there's no convincin' him
What more could you ask for? The international asshole
Who complain about what he is owed?
And throw a tantrum like he is 3 years old
You gotta love it though somebody still speaks from his soul
And wouldn't change by the change, or the game, or the fame
When he came in the game, he made his own lane
Now all I need is y'all to pronounce my name
It's Kanye, but some of my plaques, they still say Kayne
Got family in the D, Kin-folk from Motown
Back in the Chi, them Folks ain't from Moe Town
Life movin' too fast I need to slow down
Girl ain't give me no ass, ya need to go down
My father been said I need Jesus
So he took me to church and let the water wash over my caesar
The preacher said we need leaders
Right then my body got still like a paraplegic
You know who you call, you got a message, then leave it
The Roc stand tall and you would never believe it
Take your diamonds and throw 'em up like you bulimic
Yeah, the beat cold but the flow is anemic
After debris settles and the dust get swept off
Big K pick up where young Hov left off
Right when magazines wrote Kanye West off
I dropped my new shit, it sound like the best of
A&R's lookin' like, "Pssh, we messed up"
Grammy night, damn right, we got dressed up
Bottle after bottle till we got messed up
In the studio, with Really Doe, yeah, he next up
People askin' me if I'm gon' give my chain back
That'll be the same day I give the game back
You know the next question dog: "Yo, where Dame at?"
This track the Indian dance to bring our reign back
"What's up with you and Jay, man, are y'all ok man?"
They pray for the death of our dynasty like "Amen"
R-r-r-r-right here stands a man
With the power to make a diamond with his bare hands
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
They won't leave in the night
I've no fear that they might
Desert me
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Close your eyes and imagine, feel the magic
Vegas on acid, seen through Yves St. Laurent glasses
And I've realized that I've arrived
Cause it take more than a magazine to kill my Vibe
Does he write his own rhymes, well sort of, I think 'em
That mean I forgot better shit than you ever thought of
Damn, is he really that caught up?
I ask if you talked about classics, do my name get brought up?
I remember I couldn't afford a Ford Escort
Or even a four-track recorder
So it's only right that I let the top drop on a drop-top Porsche
It's for yourself, that's important
If your stripper name "Porscha" and you get tips from many men
Then your fat friend, her nickname is "Minivan"
Excuse me, that's just the Henny, man
I smoke, I drink, I'm supposed to stop, I can't because
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
I was sick about awards, couldn't nobody cure me
Only playa that got robbed but kept all his jewelry
Alicia Keys tried to talk some sense in him
30 minutes later sein' there's no convincin' him
What more could you ask for? The international asshole
Who complain about what he is owed?
And throw a tantrum like he is 3 years old
You gotta love it though somebody still speaks from his soul
And wouldn't change by the change, or the game, or the fame
When he came in the game, he made his own lane
Now all I need is y'all to pronounce my name
It's Kanye, but some of my plaques, they still say Kayne
Got family in the D, Kin-folk from Motown
Back in the Chi, them Folks ain't from Moe Town
Life movin' too fast I need to slow down
Girl ain't give me no ass, ya need to go down
My father been said I need Jesus
So he took me to church and let the water wash over my caesar
The preacher said we need leaders
Right then my body got still like a paraplegic
You know who you call, you got a message, then leave it
The Roc stand tall and you would never believe it
Take your diamonds and throw 'em up like you bulimic
Yeah, the beat cold but the flow is anemic
After debris settles and the dust get swept off
Big K pick up where young Hov left off
Right when magazines wrote Kanye West off
I dropped my new shit, it sound like the best of
A&R's lookin' like, "Pssh, we messed up"
Grammy night, damn right, we got dressed up
Bottle after bottle till we got messed up
In the studio, with Really Doe, yeah, he next up
People askin' me if I'm gon' give my chain back
That'll be the same day I give the game back
You know the next question dog: "Yo, where Dame at?"
This track the Indian dance to bring our reign back
"What's up with you and Jay, man, are y'all ok man?"
They pray for the death of our dynasty like "Amen"
R-r-r-r-right here stands a man
With the power to make a diamond with his bare hands
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
Lyrics submitted by jel
Diamonds From Sierra Leone Lyrics as written by Antwan Patton Andre Benjamin
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Songtrust Ave, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Most of these lyrics are wrong. For example "or even a ford - track a quarter" It says, I couldnt afford a ford escort, or even a 4 track recorder. If you dont know what a 4 track recorder is then you're probably not a totally amazing super fantastic producer like myself
I AM KANYE"S BIGGEST FAN
But i have Question :What album is this off of? Oh yeah AWESOME SONG
It's going to be on Late Registration.
OK, theres still some wrong lyrics. Heres what you put, but corrected
Close your eyes and imagine, feel the magic Vegas on acid, Seen through East St. Laurent glasses And I’ve realized that I’ve arrived, cuz It take more than a magazine to kill my Vibe, does he write his own rhymes? Sort of - I think ‘em. That mean I forgot better sh*t than you ever thought of. Damn, is he really that caught up? I ask if you talkin’ bout classes, do my name get brought up? I remember I couldn’t afford a Ford Escort or even a 4 track recorder so its only right that I let the top drop on the drop-top Porsche – its for yourself that’s important If a stripper named Porscha and you get tips from many men Then your fat friend her nickname is minivan Excuse me, That’s just the Henny, man, I smoke, I drink, I’m supposed to stop I cant because....
I was sick about awards Couldn’t nobody cure me Only playa that got robbed, but kept all his jewelry Alicia Keys tried to talk some sense in him 30 minutes later seems there’s no convincin him What more can you ask for? The international a**hole Who complains about what he is owed, And throw a tantrum like he’s 3 years old You gotta love it though somebody still speak from his soul And wouldn’t change by the change, or the game, or the fame, when he came, in the game, he made his own lane Now all I need is y’all to pronounce my name Its Kanye – But some of my plaques – they still say Kayne Got family and a deacon, folk from Motown Back in the Chi – them folks ain’t from Motown Life movin’ too fast I need to slow down Girl ain’t give me no ass, she need to go down Diamonds are forever (forever, forever) My father Ben said I need Jesus So he took me to church and let the water wash over my seezer[?] Diamonds are forever (forever, forever) The preacher said we need leaders Right then my body got still like a paraplegic
Yves Saint Laurent
This song is so cool! I like the part where he says "Then your fat friend, her nickname is minivan" :) I think this song is about not giving up on your dream and succeeding in what you put your mind to. Well, not really. My opinion...
This song is hot. I love it.
The beat is pretty sick, but otherwise this song really does suck - from a meaningful point of view. If you watch the video you will think this song has some true hip hop merit but it ain't got shit. This shit is about continually exploiting Africans who do slave over their stupid ice - the video would make it seem almost the other way around as if it's anti-exploitation by the wealthy white. Now the lyrics... "If a stripper named Porscha and u get tips from many men Then your fat friend her nickname is minivan..." That right there is just about the stupidest shit I've ever heard...worst lyrics ever (not including every 50 track). Now down to what little meaning it has - the song is entirely about Kanye's relationship with Roc-A-Fella and how he is still down with Dash and Jay-Z etc. That's it. Pretty powerful stuff right there huh? Another great MTV song. What a waste of a beat and artistic video. Kanye...the "Whack" is still alive.
I agree with amerikanzero.
As a stronge opposer towards MTV and the crap they play, I'm tired of these good artists going to new lows to keep up with the MTV standards of crap.
I really liked Kanye cause he wasn't all about the stupid things that get rapped about, like money, and exploitation of women. I liked Kanye and i HATE rap. He was unique in a good way, that made him stand out better. I first thought this song was about African's killing themselves over the Diamonds rich people buy, but I guess not. It's just another call out, or whatever they call 'em.