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.
Yo, I'm sick of the lack of respect that I get,
from these cats who think that they pose as a threat,
but they don't even know me,
yet they try and put me to the test,
thinking their on top of me, 'cause they got a bigger chest,
but I just sit back and let them guess,
half of wondering what I can do to them next,
they don't know what to expect,
I'm telling you now, it's not about success,
It's a fact we've all been blessed from the man upstairs,
but nobody cares, these people so quick to judge,
can't even walk the streets at night without being mugged,
how can one fight when homies getting slugged,
it's seems that we forget that he's watching us from above,
some dudes are heartless, that's why we have lost so many rap artists,
it's garbage, they never think of thier sons or daughters,
now they have to grow without a father to love,
god bless the memory of Tupac, Notorious, Jam Master Jay and Bugz,
CHORUSx2
It's time that some people started to show a little respect,
We all love it but we all represent,
We only have one life and we should live it to the end,
We should all have the opportunity to do our best
What's up with Hip Hop, it's like we gotta get props, give us some props,
it's gonna get dropped, it's a serious problem we got,
when there's lack of respect, leads to death by the sharks,
it don't happen in Australia yet, how long have we got?
before we all gotta be hardcore, when we start wars,
when beef jump off the boat, come to your streets and all,
when beefs knock on your door and force to the floor,
put a gun in your mouth, blow your brains out all over the wall,
cause we all want this respect, dont disrespect us,
it's like we all gotta prove that we the best, it just doesn't makes sense,
we all paranoid and stressed,
we aren't running from coppers, we run from each other instead,
how long before an aussie MC dead, when an old friend
gets this crazy idea in his head like you trying to test,
pulls out his weapons and uses them,
we gotta settle down before Hip Hip starts getting stupid man,
CHORUSx4
A little respect...
A little respect...
from these cats who think that they pose as a threat,
but they don't even know me,
yet they try and put me to the test,
thinking their on top of me, 'cause they got a bigger chest,
but I just sit back and let them guess,
half of wondering what I can do to them next,
they don't know what to expect,
I'm telling you now, it's not about success,
It's a fact we've all been blessed from the man upstairs,
but nobody cares, these people so quick to judge,
can't even walk the streets at night without being mugged,
how can one fight when homies getting slugged,
it's seems that we forget that he's watching us from above,
some dudes are heartless, that's why we have lost so many rap artists,
it's garbage, they never think of thier sons or daughters,
now they have to grow without a father to love,
god bless the memory of Tupac, Notorious, Jam Master Jay and Bugz,
CHORUSx2
It's time that some people started to show a little respect,
We all love it but we all represent,
We only have one life and we should live it to the end,
We should all have the opportunity to do our best
What's up with Hip Hop, it's like we gotta get props, give us some props,
it's gonna get dropped, it's a serious problem we got,
when there's lack of respect, leads to death by the sharks,
it don't happen in Australia yet, how long have we got?
before we all gotta be hardcore, when we start wars,
when beef jump off the boat, come to your streets and all,
when beefs knock on your door and force to the floor,
put a gun in your mouth, blow your brains out all over the wall,
cause we all want this respect, dont disrespect us,
it's like we all gotta prove that we the best, it just doesn't makes sense,
we all paranoid and stressed,
we aren't running from coppers, we run from each other instead,
how long before an aussie MC dead, when an old friend
gets this crazy idea in his head like you trying to test,
pulls out his weapons and uses them,
we gotta settle down before Hip Hip starts getting stupid man,
CHORUSx4
A little respect...
A little respect...
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
The song is about the problems with all the Gangster Rappers in America and that who have this whole lack of respect for others which results in people getting killed. They speak about it not happening in Australia yet (We don't have a large mainstream Hip Hop industry) but at this rate then you may have someone barging into your house and pointing a gun at your head in an attempt to be respected.
P.S- Before people ask, I don't like Joel Turner and the Beatbox alliance.