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.
Yo, Ice, you been down with the struggle for a long time, man...
Why don't you drop some knowledge for these brothers who
want to get involved in this war...
Take notes: real gangstas wear trench coats
Grey suits, black ties and they seek votes
And you're not to be misled
They'll kill you in your fuckin' bed
They don't sell dope, yo, excuse me, yes they do
But they don't look that much like me or you
But if you pull up the sheets and expose them
They'll crawl up like snakes and show fangs of venom
Now I've been soldier for years
Representin' the tattooed tears
Other brothas locked up with no choice
Left in the bowels of devil with no voice
My phones are tapped, my crib is bugged
My car is tailed from club to club
And this ain't no fuckin' joke
They want to see a nigga broke
You can't slip, if you slip you're out
You gotta know what you're talkin' about
Drop science every chance you get
Hit direct and indirect, speak in code
Cause you're never alone
That's why I use this low tone
Follow this and you might grow older
This is a message to the soldiers...
Now they killed King and they shot X
Now they want me, you could be next
All you gotta do is speak too loud
All you gotta be is be too proud
Cause once you let'em know
Who you are and where you're at
You better watch your back
Cause you might think you're just dope
While you're livin' in a sniper's scope
I'm not tryin' to scare you
But there's a danger if you get too deep
Some nights I don't sleep
All you want to do is tell the truth
All you want to do is save the youth
Ice Cube knows, Souljah knows, P.E. knows
They throw death blows
And if you got kids or a girl that's true
They'll move on them too
But when I'm gone I need you to carry on
You gotta be strong and fight for our salvation
But there will be retaliation, soldier...
To think that rap could be attacked
Is ignorin' the simple fact
That they never ment us to speak
They had planned to keep the black man weak
But rap hit the streets
Black rage amplified over dope beats
Now they want to shut us down
And they don't fuck around
Check the history books, son
Black leaders die young
They tell us that your words are scary
They're revolutionary
Because we speak the truth
About crime and drugs
And expose the real thugs
This info is not beneficial
To the groups that go by three initals
So they try to discredit
They'll dog you with an edit
Print the words the way you never said it
But we gotta make'em regret it, soldiers...
Word! I know a lot of brothas out there want to get in this war...
You know what I'm sayin'? a lot of sistas got a lot of knowledge
to drop on our people but right now they're movin' to shut down
all hip-hop! The first amendment had absolutely nothin' to do
with black people at the time constitution was written, we were
considered nothin' but property...The expectation of havin' black
people speak on records never came to mind, so we gotta move!
But belive me all the black leaders have been silenced and most
of the time it's been violent so if you choose to get in this war,
realize what you're in for but we gotta move on...
And we gotta stay strong...
Message to the soldiers, welcome to the struggle...
Message to the soldiers, be careful, soldiers...
Why don't you drop some knowledge for these brothers who
want to get involved in this war...
Take notes: real gangstas wear trench coats
Grey suits, black ties and they seek votes
And you're not to be misled
They'll kill you in your fuckin' bed
They don't sell dope, yo, excuse me, yes they do
But they don't look that much like me or you
But if you pull up the sheets and expose them
They'll crawl up like snakes and show fangs of venom
Now I've been soldier for years
Representin' the tattooed tears
Other brothas locked up with no choice
Left in the bowels of devil with no voice
My phones are tapped, my crib is bugged
My car is tailed from club to club
And this ain't no fuckin' joke
They want to see a nigga broke
You can't slip, if you slip you're out
You gotta know what you're talkin' about
Drop science every chance you get
Hit direct and indirect, speak in code
Cause you're never alone
That's why I use this low tone
Follow this and you might grow older
This is a message to the soldiers...
Now they killed King and they shot X
Now they want me, you could be next
All you gotta do is speak too loud
All you gotta be is be too proud
Cause once you let'em know
Who you are and where you're at
You better watch your back
Cause you might think you're just dope
While you're livin' in a sniper's scope
I'm not tryin' to scare you
But there's a danger if you get too deep
Some nights I don't sleep
All you want to do is tell the truth
All you want to do is save the youth
Ice Cube knows, Souljah knows, P.E. knows
They throw death blows
And if you got kids or a girl that's true
They'll move on them too
But when I'm gone I need you to carry on
You gotta be strong and fight for our salvation
But there will be retaliation, soldier...
To think that rap could be attacked
Is ignorin' the simple fact
That they never ment us to speak
They had planned to keep the black man weak
But rap hit the streets
Black rage amplified over dope beats
Now they want to shut us down
And they don't fuck around
Check the history books, son
Black leaders die young
They tell us that your words are scary
They're revolutionary
Because we speak the truth
About crime and drugs
And expose the real thugs
This info is not beneficial
To the groups that go by three initals
So they try to discredit
They'll dog you with an edit
Print the words the way you never said it
But we gotta make'em regret it, soldiers...
Word! I know a lot of brothas out there want to get in this war...
You know what I'm sayin'? a lot of sistas got a lot of knowledge
to drop on our people but right now they're movin' to shut down
all hip-hop! The first amendment had absolutely nothin' to do
with black people at the time constitution was written, we were
considered nothin' but property...The expectation of havin' black
people speak on records never came to mind, so we gotta move!
But belive me all the black leaders have been silenced and most
of the time it's been violent so if you choose to get in this war,
realize what you're in for but we gotta move on...
And we gotta stay strong...
Message to the soldiers, welcome to the struggle...
Message to the soldiers, be careful, soldiers...
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Message to the Soldier Lyrics as written by Tracy Lauren Marrow Alphonso Henderson
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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