Ah, what was the question
Oh yeah, momento mori
It means remember it's inevitable that we will all die
It sounds quite depressing when said so raw and direct
But it means don't hang yourself on a material life
But that gets dropped when I'm bop on shopping day
Am I shallow, am I hung up on such wrong ways
Yes I am shallow and loving every wrong play
If love is blind then why do we all buy lingerie
I've got nothing in my life away from the studio
So when I'm loose I end up consuming dough

Memento mori, memento mori
It's latin and it says we must all die
I tried it for a while but it's a load of boring shit
So I buy buy buy buy buy buy

If I start to think of life I have prangs of paranoia
Pull one stripey shirt off a racks or another
Over think my fate grasping a pastel jumper
Panic buy a flight home, prang though actually sober
Change my mind and fly back into Vegas
Buy more pastel shades and some famous labels
Frame the Ferrari through the day with the mayhem
Just to forget about the race in my head
I don't really care about the luck and the look
But driving a Ferrari is fucking book

Memento mori, memento mori
It's latin and it says we must all die
I tried it for a while but it's a load of boring shit
So I buy buy buy buy buy buy

I think if I could see me now from my growing past
I'd Hate the shirted cunt that seems to be so fucking flash
I reckon from the threads I think all I think's about cash
But my manager tells me I ought to think about cash
It's like people don't know the eighties started
My car just keeps carding with the card machine
You don't regard the old you, driving a Ferrari
Mine's the driving license through Nevada at speed
I never think about money
In fact I have no idea how much money I have

Memento mori, memento mori
It's latin and it says we must all die
I tried it for a while but it's a load of boring shit
So I buy buy buy buy buy buy

Chilly 'n Carmen air sips as I'm parting her hair
But I'm an asbo drinker I want to be chilly parkair
But asbo drinkers just don't dig my art and my flair
Even if they dig my asbo driving, past their carlight flair
Sometimes when I my diamond trinkets with my whores
I know I've strayed a bit from my old sins and my walks
But then I laugh out loud that my car still fucking talks
I feel awful for a bit but at least I'm not poor


Lyrics submitted by CoryGreenwell

Memento Mori Lyrics as written by Michael Geoffrey Skinner

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Memento Mori song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    i cannot get this song out of my head. it's frustrating as all hell.

    it reminds me a bit of kanye in how he's still a bit insecure in his wealth. it's still a far cry from having to steal a bit of ice cream in spain which wasn't so long ago. i hope his telling us about his having money is just a one-timer though.

    CoryGreenwellon April 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yea i agree, wish this was just a one time deal, but the whole new album looks at dealing with wealth/fame/etc, not the same as the old streets

    sick beat though

    manbeingerasedon July 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ITS MY NICNAME BITCHES -LOVE THE STREETS

    MomentoMori_Streetson August 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe he's saying we're all going to die so dont get down on the little things-just live your life and stop being so damn superficial(then he realizes hhow thats a little hypocritical) and is like well Ferraris are fucking cool too. =]

    Seadgeon January 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Just because this song or the whole album in general is about money/wealth/fame doesn't necessarily mean he wrote all of the songs about himself and his life. It could be from the perspective of someone who is completely immersed in their fame.

    lthewillingwelllon June 08, 2009   Link

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