This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
You spend your time in smokey rooms
where haggled old women with cheap perfume say
"it never happens for people like us you know"
well nothing ever happened on it`s own
and well the toilets smell of desperation
the streets all echo of aggregation
and you wonder
why you cant get no sleep
when you`ve got nothing to do,
and you`ve had nothing to eat
your life`s slipping
and sliding right out of view
and there`s absolutely nothing
that you can do, well
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
Dirty dishes from a tv meal
that went cold from the wind
throuh a smashed up window
You cant go out if anybody calls ya
cos you cant have a bath
when there`s no hot water
and your friends are out
on the town again
and you ask yourself if it will ever end
and it`s all too much for your head to take
just a matter of time before you break, well
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
Now...
Now...
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
where haggled old women with cheap perfume say
"it never happens for people like us you know"
well nothing ever happened on it`s own
and well the toilets smell of desperation
the streets all echo of aggregation
and you wonder
why you cant get no sleep
when you`ve got nothing to do,
and you`ve had nothing to eat
your life`s slipping
and sliding right out of view
and there`s absolutely nothing
that you can do, well
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
Dirty dishes from a tv meal
that went cold from the wind
throuh a smashed up window
You cant go out if anybody calls ya
cos you cant have a bath
when there`s no hot water
and your friends are out
on the town again
and you ask yourself if it will ever end
and it`s all too much for your head to take
just a matter of time before you break, well
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
Now...
Now...
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
We`ll live and die,
We`ll live and die in these towns
Don`t let it drag you down
Don`t let it drag you down now
Lyrics submitted by themangus
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I agree with jackflashjess but, I kind of think, maybe it's not that deep... Could it just be about living in a crappy area and you know you're never going to get out but you've just got to get on with it. 'don't let it drag you down now'