This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
She don't believe in shootin' stars
But she believe in shoes and cars
Wood floors in the new apartment
Couture from the store's department
You more like "love to start shit"
I'm more of the trips to Florida
Order the hors d'oeuvres, views of the water
Straight from a page of your favorite author
And the weather so breezy
Man, why can't life always be this easy?
She in the mirror dancing so sleazy
I get a call like, "Where are you Yeezy?"
And try to hit you with the ol-wu-wopte
'Til I got flashed by the paparazzi ('razzi)
Damn, these niggas got me
I hate these niggas more than the Nazi
As I recall, I know you love to show off (off)
But I never thought that you would take it this far (far)
What do I know? Flashing lights (lights, lights)
What do I know? Flashing (know) lights (lights, lights)
I know it's been a while, sweetheart
We hardly talk, I was doing my thing
I know I was foul, baby
Ay, babe lately you been all on my brain (brain)
And if somebody would've told me a month ago
Fronting, though, yo, I wouldn't wanna know
If somebody would've told me a year ago
It'll go, get this difficult (difficult)
Feeling like Katrina with no FEMA
Like Martin with no Gina
Like a flight with no Visa
First class with the seat back I still see ya
In my past, you on the other side of the glass
Of my memory's museum
I'm just saying, hey, Mona Lisa
Come home you know you can't Rome without Caesar
As I recall, I know you love to show off (off)
But I never thought that you would take it this far (far)
What do I know? Flashing lights (lights, lights)
What do I know? Flashing (know) lights (lights, lights)
As you recall, you know I love to show off (off)
But you never thought that I would take it this far (far)
What do you know? Flashing lights (lights, lights)
What do you know? Flashing (know) lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights, lights)
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
She don't believe in shootin' stars
But she believe in shoes and cars
Wood floors in the new apartment
Couture from the store's department
You more like "love to start shit"
I'm more of the trips to Florida
Order the hors d'oeuvres, views of the water
Straight from a page of your favorite author
And the weather so breezy
Man, why can't life always be this easy?
She in the mirror dancing so sleazy
I get a call like, "Where are you Yeezy?"
And try to hit you with the ol-wu-wopte
'Til I got flashed by the paparazzi ('razzi)
Damn, these niggas got me
I hate these niggas more than the Nazi
As I recall, I know you love to show off (off)
But I never thought that you would take it this far (far)
What do I know? Flashing lights (lights, lights)
What do I know? Flashing (know) lights (lights, lights)
I know it's been a while, sweetheart
We hardly talk, I was doing my thing
I know I was foul, baby
Ay, babe lately you been all on my brain (brain)
And if somebody would've told me a month ago
Fronting, though, yo, I wouldn't wanna know
If somebody would've told me a year ago
It'll go, get this difficult (difficult)
Feeling like Katrina with no FEMA
Like Martin with no Gina
Like a flight with no Visa
First class with the seat back I still see ya
In my past, you on the other side of the glass
Of my memory's museum
I'm just saying, hey, Mona Lisa
Come home you know you can't Rome without Caesar
As I recall, I know you love to show off (off)
But I never thought that you would take it this far (far)
What do I know? Flashing lights (lights, lights)
What do I know? Flashing (know) lights (lights, lights)
As you recall, you know I love to show off (off)
But you never thought that I would take it this far (far)
What do you know? Flashing lights (lights, lights)
What do you know? Flashing (know) lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights)
Flashing lights (lights, lights, lights)
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lights, lights, lights, lights
Lyrics submitted by strykerchick
Flashing Lights Lyrics as written by Eric Hudson Kanye West
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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A lot of good ideas from previous posters. There are still some parts that I'm curious about, but what I gathered from the lyrics was...
He's talking to his ex about another girl (maybe she's not really his ex as he's talking in the beginning)
"She don't believe in shooting stars But she believes in shoes and cars Wood floors in a new apartment Couture from the store's departments"
She doesn't have dreams... But she does like materialistic things - she's shallow.
"You more like 'love to start shit'"
His girl is more combative than the "other" girl. They have arguments and problems at times...
"I'm more of the Trips to Florida Order the hor douvres, view of the water Straight from a page of your favorite author
And the weather's so breezy"
He doesn't like the drama; he'd prefer to enjoy the good life and skip the arguing/etc.
"Man, why can't life always be this easy? She in the mirror dancing so sleazy"
He'd rather have nothing but good times instead of the problems that being in a relationship/maybe his girl herself brings.
He's thinking this as he looks at the "other woman" dancing freaky in the mirror. (the grass is always greener on the other side)
Then he gets a call from his girl:
"I get a call like 'Where are you, geezy?'"
And he gives her some drag so she won't know that he's really up to:
"And try to hit you with the Ol-Wu-Wopte"
kind of like how sometimes people make a joke about tricking someone/faking them out: "I hit 'em with the old 42 fake" or something along those lines.
But while he's out with the other woman, until a flashing light goes off - it's the paparazzis, and they took a picture with him and his mistress. His secret affair isn't a secret anymore...
"Till I got flashed by the paparazzi"
"Damn, these ns got me I hate these ns more than a Nazi"
He's making a play on words. He's saying he hates the papparazzis more than Nazis hate Black people (only he uses a derogatory term - which I'm not a fan of).
"As I recall, I know you love to show off But I never thought that you would take it this far But what do I know? (Flashing lights) What do I know?"
Not completely sure about the chorus... Maybe like others said, his now ex girl, likes to make a public scene - but he didn't know that she'd go as far as she did to make a scene and/or get revenge.
But what does he know (probably said in a self-depricating way "...hey, what do I know?"
Then in the second verse he's talking more to his girl after the fallout from the affair...
"I know it's been a while, sweetheart We hardly talked I was doing my thing"
They haven't talked in awhile since the breakup.
"I know it was foul baby Ay, babe, lately you been all on my brain"
He's talking about being with the other girl. He admits it was wrong, and is starting to appeal to his ex about how he still has feelings for her...
"And if somebody woulda told me a month ago Frontin' though Yo, I wouldn't wanna know
If somebody woulda told me a year ago it'll go get this difficult"
He didn't realize that breaking up would be this hard.
"Feeling like Katrina with no FEMA Like Martin with no Gina Like a flight with no visa"
He's trying to relate his feelings about the breakup by talking about things that go together (not being together) Without her, he feels incomplete.
"FIrst class with the seat back I still see ya"
even when he's flying first class relaxed (enjoyin the life of luxory) - he still thinks about her (his ex).
"In my past you on the other side of the glass Of my memory's museum
I'm just saying, hey Mona Lisa"
He'll never forget her (things are kept safe and preserved in a museum); also, you can look but you can't touch in a museum (the glass is in the way) - just the memory of her isn't enough...
"Come home" I think this goes along with what someone said about Mona Lisa being moved (I didn't know much about that). Also, Mona Lisa is surely in a museum somewhere - which ties into his museum reference about his ex.
At the same time, he's he's calling his girl "Mona Lisa" and saying "Come home" to his ex herself.
"you know you can't Rome without Caesar"
Maybe she's been in the spotlight herself, maybe not. Maybe she has dreams she's pursuing... But without him, something is missing. She's not complete either.
Would Rome have been what it was without Ceasar? (the leader?)
So I guess he's tellin her how he's not complete without her - but then he's saying "you aren't complete without me either!"
"As I recall, I know you love to show off But I never thought that you would take it this far What do I know? (Flashing lights) what do I know"
Probably has the same meaning as the first time he said it...
"As you recall, you know I love to show off But you never thought that I would take it this far What do you know? (Flashing lights) What do you know?"
Not completely sure what his means.
Maybe it's like someone said - he did something or other to get back at his ex for whatever she did that he didn't expect her to do as a way of revenge...
OR maybe he's talking about the affair and saying she never thought he'd go so far as to be seen in public with another woman in public...
OR maybe he did something to win her back and he's saying "you never thought that I would take it this far" (maybe he did something spectacular to impress his ex) "what do you know?" (you wouldn't expect something like this from me, but you underestimated me - I'm capable of doing something like this - even if I didn't show it in the past)
The chorus is the part that I'm not as sure about, but that's my take...
@Sheh8me well-spoken and nicely analyzed, best comment ive seen!