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.
Wooaahh! yeah
On top of the world
Yeah, that's how my seeds got me feeling' right now
On top of the world
Yeah, you ever felt like you could do anything, (Yeah)
On top of the world
I'ma hold y'all down for real, (Gotcha!)
It was 1996, fourth of July, looking off in the sky
Dealing with thoughts inside, when something caught my eye
It was a silhouette of a beautiful woman, bright with life
Carrying my first seed, looking like she gone bear fruit tonight
We at the African street festival, and she walking around
Talking about the midwife said, that bring the baby down
I'm about to be a father, the sights and sounds,
Seem brighter around me
And for starters, I know I'ma work harder, word
We got home at three in the morning, I was beat
Them contractions started coming as soon as I fell asleep
Three oh five, like every five minutes, then the water broke
We on the go, yelling at the cabbie, cause he's sort of slow
You know them hospitals all trying to get paid, no questions
Hear come the doctor's with they drugs, trying to do see-sections
But my baby stay's strong, in labor for yay long
Eight-pound baby boy, to carry my name on, joy!
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel
My baby girl
June 10th, 1999, I been on the grind
Since the birth of my son, it's been about, way more then rhymes
Baby on the way, my lady glowing today, at least
That's what the midwife said, on the phone
Anyway, the music got me going away
Like everyday, but it's a blessing, so I gotta have patience
And she got pregnant on a Jamaican vacation
So it's all good, this time well have the baby in a house
I went the hospital route, I know what they all about (Never again)
So I'm out on tour, in Baltimore
Get the call around four, when the water hit the floor (Damn!)
I gotta rock my show, but I gotta go
Got second thoughts about her not going, to the hospital
I left the show early, Mos held me down, good looking (No doubt)
Call the car service, like, take me straight to Brooklyn (Uh huh)
Got the news in the car, stayed sorta calm
But I cried tears of joy,
When they put my daughter in my arms, how precious!
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel
I do it for the seeds y'all,
In they formative years when they need y'all
We gotta believe, in what we conceive y'all, it's deep y'all
I give them the truth,
So they approach the situation, with ammunition
I keep nothing away,
They hear everything, cause they know how to listen
Teach them the game, so they know they position, so they can grow
And make decisions, that change the world, and break old tradition
They put kids in jail, for a life they ain't even get to start
That's murder too, and it's breaking my heart,
It's breaking our nation apart
We gave the youth all the anger, it's just
We ain't taught them, how to express it, and so it's dangerous
You can't talk to them
Unless your language is relating to what they going through
So busy ignoring them, you can't see what they showing you
And you wonder, why we called baby-daddy's and baby-momma's
When we grow up, we can't act like adult mothers and fathers, yo
I'm so blessed to have a boy and a girl,
Everyday they bring joy to my world
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel
I do it for the seeds y'all
On top of the world
Yeah, that's how my seeds got me feeling' right now
On top of the world
Yeah, you ever felt like you could do anything, (Yeah)
On top of the world
I'ma hold y'all down for real, (Gotcha!)
It was 1996, fourth of July, looking off in the sky
Dealing with thoughts inside, when something caught my eye
It was a silhouette of a beautiful woman, bright with life
Carrying my first seed, looking like she gone bear fruit tonight
We at the African street festival, and she walking around
Talking about the midwife said, that bring the baby down
I'm about to be a father, the sights and sounds,
Seem brighter around me
And for starters, I know I'ma work harder, word
We got home at three in the morning, I was beat
Them contractions started coming as soon as I fell asleep
Three oh five, like every five minutes, then the water broke
We on the go, yelling at the cabbie, cause he's sort of slow
You know them hospitals all trying to get paid, no questions
Hear come the doctor's with they drugs, trying to do see-sections
But my baby stay's strong, in labor for yay long
Eight-pound baby boy, to carry my name on, joy!
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel
My baby girl
June 10th, 1999, I been on the grind
Since the birth of my son, it's been about, way more then rhymes
Baby on the way, my lady glowing today, at least
That's what the midwife said, on the phone
Anyway, the music got me going away
Like everyday, but it's a blessing, so I gotta have patience
And she got pregnant on a Jamaican vacation
So it's all good, this time well have the baby in a house
I went the hospital route, I know what they all about (Never again)
So I'm out on tour, in Baltimore
Get the call around four, when the water hit the floor (Damn!)
I gotta rock my show, but I gotta go
Got second thoughts about her not going, to the hospital
I left the show early, Mos held me down, good looking (No doubt)
Call the car service, like, take me straight to Brooklyn (Uh huh)
Got the news in the car, stayed sorta calm
But I cried tears of joy,
When they put my daughter in my arms, how precious!
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel
I do it for the seeds y'all,
In they formative years when they need y'all
We gotta believe, in what we conceive y'all, it's deep y'all
I give them the truth,
So they approach the situation, with ammunition
I keep nothing away,
They hear everything, cause they know how to listen
Teach them the game, so they know they position, so they can grow
And make decisions, that change the world, and break old tradition
They put kids in jail, for a life they ain't even get to start
That's murder too, and it's breaking my heart,
It's breaking our nation apart
We gave the youth all the anger, it's just
We ain't taught them, how to express it, and so it's dangerous
You can't talk to them
Unless your language is relating to what they going through
So busy ignoring them, you can't see what they showing you
And you wonder, why we called baby-daddy's and baby-momma's
When we grow up, we can't act like adult mothers and fathers, yo
I'm so blessed to have a boy and a girl,
Everyday they bring joy to my world
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel
I do it for the seeds y'all
Lyrics submitted by lakersfankb81
Joy Lyrics as written by Talib Kweli Curtis Mayfield
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.