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.
[Talking between the Souls and Pep Love]
"I find it fun to smash emcees into (fine bits)
So why I ain't get my just deserts for all the kids I busted, huh?
(Baby!)
I crush the curtesy when dealin' with the folks is too much
for the askin'
Cool-I got the (skill crafted tools)
Massive fools at my work bench and
(I'm wrenchin') mics from they graspin'
(That's how it has been)
The drill's this: I kill swift
I feels I better slay or, (hey
my tape measures greater)
So now I'm (askin') dips if they (saw me)
and they was available
would they want me to (nail'em all?)
Be through, screw drive her (screwdriver) crazy
Nuttin', bold, lively
(Put on your high beams)
I, proliferator, quickly fade to niggas vigorous
Figure I kick stunts,
I punch twice that nigga that's dissin' at me
Attach'em to bats, latchin', and matchin' my cataclism
I give'em a (skism),
I (stroke to croak her, I broke her)
Chokin' up on my syntax, as I bend backs by impacts (impacts)
then I give a concusssion in your NUTS when I'm bustin'
(Heads)
Dead with my lead graff
I cloth thee, I (swing) off-beat, off the
cerebellum, swellin' nimrods
Ten brains couldn't parallel this,
(ha) I'm caraouselling kids
while they wallow and swallow hallow tips (yep)
You follow and slippin'
I'm rippin' mics nice twice like (dicin' kids in fractions)
Yo, (figure, I tax men)
Steppin' to Casual
That's when ya lost
What about Domino?
That's when ya lost
But if you step to Snupe
That's when ya lost
Steppin' to A+...
That's when ya lost
If you play the Tajai
That's when ya lost
Man, steppin' to Opio
That's when ya lost
Seppin' to Phesto
That's when ya lost
Phuck with Toure'
That's when ya lost
(Yo), I'm willin' to bet, you're willin' to sweat (yah)
But illin"ll get you - (bruised), I kill and I step to - (crews)
And abuse two's and three's, who's the g that hoe's know (me)
Me & Hiero, I know, (I'm fly, bro)
So why flow if you're not invigerating (why)
I know where you live,
there at your crib,
(I got niggas waitin')
I figure raping is crime, see (see)
I take my time, be (b)
And now your g (is my g)
Now I'm gonna show you how the west coast smacks kids
(Yo), I rhyme, it swells, so the hell with a (wack dis)
(Generalizing),
dissin' before you've ever seen this
So you can get the middle (what middle?), the penis
Never the match the miraculous tactics
I smack tricks, the wax is at your wack bitch
(I crack bricks)
who can't cum
I leave'm broke and dumb
def, and plus I'm causin' cardiac arrest
You need some rest
(Check), as I'm chizzlin' (riddles in) your memory
Remember me?
I hacked your body to pieces
(Disassembling) your (blows)
you bros started trembling from shock and trauma
(I'm water)
in lives when I bomb-a
babbling dislexic, I make'em exit
This lifetime, I wake up words, (I excite rhymes)
I'm enthusin' when I'm bruisin'
Hoes, take off your shoes when I abuse men
Your losin'
If you slept on Del
That's when ya lost
Steppin' to Pep love
That's when ya lost
Phuckin' around with J-Biz
That's when ya lost
Step to Mike G
That's when ya lost
Smoke on that crackrock
That's when ya lost
The Souls of Mischief??
That's when ya lost
When you don't know where your goin'???
That's when ya lost
When you don't win!!??
That's when ya lost
Phuckin' around with Hierogliphics
That's when ya lost
If you phuck with The Shamen
That's when ya lost
That's when ya lost
(That's when you lose - proper)
That's when ya lost
(scratching)
"I find it fun to smash emcees into (fine bits)
So why I ain't get my just deserts for all the kids I busted, huh?
(Baby!)
I crush the curtesy when dealin' with the folks is too much
for the askin'
Cool-I got the (skill crafted tools)
Massive fools at my work bench and
(I'm wrenchin') mics from they graspin'
(That's how it has been)
The drill's this: I kill swift
I feels I better slay or, (hey
my tape measures greater)
So now I'm (askin') dips if they (saw me)
and they was available
would they want me to (nail'em all?)
Be through, screw drive her (screwdriver) crazy
Nuttin', bold, lively
(Put on your high beams)
I, proliferator, quickly fade to niggas vigorous
Figure I kick stunts,
I punch twice that nigga that's dissin' at me
Attach'em to bats, latchin', and matchin' my cataclism
I give'em a (skism),
I (stroke to croak her, I broke her)
Chokin' up on my syntax, as I bend backs by impacts (impacts)
then I give a concusssion in your NUTS when I'm bustin'
(Heads)
Dead with my lead graff
I cloth thee, I (swing) off-beat, off the
cerebellum, swellin' nimrods
Ten brains couldn't parallel this,
(ha) I'm caraouselling kids
while they wallow and swallow hallow tips (yep)
You follow and slippin'
I'm rippin' mics nice twice like (dicin' kids in fractions)
Yo, (figure, I tax men)
Steppin' to Casual
That's when ya lost
What about Domino?
That's when ya lost
But if you step to Snupe
That's when ya lost
Steppin' to A+...
That's when ya lost
If you play the Tajai
That's when ya lost
Man, steppin' to Opio
That's when ya lost
Seppin' to Phesto
That's when ya lost
Phuck with Toure'
That's when ya lost
(Yo), I'm willin' to bet, you're willin' to sweat (yah)
But illin"ll get you - (bruised), I kill and I step to - (crews)
And abuse two's and three's, who's the g that hoe's know (me)
Me & Hiero, I know, (I'm fly, bro)
So why flow if you're not invigerating (why)
I know where you live,
there at your crib,
(I got niggas waitin')
I figure raping is crime, see (see)
I take my time, be (b)
And now your g (is my g)
Now I'm gonna show you how the west coast smacks kids
(Yo), I rhyme, it swells, so the hell with a (wack dis)
(Generalizing),
dissin' before you've ever seen this
So you can get the middle (what middle?), the penis
Never the match the miraculous tactics
I smack tricks, the wax is at your wack bitch
(I crack bricks)
who can't cum
I leave'm broke and dumb
def, and plus I'm causin' cardiac arrest
You need some rest
(Check), as I'm chizzlin' (riddles in) your memory
Remember me?
I hacked your body to pieces
(Disassembling) your (blows)
you bros started trembling from shock and trauma
(I'm water)
in lives when I bomb-a
babbling dislexic, I make'em exit
This lifetime, I wake up words, (I excite rhymes)
I'm enthusin' when I'm bruisin'
Hoes, take off your shoes when I abuse men
Your losin'
If you slept on Del
That's when ya lost
Steppin' to Pep love
That's when ya lost
Phuckin' around with J-Biz
That's when ya lost
Step to Mike G
That's when ya lost
Smoke on that crackrock
That's when ya lost
The Souls of Mischief??
That's when ya lost
When you don't know where your goin'???
That's when ya lost
When you don't win!!??
That's when ya lost
Phuckin' around with Hierogliphics
That's when ya lost
If you phuck with The Shamen
That's when ya lost
That's when ya lost
(That's when you lose - proper)
That's when ya lost
(scratching)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
That's When Ya Lost Lyrics as written by Damani Thompson Adam Ryan Carter
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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