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.
Huh
Ha (ha), yeah (yeah)
Make it butter (ay caramba)
Bankhead bounce, no doubt
Ayo watch yo' mouth
Ayo, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven
Blaze the hot trizack that sound like Heaven (uh-huh)
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Mo' mon Meth-Tical come and get some (yeah)
Playin' my position, hot Nixon
This one, for all the sick ones, confliction
Poisonous darts sickening, best believe
Finger itchin with two broke legs, now I'm trippin
On MC's cliche, shot that ricochets
Start trouble bust bubbles, hip to wicked ways
Gotta love me, G-O-D no one above me
Look good but fuck ugly, tap your jaw
From my Punch Buggy sonnin' you
Got you shittin' in your last Huggie, runnin' who? (Runnin' who?)
Fuckin' punk, get a speed bump comin through
A single shot make your meat lump, respect Wu (uh-huh, yo)
Ayo I put it on a nigga, shitted on a nigga
Turn a Christian to a certified sinner
The bomb I release, time pent up (explodes)
While you got set up I was hittin' your ex ho
Shit I kept low, petro' your metre
Politic, keep the chickenheads gobblin'
Shit I'm drivin' in, come with funk halogen
Terrorize your city, from the spliff committee
Kick ass 'til both Timberlands turn shitty
Gritty, smack the driver's head in the gypsy
When I approach rappers be takin' notes (uh-huh)
I drop like I shoulda invented the raincoat
Absolut, I love to burn to the roots
I keep comin 'til your pour sperm from your boots
Vigilante hardcore to the penis
Tell you, "Fuck you", my attitude is anemic
I'm the illest nigga alive, watch me prove it
I snatch your crown witcha head still attached to it (yeah)
Canibus is the type who'll fight for mics
Beatin' niggas to death and beatin' dead niggas to life
When you look at me long enough, I start to read your thoughts
If the signal was strong enough and then I'll call your bluff
Like, "Yo, how many rhymes you got?"
I could go on for more Milleniums than Mazda's got on the car lot
And there's nowhere to run to, when I confront ya
Nigga, I'll call your bluff like you had a phone number
Who wanna see Canibus get wild?
Who wanna act fly and get shot down with a surface-to-air missile?
I take 'em on in all shapes sizes and forms and spit on
Anybody who ain't close enough to shit on
Zero to sixty? I'm already doin' a hundred
When I'm blunted and I give it to any nigga that want it (yeah)
Stay out the dar 'cause if I catch you when the sun is down
Run it clown, come up off that, or I'm gon' gun it down
When in doubt, however it's gon' go it's gon' be that
See that, that shit'll finish you dawg, believe that
Where we at? Do your value your life, as much as your possessions?
Don't be a stupid nigga, learn a lesson
I'm gon' get you either way and it's better to live
Let me get what's between your sock 'cause it's, better to give
Than receive, believe what I say when I tell you
Don't make me put your somewhere where nobody'll smell you
And when the lights is out, they don't come back on
This ain't a flick you ain't gon' come back on, you ain't that strong
You knew it was wrong, but you asked for it baby
You's a pink nigga, ski mask for it baby
So I can hit you up on Front Street, think it's dumb sweet?
You want heat? One deep, leave him behind, front seat
Ayo, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven
Blaze the hot trizack that sound like Heaven (uh-huh)
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Come on Mr. Smith, come get some (some, some, some) (yeah)
When young sons fantasize of borrowing flows
Tell little shorty with the big mouth the bank is closed (ha, word up)
The symbol on my arm is off limits to challengers
You holdin' rusty swords I swing the Excalibur
How dare you step up in my dimension (uh-huh)
Your little ass should be somewhere cryin' on detention
Watch your mouth better yet hold your tongue (uh)
I'ma do this shit for free this time this one's for fun
Blow you to pieces, leave you covered in feces
With one thesis (LL Cool J is hard)
Every little boy wanna pick up the mic
And try to run with the big boys and live up to the real hype
But that's like pickin' up a ball, playin' with Mike (uh-huh)
Swingin' at Ken Griffey or challengin' Roy to a fight (uh)
Snappin', you amateur MC's
Don't you know I'm like the Dream Team tourin' overseas?
For rappers in my circle I'm a deadly disease
Ringmaster, bringin' a tiger cub to his knees (uh)
In the history of rap they've never seen such prominence
Your naïve confidence gets crushed by my dominance (word up)
Now let's get back to this mic on my arm
If it ever left my side it'd transform into a time bomb
You don't wanna borrow that, you wanna idolize
And you don't wanna make me mad, nigga, you wanna socialize (yeah)
And I'm daring every MC in the game
To play yourself out position and mention my name (LL)
I make a rhyme for every syllable in your name (uh-huh)
Go platinum for every time your grimy ass was on the train
Watch your mouth, don't ever step out of line
Ll Cool J nigga, greatest of all time
Ha (ha), yeah (yeah)
Make it butter (ay caramba)
Bankhead bounce, no doubt
Ayo watch yo' mouth
Ayo, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven
Blaze the hot trizack that sound like Heaven (uh-huh)
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Mo' mon Meth-Tical come and get some (yeah)
Playin' my position, hot Nixon
This one, for all the sick ones, confliction
Poisonous darts sickening, best believe
Finger itchin with two broke legs, now I'm trippin
On MC's cliche, shot that ricochets
Start trouble bust bubbles, hip to wicked ways
Gotta love me, G-O-D no one above me
Look good but fuck ugly, tap your jaw
From my Punch Buggy sonnin' you
Got you shittin' in your last Huggie, runnin' who? (Runnin' who?)
Fuckin' punk, get a speed bump comin through
A single shot make your meat lump, respect Wu (uh-huh, yo)
Ayo I put it on a nigga, shitted on a nigga
Turn a Christian to a certified sinner
The bomb I release, time pent up (explodes)
While you got set up I was hittin' your ex ho
Shit I kept low, petro' your metre
Politic, keep the chickenheads gobblin'
Shit I'm drivin' in, come with funk halogen
Terrorize your city, from the spliff committee
Kick ass 'til both Timberlands turn shitty
Gritty, smack the driver's head in the gypsy
When I approach rappers be takin' notes (uh-huh)
I drop like I shoulda invented the raincoat
Absolut, I love to burn to the roots
I keep comin 'til your pour sperm from your boots
Vigilante hardcore to the penis
Tell you, "Fuck you", my attitude is anemic
I'm the illest nigga alive, watch me prove it
I snatch your crown witcha head still attached to it (yeah)
Canibus is the type who'll fight for mics
Beatin' niggas to death and beatin' dead niggas to life
When you look at me long enough, I start to read your thoughts
If the signal was strong enough and then I'll call your bluff
Like, "Yo, how many rhymes you got?"
I could go on for more Milleniums than Mazda's got on the car lot
And there's nowhere to run to, when I confront ya
Nigga, I'll call your bluff like you had a phone number
Who wanna see Canibus get wild?
Who wanna act fly and get shot down with a surface-to-air missile?
I take 'em on in all shapes sizes and forms and spit on
Anybody who ain't close enough to shit on
Zero to sixty? I'm already doin' a hundred
When I'm blunted and I give it to any nigga that want it (yeah)
Stay out the dar 'cause if I catch you when the sun is down
Run it clown, come up off that, or I'm gon' gun it down
When in doubt, however it's gon' go it's gon' be that
See that, that shit'll finish you dawg, believe that
Where we at? Do your value your life, as much as your possessions?
Don't be a stupid nigga, learn a lesson
I'm gon' get you either way and it's better to live
Let me get what's between your sock 'cause it's, better to give
Than receive, believe what I say when I tell you
Don't make me put your somewhere where nobody'll smell you
And when the lights is out, they don't come back on
This ain't a flick you ain't gon' come back on, you ain't that strong
You knew it was wrong, but you asked for it baby
You's a pink nigga, ski mask for it baby
So I can hit you up on Front Street, think it's dumb sweet?
You want heat? One deep, leave him behind, front seat
Ayo, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven
Blaze the hot trizack that sound like Heaven (uh-huh)
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Come on Mr. Smith, come get some (some, some, some) (yeah)
When young sons fantasize of borrowing flows
Tell little shorty with the big mouth the bank is closed (ha, word up)
The symbol on my arm is off limits to challengers
You holdin' rusty swords I swing the Excalibur
How dare you step up in my dimension (uh-huh)
Your little ass should be somewhere cryin' on detention
Watch your mouth better yet hold your tongue (uh)
I'ma do this shit for free this time this one's for fun
Blow you to pieces, leave you covered in feces
With one thesis (LL Cool J is hard)
Every little boy wanna pick up the mic
And try to run with the big boys and live up to the real hype
But that's like pickin' up a ball, playin' with Mike (uh-huh)
Swingin' at Ken Griffey or challengin' Roy to a fight (uh)
Snappin', you amateur MC's
Don't you know I'm like the Dream Team tourin' overseas?
For rappers in my circle I'm a deadly disease
Ringmaster, bringin' a tiger cub to his knees (uh)
In the history of rap they've never seen such prominence
Your naïve confidence gets crushed by my dominance (word up)
Now let's get back to this mic on my arm
If it ever left my side it'd transform into a time bomb
You don't wanna borrow that, you wanna idolize
And you don't wanna make me mad, nigga, you wanna socialize (yeah)
And I'm daring every MC in the game
To play yourself out position and mention my name (LL)
I make a rhyme for every syllable in your name (uh-huh)
Go platinum for every time your grimy ass was on the train
Watch your mouth, don't ever step out of line
Ll Cool J nigga, greatest of all time
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
4, 3, 2, 1 Lyrics as written by Reggie Noble Earl Simmons
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., 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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,