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.
(Chorus)
From tha Cradle to the Grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto. OohOooh
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
June 16, 1971
Mama gave birth
to a hell raisin' heavanly son.
See the doctor tried to smack me
but I smacked him back,
My first words were thug for life
and Papa pass the Mak.
I'm bustin' on these motha fuckas ballin'
Listen you can hear my mini 14 callin'.
From out the window of my drop top
I got my glock cocked
bustin' at niggas
when will it stop ?
Now tell me are you scared of the dark?
Can't close my eyes I see visions
But even with this thug livin'
will I escape prison?
Penitentiary chances was an all day thang
The only way to advance
and if you slang
Then you'd better have your nikes on
Cause when we fight
it's in the middle of the night with no lights on.
Hey!!
There must be a God cause I feel lucky,
Paranoid out my mind...
this muthafucka's tryin' to rush me.
Am I goin' to jail?
Look at me bailin'
Commin' out the court house
all about the male man
Never, never die
be a hustlah mothafuckas
And makin' thugs out you suckas.
From the cradle to the grave.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't nevah been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cardle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave
since a little bitty child
I've been known to get ill and kinda buck wild.
Pop pop!
just like the part that's in my walk with street talk
I'm runnin' up the block in the dark with less spark.
Surveillance on a nigga every day,
Waitin' on my daddy just to take his ass away.
Now Mama always workin' tryin' to make ends meet.
So now a young nigga bein' raised by the streets.
And then the on other one that ever showed me love
Was my dope fiend uncle strung out on drugs
a straight thug.
Just me, my mama out here on our own
So I got two gatts
one black and one of chrome.
Now I don't wanna hurt nobody but I must defend mine!
It's all the fuck I got
so stop and walk a thin line.
Young niggas be brave
and keep on thuggin' from the cradle to the grave,
From the cradle to the grave.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave, I'm glad to say
I made it this far.
Many G's died hard
and all they got was their name here up on a wall.
It's sad thinkin' about the times
Life goes on, I'm steady lost in this land...
as the warzone I got no home
don't have no friends neither.
It's just me by my lonely so I married my nina.
I keeps her wherever I go,
I love my hoe.
Never leave home with out my sugar.
I'm hafta plug a nigga.
Mama told me not to trust no punks,
And kick his ass if he lay a hand on me.
Since then I been known.
Sometimes I think my own self stupid
Cause I stay shootin' at marks,
Get twisted up in police reports.
Since the cradle, I've been ungreatful.
My first toy was a gun
I got sprung and learn to love weapons.
But now I'm through with money
and through with street fame.
Somebody peeled my cap and put me in my grave.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
March 18th
a rainy day my mama gave birth
To a baby boy trapped in hell on Earth.
From day one it wasn't fun I never had a crumb.
Daddy worked two jobs and Mama won't stop drinkin' rum.
I tried to cope loc
but my family's broke
And my pocket's short
so now I gotta sling dope.
In a game filled with pain it's a fuckin' shame,
The white man got a motha fucka slingin' cane.
So now it's on from dusk to dawn I get my serve on.
Always in the spot with my glock slingin' rocks at the rocks.
This shit don't stop I'm steady dodgin' cops.
I never flip flop
hear my glock cock
thug till I drop.
And if I hit the pen I gotta do my time
Sittin' on my bunk reminiscing about the good times.
It's fucked up a nigga gotta grow up doing dirt,
But from the cradle to the grave I'ma put in work.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
Time's movin' fast
will I last another day?
So I pray and I lay with my A.K.
Did I sell my soul as a young kid?
All the things I did
Wishin' someone help me
but they never did.
I can't take it
will I make it to my older age?
Before I'm shot up or locked up in a fuckin' cage.
Lord help me, guide me, save me!
Cause that's the way my Daddy raised me
crazy.
Do or die. Nigga pull the triggah don't give a fuck.
You'd rather be in jail than get your ass bucked.
Nobody cares, it's me against the world.
Keepin' murdah on my mind and my tech-9.
I got nothin' to lose, payin' dues, nigga you wanna die?
I get high
then my mission is a walk-by.
You better jet when I hit your set cause I'm commin'.
Start runnin' yellin' evil mind as I'm gunnin'.
One in the chamber for the anger that I build inside,
For the mothers that cried, for my homies that died.
The begining is an ending, am I just a slave?
So I got to be brave from the cradle to the grave.
Chorus till fade
From tha Cradle to the Grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto. OohOooh
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
June 16, 1971
Mama gave birth
to a hell raisin' heavanly son.
See the doctor tried to smack me
but I smacked him back,
My first words were thug for life
and Papa pass the Mak.
I'm bustin' on these motha fuckas ballin'
Listen you can hear my mini 14 callin'.
From out the window of my drop top
I got my glock cocked
bustin' at niggas
when will it stop ?
Now tell me are you scared of the dark?
Can't close my eyes I see visions
But even with this thug livin'
will I escape prison?
Penitentiary chances was an all day thang
The only way to advance
and if you slang
Then you'd better have your nikes on
Cause when we fight
it's in the middle of the night with no lights on.
Hey!!
There must be a God cause I feel lucky,
Paranoid out my mind...
this muthafucka's tryin' to rush me.
Am I goin' to jail?
Look at me bailin'
Commin' out the court house
all about the male man
Never, never die
be a hustlah mothafuckas
And makin' thugs out you suckas.
From the cradle to the grave.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't nevah been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cardle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave
since a little bitty child
I've been known to get ill and kinda buck wild.
Pop pop!
just like the part that's in my walk with street talk
I'm runnin' up the block in the dark with less spark.
Surveillance on a nigga every day,
Waitin' on my daddy just to take his ass away.
Now Mama always workin' tryin' to make ends meet.
So now a young nigga bein' raised by the streets.
And then the on other one that ever showed me love
Was my dope fiend uncle strung out on drugs
a straight thug.
Just me, my mama out here on our own
So I got two gatts
one black and one of chrome.
Now I don't wanna hurt nobody but I must defend mine!
It's all the fuck I got
so stop and walk a thin line.
Young niggas be brave
and keep on thuggin' from the cradle to the grave,
From the cradle to the grave.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave, I'm glad to say
I made it this far.
Many G's died hard
and all they got was their name here up on a wall.
It's sad thinkin' about the times
Life goes on, I'm steady lost in this land...
as the warzone I got no home
don't have no friends neither.
It's just me by my lonely so I married my nina.
I keeps her wherever I go,
I love my hoe.
Never leave home with out my sugar.
I'm hafta plug a nigga.
Mama told me not to trust no punks,
And kick his ass if he lay a hand on me.
Since then I been known.
Sometimes I think my own self stupid
Cause I stay shootin' at marks,
Get twisted up in police reports.
Since the cradle, I've been ungreatful.
My first toy was a gun
I got sprung and learn to love weapons.
But now I'm through with money
and through with street fame.
Somebody peeled my cap and put me in my grave.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
March 18th
a rainy day my mama gave birth
To a baby boy trapped in hell on Earth.
From day one it wasn't fun I never had a crumb.
Daddy worked two jobs and Mama won't stop drinkin' rum.
I tried to cope loc
but my family's broke
And my pocket's short
so now I gotta sling dope.
In a game filled with pain it's a fuckin' shame,
The white man got a motha fucka slingin' cane.
So now it's on from dusk to dawn I get my serve on.
Always in the spot with my glock slingin' rocks at the rocks.
This shit don't stop I'm steady dodgin' cops.
I never flip flop
hear my glock cock
thug till I drop.
And if I hit the pen I gotta do my time
Sittin' on my bunk reminiscing about the good times.
It's fucked up a nigga gotta grow up doing dirt,
But from the cradle to the grave I'ma put in work.
(Chorus)
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
From the cradle to the grave, life ain't never been easy
Living in the ghetto.
Time's movin' fast
will I last another day?
So I pray and I lay with my A.K.
Did I sell my soul as a young kid?
All the things I did
Wishin' someone help me
but they never did.
I can't take it
will I make it to my older age?
Before I'm shot up or locked up in a fuckin' cage.
Lord help me, guide me, save me!
Cause that's the way my Daddy raised me
crazy.
Do or die. Nigga pull the triggah don't give a fuck.
You'd rather be in jail than get your ass bucked.
Nobody cares, it's me against the world.
Keepin' murdah on my mind and my tech-9.
I got nothin' to lose, payin' dues, nigga you wanna die?
I get high
then my mission is a walk-by.
You better jet when I hit your set cause I'm commin'.
Start runnin' yellin' evil mind as I'm gunnin'.
One in the chamber for the anger that I build inside,
For the mothers that cried, for my homies that died.
The begining is an ending, am I just a slave?
So I got to be brave from the cradle to the grave.
Chorus till fade
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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