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.
Verse 1]
I hit the weed, I told myself the last time would be my last
I don’t trust my own niggas, now my mind racing fast
Got my foot up on the gas, got a hundred on the dash
If the police run up on me, I ain't stopping for they ass
Boy, you know my L's dirty, if they stop me, I'm goin' to jail surely
I’ll be next to my brother in the cell, no bail for me
"Man, let me out, send me back to bitches that smell purdy"
And all I gotta do is call once and she there all ready
Yeah, buddy, can't you tell I'm goin' through hell?
I don’t even open my mail
I’m in the shower with a soap and the towel, I need cleansing
Bad bitches all on the prowl they need Benzes
Pussy niggas running they mouth and we ain't flinching
They names ain't even mentioned
I got dreams bigger than your whole team
You niggas so broke yet somehow you so green
I guess it's envy, started with a penny now I’m getting plenty money
[Chorus]
Huh, and one time for the city, yeah
And two times for you, hey
And one time for the city, hey
And two times for you, uhh
[Verse 2]
Look kid, it's raining outside boy, fuck an umbrella
Niggas banging outside boy, they guns'll dumbbell a nigga
Tired of telling niggas that's deceased "Rest in Peace"
We tired of only having just a piece
And fuck policing, they killing niggas, what's the reason?
His daughter starving and she fucking freezing
So no wonder why he fucking squeezing
They out here bussin', leavin' niggas stuck and bleedin' on the flo'
Bullets wet you like it's semen on a ho
Breathing slow man, I'm in hell
One day you tryna make rent, next day you in jail
Lord knows he meant well
So I take the pencil and write like a pen pal
Some shit that’s darker than the tints up on the windshield
Uh, welcome to Sinville where niggas on base
Shit is looking like an infield, high as a Sprint bill
What you think? That's the reason why this ink in my pen kills
Phony niggas until they are extinct, bitch I’ve been real
Chorus]
Huh, and one time for the city, hey, uh
And two times for you, yeah
And one time for the city, hey, hm
And two times for you, hey
[Verse 3]
Them old niggas sayin', "Cole the wrong one bringin' the city shine
All he ever doin’ is paintin' pictures of crime
Tellin' stories of pain, paintin' pictures of dope"
Bitch if you listenin', I'm paintin’ pictures of hope, huh
That boy in class embarrassed because he broke
Hopin’ today he won’t be the butt of somebody’s joke
See me I lived it all from dirt-poor in a trailer
Worried about my mother and never trustin' my neighbors
To middle-class with a backyard and my own room
To bein’ the only black kid in my homeroom
Academically gifted and followed my own rules
Was runnin' the streets, hey ma, I’ll be home soon
Was out chasin' hoes, was out hoopin'
Them niggas wasn't ballin' but yet they was foul shootin', uh
So meet the newest role model who don't know how to fake this shit
Never sold a rock and look, I made it bitch
[Chorus]
Huh, and one time for the city, yeah
And two times for you, hey
And one time for the city, yeah
And two times for you, hey
Outro]
Girl it's been so long, I've been gone from you
But you ain't gotta worry 'bout the thangs I do
It's hard but the thought of you would ease my pain
Girl I promise they gon' know our name, uh
Ain’t seen you smile in a while
But I been dreamin' 'bout you
Oh oh oh
I hit the weed, I told myself the last time would be my last
I don’t trust my own niggas, now my mind racing fast
Got my foot up on the gas, got a hundred on the dash
If the police run up on me, I ain't stopping for they ass
Boy, you know my L's dirty, if they stop me, I'm goin' to jail surely
I’ll be next to my brother in the cell, no bail for me
"Man, let me out, send me back to bitches that smell purdy"
And all I gotta do is call once and she there all ready
Yeah, buddy, can't you tell I'm goin' through hell?
I don’t even open my mail
I’m in the shower with a soap and the towel, I need cleansing
Bad bitches all on the prowl they need Benzes
Pussy niggas running they mouth and we ain't flinching
They names ain't even mentioned
I got dreams bigger than your whole team
You niggas so broke yet somehow you so green
I guess it's envy, started with a penny now I’m getting plenty money
[Chorus]
Huh, and one time for the city, yeah
And two times for you, hey
And one time for the city, hey
And two times for you, uhh
[Verse 2]
Look kid, it's raining outside boy, fuck an umbrella
Niggas banging outside boy, they guns'll dumbbell a nigga
Tired of telling niggas that's deceased "Rest in Peace"
We tired of only having just a piece
And fuck policing, they killing niggas, what's the reason?
His daughter starving and she fucking freezing
So no wonder why he fucking squeezing
They out here bussin', leavin' niggas stuck and bleedin' on the flo'
Bullets wet you like it's semen on a ho
Breathing slow man, I'm in hell
One day you tryna make rent, next day you in jail
Lord knows he meant well
So I take the pencil and write like a pen pal
Some shit that’s darker than the tints up on the windshield
Uh, welcome to Sinville where niggas on base
Shit is looking like an infield, high as a Sprint bill
What you think? That's the reason why this ink in my pen kills
Phony niggas until they are extinct, bitch I’ve been real
Chorus]
Huh, and one time for the city, hey, uh
And two times for you, yeah
And one time for the city, hey, hm
And two times for you, hey
[Verse 3]
Them old niggas sayin', "Cole the wrong one bringin' the city shine
All he ever doin’ is paintin' pictures of crime
Tellin' stories of pain, paintin' pictures of dope"
Bitch if you listenin', I'm paintin’ pictures of hope, huh
That boy in class embarrassed because he broke
Hopin’ today he won’t be the butt of somebody’s joke
See me I lived it all from dirt-poor in a trailer
Worried about my mother and never trustin' my neighbors
To middle-class with a backyard and my own room
To bein’ the only black kid in my homeroom
Academically gifted and followed my own rules
Was runnin' the streets, hey ma, I’ll be home soon
Was out chasin' hoes, was out hoopin'
Them niggas wasn't ballin' but yet they was foul shootin', uh
So meet the newest role model who don't know how to fake this shit
Never sold a rock and look, I made it bitch
[Chorus]
Huh, and one time for the city, yeah
And two times for you, hey
And one time for the city, yeah
And two times for you, hey
Outro]
Girl it's been so long, I've been gone from you
But you ain't gotta worry 'bout the thangs I do
It's hard but the thought of you would ease my pain
Girl I promise they gon' know our name, uh
Ain’t seen you smile in a while
But I been dreamin' 'bout you
Oh oh oh
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher, edited by Fluff_ball14
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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.
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