I heard that payback's a mother fuckin' bitch
But I won't stress and I won't switch
And I would not take my life
Glory please, my God the only thing on my mind
Takes up all of my time
And I said ooh!

Running from a gun
Or some brain that weights a ton
And my God it hurts to get so low
Searchin' through the cars
Cold still searchin' through the night
I think I will run to you but I refuse to fuss and fight

And God may find a reason
Well I'm sure you'll find a rhyme
Because it takes up nearly all my time
He who stands for freedom
God knows I've got the number
But maybe I just use too much

I was sitting in that bar
Now I'm sittin' in that stolen car
Cold, still rollin' down the boulevard
Saw you with a gleam
And the microphone scene
Think I will run, to you
But I know I won't live for me
Cause I know God's got both, the reason and the rhyme
Please tell me, why he takes up all my time
I've been drinking, just like you
And baby, you've got something I can use

Payback's a mother fuckin' blast
But I won't stress and I won't blast
And I would not take my life
Glory please, my God, comin' from heaven above
Takes up all of my time
And I said

(Why must I feel like that?)

Running from a gun
And some brain that weights a ton
You know, I did that line for Flava' Flav

But, all the D.J.'s do it
All the D.J.'s use it
I would run, I would switch
But I want to be the same
And I know I'll find a reason
'Cause I always bust a rhyme
Because it takes up nearly all my time

The T hear stands for treason
The D hear stands for dove
And maybe I just use too
Maybe I'm just used too
And maybe I just use too much


Lyrics submitted by The Big Andowski

New Song Lyrics as written by Bradley James Nowell

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

New Song song meanings
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38 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Here's my take on this song. First of all, it sounds amazing, even though the sound quality is a little off. It's smooth and has a solo that is so good, there aren't words to describe it. It is about drugs, but I don't know for sure if it is about heroin. He supposedly didn't do heroin up until a certain point, but the title is New Song, so it could have been a late addition to the CD, after he started heroin. Either way, we all know it is about some kind of drugs, but it's also a double-meaning, talking about busting rhymes and how that also takes up all his time.

    Bradley suffered from depression, and was most likely bipolar. That's why he self-medicated. He also felt like he had to be larger than life. He was leading his band, his fans, and he felt he had to live up to all the expectations of sex, DRUGS, ROCK AND ROLL. He did drugs because he thought it would make him more creative, and for the most part it did. But heroin killed him. Thank God they finished the self-titled album (Killin' It) before he died, or else he may have never gotten the recognition he deserved.

    If he was still alive today, who knows how many great albums would be out there? But, anyway, everyone should spread Sublime's music throughout the world. Especially the songs that DIDN'T appear on MTV, or whatever. Just to show the range and variety of influences he had. If you delve deep, you'll see quite clearly that Bradley was the BOSS DJ, no question. Nobody could touch his sampling ability, his covering ability, and how he could take a good song by someone else and flip it on its head and make it amazing.

    komickazeon April 19, 2014   Link

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