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.
Yeah, uh, uh
Turn me up a little bit
Yeah kid, Harlem on the rise
Yeah, turn me up a little bit more
Uh-huh, uh-huh, we like it
Uh-huh, uh-huh
Yeah, kid, Harlem on the rise (I like that)
This is the remix '98
And you don't want no problem with us guys (let's go)
I been around (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (uh-huh, uh-huh) (we ain't gon' stop)
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (we don't even know how to stop)
I been around the world, yeah, yeah
Yo, now trick what? Lace who?
That ain't what Mase do
Got a lotta girls that'd love to replace you (uh-huh)
Tell it to your face, boo, not behind your back
Cats talk slick, we "nevermind" that (uh-uh)
Funny, never find that, puff dime sacks
Write hot stuff that make people say, "Rewind that" (rewind that)
People know, you go against the Harlem gigolo
Getcha hoe, lick her low, make your girl trick your dough
I represent honeys with money, fly guys and gents
Ride with the tints that be thirty-five percent
Hoes hope I lay, so I look both ways
Cop says, "Okay," so my tint smoke gray
No way, people leave without handin' me my chips
Got plans to get my land and my six
People outta town don't understand these hits
Pop champagne like I won a championship (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (been around) (where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (been around) (where you been?)
I been around the world (where we been, playa)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (let's stop playin')
I been around (uh-huh)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah)
I was a one-bedroomer, dreamin' of a million
Now I'm in beach houses, CREAM to the ceiling (that's right)
I was a gentleman, livin' in tenements (yeah)
Now I'm swimmin' in all the women that be tens (yeah)
Went from Bad Boy to the Crushed Linen Men
Now my dividends be the new Benjamins
Chicks of all complexions, I like cinnamon
Mase, you got some girls, well, playboy, send 'em in (come on)
What you waitin' for, let the freakshow begin
How they came in a truck? (Nah Puff, that's a Benz) yeah
Mercedes, come her,e baby
You don't like the way it's hot and hazy
Never shady, you must be crazy
It's ridiculous, how they put their lips on this
Don't kiss right there, girlfriend, I'm ticklish
And I be switchin' Vs with a wrist full of Gs
Playa, please, I'm the macaroni with the cheese
I been around (yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (been around)
I been around the world (where we been, playa)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (let's stop playin')
I been around
I been around the world (what? What?)
You don't know who the hell I be
Can tell I be
Now hasta la vista, c'est la vie
Now what have we? A cat in a Bentley waggy
That keep cats saggy, roll with P-Daddy
Some be wantin' to bag me, girls be wantin' to stab me
I be more than gladly to tell a foe (check this out)
Yo, you ain't offendin' me (yeah, yeah)
It ain't like you the third son of the Kennedy
Or even in a mob where you can send for me (uh-huh)
But all this will be talk, you don't ever spend a G?
I know how it be (I know how it be)
You know me from before when I used to detour
Down to B-more, push the Eeyore
Days I just kick it
My crew buys Crystal just so we can spit it
All that expensive stuff just so that we can shit it
And be a lot of places that you niggas can't visit (yeah)
Don't talk it, 'cause I live it
I been around (yeah-yeah-yeah, what-what-what-what?) (Where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh))
I been around (where you been?
I been around the world (let's stop playin')
I been around
I been around the world
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (this is the remix, 9-8) (where you been?)
I been around the world (BIG forever) (let's stop playin')
I been around (we won't stop)
I been around the world (we don't even know how to stop)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around) (uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Big Nas, Hitmen, baby)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (Big Carl) (where you been?)
I been around the world (yeah) (let's stop playin')
I been around (Harlem on the rise)
I been around the world (you don't want no problem with us guys)
I been around (where you been?) (L-O-X)
I been around the world (I been around) (uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Yeah, Little Justin)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (I see you) (where you been?)
I been around the world (Quincy) (let's stop playin')
I been around
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Yeah, yeah)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah) (uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (yeah, yeah) (where you been?)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah) (let's stop playin')
I been around (yeah, yeah)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (9-8, it's not a game) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (we gon' keep on puttin' it on your asses)
Turn me up a little bit
Yeah kid, Harlem on the rise
Yeah, turn me up a little bit more
Uh-huh, uh-huh, we like it
Uh-huh, uh-huh
Yeah, kid, Harlem on the rise (I like that)
This is the remix '98
And you don't want no problem with us guys (let's go)
I been around (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (uh-huh, uh-huh) (we ain't gon' stop)
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (we don't even know how to stop)
I been around the world, yeah, yeah
Yo, now trick what? Lace who?
That ain't what Mase do
Got a lotta girls that'd love to replace you (uh-huh)
Tell it to your face, boo, not behind your back
Cats talk slick, we "nevermind" that (uh-uh)
Funny, never find that, puff dime sacks
Write hot stuff that make people say, "Rewind that" (rewind that)
People know, you go against the Harlem gigolo
Getcha hoe, lick her low, make your girl trick your dough
I represent honeys with money, fly guys and gents
Ride with the tints that be thirty-five percent
Hoes hope I lay, so I look both ways
Cop says, "Okay," so my tint smoke gray
No way, people leave without handin' me my chips
Got plans to get my land and my six
People outta town don't understand these hits
Pop champagne like I won a championship (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (been around) (where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (been around) (where you been?)
I been around the world (where we been, playa)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (let's stop playin')
I been around (uh-huh)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah)
I was a one-bedroomer, dreamin' of a million
Now I'm in beach houses, CREAM to the ceiling (that's right)
I was a gentleman, livin' in tenements (yeah)
Now I'm swimmin' in all the women that be tens (yeah)
Went from Bad Boy to the Crushed Linen Men
Now my dividends be the new Benjamins
Chicks of all complexions, I like cinnamon
Mase, you got some girls, well, playboy, send 'em in (come on)
What you waitin' for, let the freakshow begin
How they came in a truck? (Nah Puff, that's a Benz) yeah
Mercedes, come her,e baby
You don't like the way it's hot and hazy
Never shady, you must be crazy
It's ridiculous, how they put their lips on this
Don't kiss right there, girlfriend, I'm ticklish
And I be switchin' Vs with a wrist full of Gs
Playa, please, I'm the macaroni with the cheese
I been around (yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (been around)
I been around the world (where we been, playa)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (let's stop playin')
I been around
I been around the world (what? What?)
You don't know who the hell I be
Can tell I be
Now hasta la vista, c'est la vie
Now what have we? A cat in a Bentley waggy
That keep cats saggy, roll with P-Daddy
Some be wantin' to bag me, girls be wantin' to stab me
I be more than gladly to tell a foe (check this out)
Yo, you ain't offendin' me (yeah, yeah)
It ain't like you the third son of the Kennedy
Or even in a mob where you can send for me (uh-huh)
But all this will be talk, you don't ever spend a G?
I know how it be (I know how it be)
You know me from before when I used to detour
Down to B-more, push the Eeyore
Days I just kick it
My crew buys Crystal just so we can spit it
All that expensive stuff just so that we can shit it
And be a lot of places that you niggas can't visit (yeah)
Don't talk it, 'cause I live it
I been around (yeah-yeah-yeah, what-what-what-what?) (Where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh))
I been around (where you been?
I been around the world (let's stop playin')
I been around
I been around the world
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (this is the remix, 9-8) (where you been?)
I been around the world (BIG forever) (let's stop playin')
I been around (we won't stop)
I been around the world (we don't even know how to stop)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (I been around) (uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Big Nas, Hitmen, baby)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (Big Carl) (where you been?)
I been around the world (yeah) (let's stop playin')
I been around (Harlem on the rise)
I been around the world (you don't want no problem with us guys)
I been around (where you been?) (L-O-X)
I been around the world (I been around) (uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Yeah, Little Justin)
I been around the world (where we been, playa) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (I see you) (where you been?)
I been around the world (Quincy) (let's stop playin')
I been around
I been around the world (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Yeah, yeah)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah) (uh-huh)
I been around (where you been?) (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (yeah, yeah) (where you been?)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah) (let's stop playin')
I been around (yeah, yeah)
I been around the world (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I been around (where you been?)
I been around the world (9-8, it's not a game) (uh-huh, uh-huh)
I been around (we gon' keep on puttin' it on your asses)
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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,
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great song