This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
You're pushin' your luck
You wanna come on thru'
You're pushin' it too hard
You don't know what to do
You wanna get around
You're gonna fuck it all up
You walk on dangerous ground
With the meat in your mouth
For everyone to see
But hey you ain't foolin' me
You're caught in a trap
I know you just can't take it (you just think you're good)
Caught up so bad
Well did you think you could fake it (you're just a fake)
Well all you wanna be
It's all fake
But you're just too blind to see
And when the walls come crashing down yeah
You're all alone and no one's around
You don't know
You don't know what it takes to get there
You don't know no
You don't know what it takes to get there oh no
You're pushin' your luck girl
You walk on dangerous ground
You're gonna fuck it all up now
'Cuz you wanna get around
You're pushin' your luck girl
You wanna come on through
Pushin' it too hard now baby
'Cuz you don't know what to do
Don't know what to do
Yeah you don't know what to do
Yeah you don't know what to do
You don't know
You don't know what it takes to get there
You don't know (no you don't know)
You don't know what it takes to get there
You don't know (no you don't know)
You don't know
You don't know
You don't know
You wanna come on thru'
You're pushin' it too hard
You don't know what to do
You wanna get around
You're gonna fuck it all up
You walk on dangerous ground
With the meat in your mouth
For everyone to see
But hey you ain't foolin' me
You're caught in a trap
I know you just can't take it (you just think you're good)
Caught up so bad
Well did you think you could fake it (you're just a fake)
Well all you wanna be
It's all fake
But you're just too blind to see
And when the walls come crashing down yeah
You're all alone and no one's around
You don't know
You don't know what it takes to get there
You don't know no
You don't know what it takes to get there oh no
You're pushin' your luck girl
You walk on dangerous ground
You're gonna fuck it all up now
'Cuz you wanna get around
You're pushin' your luck girl
You wanna come on through
Pushin' it too hard now baby
'Cuz you don't know what to do
Don't know what to do
Yeah you don't know what to do
Yeah you don't know what to do
You don't know
You don't know what it takes to get there
You don't know (no you don't know)
You don't know what it takes to get there
You don't know (no you don't know)
You don't know
You don't know
You don't know
Lyrics submitted by hallonyoghurt
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

I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan

When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.

Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/

Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.

Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.