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.
Let me run with you tonight
I'll take you on a moonlight ride
There's someone I used to see
But she don't give a damn for me
But let me get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And turn the radio loud
I'm too alone to be proud
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
To be me
People come, people go
Some grow young, some grow cold
I woke up in between
A memory and a dream
So let's get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And let's head on down the road
There's somewhere I gotta go
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
To be me
My old man was born to rock
He's still tryna beat the clock
Think of me what you will
I've got a little space to fill
So let's get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And let's head on down the road
There's somewhere I gotta go
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
No, you don't know how it feels
To be me
You don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
No, you don't know how it feels
To be me
I'll take you on a moonlight ride
There's someone I used to see
But she don't give a damn for me
But let me get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And turn the radio loud
I'm too alone to be proud
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
To be me
People come, people go
Some grow young, some grow cold
I woke up in between
A memory and a dream
So let's get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And let's head on down the road
There's somewhere I gotta go
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
To be me
My old man was born to rock
He's still tryna beat the clock
Think of me what you will
I've got a little space to fill
So let's get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And let's head on down the road
There's somewhere I gotta go
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
No, you don't know how it feels
To be me
You don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
No, you don't know how it feels
To be me
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

Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.

American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.

Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.

Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
I think some of you guys are way off base. This song isn't 'about smoking weed'. It definitely mentions that, but that's not what it's 'about'. I've never smoked in my life, but I have no problem relating to this song.
The guy singing this has had a bad time and he wants to move on. The 'roll another joint' line is an example of how he wants to disconnect from whatever is stressing him out, but what he wants to do (disconnect) is way more important than how he wants to do it (smoke). You could say 'pour another pint' just as easily (though the rhyme would suffer).
This song is about wanting to turn off the static in your life for a little bit and get some peace. The "you don't know how it feels" part is him feeling a little sorry for himself, I think. That's cool -- we all feel that way sometimes: that nobody understands us or what we're going through.
The rest of the lyrics deal with a lack of control over life in general: "people come, people go / some grown young and some grow cold."
And some of them, I think, are just there so that he has something to sing: "My old man was born to rock / he's still trying to beat the clock." -- I think it's just a bit of filler there, but it's entertaining filler and it's fun to sing, so what the hell.
@jackdiamonds I think the part about his old man means that his dad has spent his life working instead of doing what he was meant to do. His dad was born to rock, but he's still trying to beat the clock (which I believe is an idiom referring to when factory workers had to line up and stick a card into a machine that would punch when they arrive and when they leave-clocking in and clocking-out of work). It's consistent with your observation that the song is about lack of control and wanting to escape to somewhere. I think he has no idea where to go and maybe there is nowhere and to run away/ escape/leave is all there is.
this song makes me think of this driving down a country road with the window down smokin a cigarette at that point were the moon is out but the light is still in the west, but its not daytime, but its not really night, flying down this country road with this song playing, after a realaiotnship or some other traume, knowing for the first time after the accident that you know, you'll be alright after all. it's going to hurt and take some time, but you'll live.
Well .. i think its aout him gettng dumped and wantng t go out an smoke with oem friends to foet about his problams...and he tells them a story of is life
No, it's the message to people who don't know the magic of pot - because you don't know how it feels - to be anybody else
sorry about the spelling errors ! u the jist anyway
Every person is the sum total of their life, and nobody else knows what it feels like to be them. You have no idea what it's like to be me, because you haven't experienced what has brought me to where I am. Let's travel together until we get to where we leave each other.
that is the strangest story that i have ever heard...what would make you think of that?
this is an awesome chill song....like the first guy said just riding down the street smoking a cigarette....or maybe something else ;-)
I agree with Hippychips and Fanko. He's depressed maybe because a girl dumped him or something, so he wants to go out and get high to think about things.
Great song
This song totally agrees with me. People keep telling me who I am, what I want, and how to do things. They don't know how it feels to be me. The anti-depressants don't work. So then you use natural medicine, i.e. cannibis. Sad, but that's how it is for many people.
yes i can totally relate to this song! oh and i agree with fanko311 its just that its alittle happier than the way he made it sound lol.
petty rocks!