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.
Hey, let 'em do it again, yeah
Hey, you said you were my friend
Hey, turn me upside down, oh
Hey, feelin' so down
Hey, hey, hey, hey
You made a fool of me again
And again, and again, and again, and again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Hey, I know I made the same mistake, yeah
I, I won't do it again, no
Why, why you slap me in the face, ow
I, I didn't say it was ok, no
No, no
You violated a part of me again
And again, and again, and again, and again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Ah, ooh
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Hey, you had time to think it out, yeah
Hey, your weak will won't help her heal her heart
Hey, I'll bet it really eats you up, huh
Extending part of me again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Ooh
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot
Hey, you said you were my friend
Hey, turn me upside down, oh
Hey, feelin' so down
Hey, hey, hey, hey
You made a fool of me again
And again, and again, and again, and again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Hey, I know I made the same mistake, yeah
I, I won't do it again, no
Why, why you slap me in the face, ow
I, I didn't say it was ok, no
No, no
You violated a part of me again
And again, and again, and again, and again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Ah, ooh
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Hey, you had time to think it out, yeah
Hey, your weak will won't help her heal her heart
Hey, I'll bet it really eats you up, huh
Extending part of me again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Ooh
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot, yeah
Doot doot, yeah, doot doot
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Kind of like "Sex Type Thing," AIC-style.
I think it's about an abusive relationship with multiple partners, coming from more than one point of view. Rape might be pushing it; sadomasochism makes more sense to me.
A little too confusing to decipher for me, and I have to say that DIRT is more direct lyrically than TRIPOD is.
This is one of those rare occasions where I could accept Layne's explanation that the song can be about whatever you're thinking about.
To me the song is about either a sexual relationship you'd really be better off without, or about a drug addiction.
The "said you were my friend" is the illusion of being in control, "why do you slap me in the face" is being hurt, despite thinking one was in control (and not saying it was OK), and in the end, realization that nothing is going to change or be helped, and resigning to that it just "really eats you up".
"You made a fool of me again and again and again..." could be about feeling stupid to have ended up in bed with this person again, or about doing stupid things while high. "You violate a part of me again and again..." Both a destructive relationship and a drug habit violates parts of you; your sensibilities if nothing else. "Extending part of me again and again..." The final (slightly delayed) surrender, simply put either getting a hardon or extending the arm to shoot up, admitting that this will keep happening again and again and again.
@Perrywingle I really think it's about his drug addiction. He's come to terms admitting "he has a weak will and it won't heal his heart " he also tells us that he's tried repeatedly but he been made a fool of again and again . The only relationship I see here is with the drugs itself and he tells a great story that ultimately decided hus fate .
All I know is the last verse has to do with Laynes longtime girlfriend. She died from bacterial endocarditis in the mid 90s (infection of the heart valve normally from IV drug use) "Hey, Your weak will won't help her heal her heart Hey, I'll bet it really eats you up"
His weak will, his addiction, helped kill her and it ate him up. This is one of their later songs, I'm guessing after she died?
@Tainted703
@Tainted703 This song was written in 95 and Demri died in 96 but I think she was already ill (she spent the last 9 months of her life in a hospital). I think you're right, this song is about her too! I also think it has something to do with psychiatry because of the video!
@Tainted703 weak will refers to sexual appetite. He/has a weak will always looking for sex and attention. His weak will won't help heal her heart from perhaps the break up that just happened
@Tainted703 while I agree with your assessment, I think on top of that, he\'s also talking or singing directly TO the drugs themselves.\r\n\r\n "Let them do it again" (let the drugs take effect again)....he himself said at first that drugs were great ("you said you were my friend,") but they actually "turn me upside down" and make him feel "so down." Ultimately they make a fool of him over and over, but he understands this...but yet he doesn\'t/can\'t stop.\r\n\r\nHe\'s basically reprimanding himself through the entire song : same mistake, won\'t do it again, (the drugs) "slapped him" in the face even though he didnt want them to. The drugs keep "violating" his humanity, so much so that he becomes an embarrassment to himself and a laughing stock to others, yet he has no control over them, and so they are conjoined, forced into this devilish dance "again and again and again...."\r\n\r\nRead the lyrics from this standpoint and you can see this. Endless torment. ????\r\n
rape from 3 different points of view. somebody who knowsabout it, the person who was raped, and the rapist.
The song is written from at least two perspectives.
Part I: Party 1 attacks Party 2 for lack of ability to stand up. Hence, "You let them do it again." Party 1 feels betrayed by Party 2, "You said you were my friend." This implies a trusting relationship in which one person did not live up to another's standards. Party 1 feels ashamed, and betrayed, that he trusted or put his faith and credit in Party 2 AGAIN.
Part II: Party 2 tries but lacks the ability to assert himself in the face of something, whatever he (or she) has befallen several times before. "I made the same mistake." He AGAIN pledges himself to hold his commitment. "I won't do it again." When Party 1 says "I thought you were my friend" Party 2 feels his trust in Party 1 is violated. Party 1 understands Party 2's struggle, sees it for what it is, understands Party 2's commitment to Party 1, but would use the nature of their relationship against Party 2 to hurt him emotionally.
Part Three: Summation First part is resolved when he thinks about it.
Second part is continued by acknowledgment of his weak will, and resignation to be an ineffective weak willed person. Last line: Continuing the fight. Party 2 approaches Party I, Party I takes the offensive in saying Party 2 will be unable to comfort her. He adds insult to injury by saying "I bet it really eats you up." He may also be saying that he understands Party 2's plight in his inability to comfort her. Last line leaves it hanging a little, but as far as I'm concerned he really rubbing Party 2's nose in it.
just a guess, but it sounds like someone being raped
another confusing song. i dont think its about rape, even tho the way he sings it make him sound like hes being raped or tourtured or something. i think it is about AIC and how the media betrayed them. another one of my favorites
@beavis&butthead69 he is being tortured by the drugs themselve.<br />
i think this song is about layne talkin to his addiction to smack and in some parts how it mocks him about he dying wife and how he wont help her cus hes on smack too
Hey, Your weak will won't help her heal her heart Hey, I'll bet it really eats you up
and how smack fucks him up but he will always forgive it,thinkin hes in control
You violate a part of me again Again
Ah, ooo Whoo whoo, yeah
Hey, you had time to think it out, yeah
does anybody know what this song really means. it seems pretty emotional and powerful.
I believe it's about an abusive relationship. Someone is being abused over and over again but it may be physical or verbal abuse. The point is to be vague so that it speaks to whom ever is experiencing the actual events or anything similar to them. Remember the individual makes up the true meaning of the song. What does it mean to them? What does it mean to you?
I'm not really sure about the rape, i mean if it was a rape, would it be repetetive? ("You made a fool out' me again, again again again again again again again and again...") I think this is a relationship between two people (most likely a marriage) where one side is constantly being mistreated in a way or another. Just my opinion. Anyway, it's one of my favourite songs of all. The extremely unique rhytmical pattern intertwined with spectacular, let's say, word play along with perfect harmony between the two here clearly show how incredible creative Jerry is and Layne was, and how well the band understood eachother.
Rest in Peace, Layne, we all miss you.