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.
See the people walking down the street
Fall in line just watching all their feet
They don't know where they want to go
But they're walking in time
They got the beat
They got the beat
They got the beat
Yeah, they got the beat
All the kids just getting out of school
They can't wait to hang out and be cool
Hang around 'til quarter after twelve
That's when they fall in line
They got the beat
They got the beat
Kids got the beat
Yeah, kids got the beat
Go-go music really makes us dance
Doing the pony puts us in a trance
The Watusi, just give us a chance
That's when we fall in line
'Cause we got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Yeah, we got it!
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Everybody get on your feet
We got the beat
We know you can dance to the beat
We got the beat
Jump back, get down
We got the beat
Round and round and round
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Fall in line just watching all their feet
They don't know where they want to go
But they're walking in time
They got the beat
They got the beat
They got the beat
Yeah, they got the beat
All the kids just getting out of school
They can't wait to hang out and be cool
Hang around 'til quarter after twelve
That's when they fall in line
They got the beat
They got the beat
Kids got the beat
Yeah, kids got the beat
Go-go music really makes us dance
Doing the pony puts us in a trance
The Watusi, just give us a chance
That's when we fall in line
'Cause we got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Yeah, we got it!
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Everybody get on your feet
We got the beat
We know you can dance to the beat
We got the beat
Jump back, get down
We got the beat
Round and round and round
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
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God, I love this song. it just sticks in ur head once u hear it.
The drums in this song are really good....the Go-Go's were a good band...kinda short-lived though
It was also a BIG deal that they were a successful all 'girl" band. Just the fact that a band's drummer was female was talked about in the press often! It was quite the accomplisment for that time in not only musical history, but just plain history.
Opening song on Fast Times At Ridgemont High! :D
It's an addictive song. And it's sad that there are so few comments for it. I guess that has to do with the age of the song and the age of the users of this site. This song was HUGE. It was catchy and you could dance to it, which was pretty much what 80's music was ALL about.....little substance (lyrically) but lots of fun.
I think this song is about domestic abuse
WHY?! seriously, why?
WHY?! seriously, why?