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 I wanna dedicate this to everybody that love hip hop music
Cause without hip hop music I wouldn't be here today
Preacher's son, yeah
Imagine if biggie and pac never got shot
And they both still were rulers of hip hop
And puffy and suge was roomates from college
And big l never got found in the alley
Nas and jay-z they were still homies
Squash the beef with ja rule and 50
Benzino shook hands with eminem
And on the same record I heard eve, fox and kim
And sometimes when I dream, that's when I wake up
I kinda hoped that the fugees didn't break up
And when they walked into the studio I prayed they didn't spray
Cause I miss that scratch from jam master jay (whoa oh oh!!!)
Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow
Imagine if big pun was still alive
I could see fat joe screamin terror squad
Imagine if there were still four survivors still in destiny's child
And tlc never lost they left eye
Imagine refugees never needin a passport
And john forte never at newark airport
Million man march, man, that was a start
Now I need a million more to meet me at central park
When the revolution start y'all 'gon have to play this
Imagine slick rick not gettin deported (whoa oh oh!)
Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow
In the club never though shyne shot the gun
But in the limosine jlo had to run
Paparazzi snappin shots through the mirror
That's when I saw a smile from princess diana
Back and forth and forth and back
Like miss aaliyah man do I miss her
The war goes on with the roc and the lox
Murder inc, g- unit it's a fight to the top
Stop! we lost too many soldiers like freaky tah
While they get the cover of a magazine who got to die
Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow
Yeah, peace be with y'all
Cause without hip hop music I wouldn't be here today
Preacher's son, yeah
Imagine if biggie and pac never got shot
And they both still were rulers of hip hop
And puffy and suge was roomates from college
And big l never got found in the alley
Nas and jay-z they were still homies
Squash the beef with ja rule and 50
Benzino shook hands with eminem
And on the same record I heard eve, fox and kim
And sometimes when I dream, that's when I wake up
I kinda hoped that the fugees didn't break up
And when they walked into the studio I prayed they didn't spray
Cause I miss that scratch from jam master jay (whoa oh oh!!!)
Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow
Imagine if big pun was still alive
I could see fat joe screamin terror squad
Imagine if there were still four survivors still in destiny's child
And tlc never lost they left eye
Imagine refugees never needin a passport
And john forte never at newark airport
Million man march, man, that was a start
Now I need a million more to meet me at central park
When the revolution start y'all 'gon have to play this
Imagine slick rick not gettin deported (whoa oh oh!)
Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow
In the club never though shyne shot the gun
But in the limosine jlo had to run
Paparazzi snappin shots through the mirror
That's when I saw a smile from princess diana
Back and forth and forth and back
Like miss aaliyah man do I miss her
The war goes on with the roc and the lox
Murder inc, g- unit it's a fight to the top
Stop! we lost too many soldiers like freaky tah
While they get the cover of a magazine who got to die
Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow
Yeah, peace be with y'all
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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.
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.
"I kinda hoped that The Fugees didn't break up And when they walked into the studio I prayed they didn't spray Cause I miss that scratch from Jam Master Jay (Whoa oh oh!!!)"
please somebody tell me, what's the meaning of this... i'm not to good in the hip-hop(?) history.. :-j
anyway, the message of the song is great, and the music too. WJ is one of my favourite hip-hop artist. Yo! :)