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.
He’s unimaginative at his best but you know that’s alright
We like the way he sings
He’s unimaginative at his work but we say that that’s okay
He’s made for better things
He’s not intelligent, we like the way he dances, yeah
But you wanna talk about this, and talk about that
And everything he says is just impossibly fast
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit and over understood
And you say, “He’s un-American, a little bit.”
And you think that that’s so cool
You like a little bit, and if he’s un-American a little bit
Then you think that he’s no fool
Not matter if he is
So alternative, he likes to take our chances
And you wanna talk about this, talk about that
And everything he said is just impossibly crass
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit and over understood
And you say, “He’s not intelligent, we like the way he dances.”
He’s hearing voices he can’t attribute to the ordinary noise
What do you swallow to relax you ordinarily?
He’s looking forward to a little rest
But you know that he’s so tired
He’s fallen in a jar
And everybody’s sympathetic more or less even if he’s bombed or wired
It’s just the way we are
He’s so alternative, he likes the blue romances
But you wanna talk about this and talk about that
And everything he does is just impossibly fast
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit and over understood
And you say, “He’s so alternative, he like to take our chances.”
He’s hearing voices he can’t attribute to the ordinary noise
What do you swallow to relax you ordinarily?
Who’s gonna explain this mess to the mother of an ordinary boy?
Who was expected to act extra ordinary
But you wanna talk about this, talk about that
And everything he says is just impossibly fast
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit ah ah ah ah
I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna talk about it
I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna
I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna talk about it
I don’t wanna no no no no no no yeah
We like the way he sings
He’s unimaginative at his work but we say that that’s okay
He’s made for better things
He’s not intelligent, we like the way he dances, yeah
But you wanna talk about this, and talk about that
And everything he says is just impossibly fast
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit and over understood
And you say, “He’s un-American, a little bit.”
And you think that that’s so cool
You like a little bit, and if he’s un-American a little bit
Then you think that he’s no fool
Not matter if he is
So alternative, he likes to take our chances
And you wanna talk about this, talk about that
And everything he said is just impossibly crass
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit and over understood
And you say, “He’s not intelligent, we like the way he dances.”
He’s hearing voices he can’t attribute to the ordinary noise
What do you swallow to relax you ordinarily?
He’s looking forward to a little rest
But you know that he’s so tired
He’s fallen in a jar
And everybody’s sympathetic more or less even if he’s bombed or wired
It’s just the way we are
He’s so alternative, he likes the blue romances
But you wanna talk about this and talk about that
And everything he does is just impossibly fast
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit and over understood
And you say, “He’s so alternative, he like to take our chances.”
He’s hearing voices he can’t attribute to the ordinary noise
What do you swallow to relax you ordinarily?
Who’s gonna explain this mess to the mother of an ordinary boy?
Who was expected to act extra ordinary
But you wanna talk about this, talk about that
And everything he says is just impossibly fast
He’s never that bad, he’s never that good
He’s always just a little bit ah ah ah ah
I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna talk about it
I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna
I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna talk about it
I don’t wanna no no no no no no yeah
Lyrics submitted by PianoMan1307
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
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.