One night at the disco I wanted to dance slow
I saw a sweet baby, such a fine lady
And I walked up to ask her, but some dude just grabbed her
I told him to back off, cut me some slack off

I see you come here, drinkin' that cheap beer
Act like you own it, I can't condone it
You show me no respect, you got to get off it
You got to get with it. Time for a swift kick

You see, I own this town. You best not come around.
If you wanna get by, then cool it down.
If you wanna start something, know one thing: I'm king.
If you wanna mess around like that, that's just how it is.
If you wanna get by, then mind your biz.
If you wanna start something, know one thing: I'm king.

You wanted attention and did I mention:
Nobody likes you, except for the losers
You made a whole army, an army of babies
Some of them stupid, some of them crazy

Pick up your action, act like a grown man
Look at the winners, you can be like them
Life is so easy, pleasant, and dreamy
If you get off me, if you get with me

You see I own this town. You best not come around.
If you wanna get by, then cool it down.
If you wanna start something, know one thing: I'm king.
If you wanna mess around like that, that's just how it is.
If you wanna get by, then mind your biz.
If you wanna start something, know one thing: I'm king.

You can't break me
Never take me
That's just how it is
You can't break me
Never shake me
Clear out of my biz


Lyrics submitted by tirhascragoo

King song meanings
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24 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    I've been lurking this site for a long time now...This is my first post. Although everyone is entitled to their own taste and opinion, I don't believe this is one of weezer's worst songs. I think this song is quirky and ironic in the sense that its lyrics are arrogant and threatening, yet the origin of the conflict is the dude's insecurities regarding his girlfriend. In my mind, this song paints a small creepy sports bar somewhere in the midwest. More importantly, for some reason I associate the whole situation with a little dog that barks a lot because it feels threatened but it really is not going to hurt anyone, it just wants peace. ("cut me some slack off") I love the "time for a swift kick" part, it reminds me Napoleon Dynamite's brother and his swift kick. Lyrics aside, this song has an undeniable hook that'll keep humming, like it or not. In that sense, I'm lucky I like it!

    Wordsrflowingouton July 22, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    First off, its a brilliant song, those who can't see past the outside, I feel sorry for you. This song is extremely deep especially from a certain point of view.

    I think this is a guy in the bar, he sees a pretty girl and goes up to ask her when some jag off just walks up and GRABS her, no questions asked, just grabs. Now the guy who the lyrics are coming from, doesn't like this in the slightest, he sees it as disrespect to the girl and himself.

    Most of the more powerful men, or women for that matter, you find, are not ones to square off in a confrontation with a fight. Most will avoid the situation and find another means to accomplish there goal. I think that's this situation exactly, instead of just laying the other guy out, the offended guy goes for this guys ego with surgical precision.

    Sometimes, that's all you need.

    Pick up your action, act like a grown man Look at the winners, you can be like them Life is so easy, pleasant, and dreamy If you get off me, if you get with me

    Juno1986on October 07, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This songs better than most on the album.

    bicycle runawayon June 04, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i like this song though.

    taneyon June 05, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I don't understand how telling a story is a song has no depth. I don't know about you guys but the scene that this song sets up is almost like a book. I don't know about anyone else, but I've been through similar situations. Because I'm not invincible, and there is always a bigger fish, I relate to this song immensely.

    mitchmartinon June 10, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    ^^@MRCLEAN.........^^

    "there's no purpose trying to dissect the lyrics to this because they're so flat out blatant without any kind of depth"

    Just because a song isn't super-cryptic and doesn't need a team of researchers to decipher it's true meaning doesn't automatically make it a bad song.

    Sometimes a good song is JUST a good song. Don't try to nitpick.

    vanphanon June 12, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I’ve loved the Red Album since it came out but just recently discovered this song on the deluxe edition and it’s incredible, soulful, beautiful.

    taylor1105on August 12, 2021   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is the long-needed self-evaluation of an asshole.

    The "One night at the disco..." verse is an incident of rejection which sets off this self-evaluation. He thought he was King, but "some dude" took the lady he was eying, resulting the in taking a look at himself and asking, is he really King?

    The second verse is where the self-evaluation starts. "I see you come here..." is not talking about someone else; he is talking to himself. He realizes he can't keep acting like this, going to clubs, drinking, chasing after women, making an overall ass of himself, basically being a "bro."

    But the chorus comes in. His egotistical manner takes over again, and he reinforces his previous belief that he is King. I take this two ways: either he really is reverting to his previous way of thinking, or maybe the chorus is what he is projecting, but the verses are his inner thoughts and regrets. He knows he shouldn't act this way, and he's sorry for it, but he can't stop.

    The song continues on in this manner, verse being regretful and self-evaluating, while the chorus reverts to his asshole attitude.

    He wants to stop pretending to be King and "act like a grown man," but can't because either he truly does feel like he is King, or he realizes he has dug himself in too deep a hole, surrounding himself with "losers" and "babies," and thus has no one to pull him out, as enforced by his final repetitions, "I'm King, I'm King, I'm King..." almost like he has to convince himself that he truly is King.

    whybother737on September 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I like the Holden Caulfield-esque irony presented in this song:

    "Nobody likes you, except for the losers"

    But whether he's talking to the girl or the guy makes it more or less ironic.

    And I don't think you've listened to a lot of the songs that weezer have recorded, because this is not the worst.

    rancadoron June 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Besides, Weezer songs have never exactly been the epitome of lyrical genius. They're good, and Weezer is by far my favorite band, but part of what makes it so endearing is that it's so frank and nerdy.

    thewordofrashion June 12, 2008   Link

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