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.
Yo, my man, how bad do you want it?
You know how many cats I threw the pitch, and they never caught it?
I told them to bring they lyric, but they never brought it
Scared to get ripped off, cheated, deleted, rejected and shorted?
Yo, how bad do you want it?
Fear I ain't got no time for it
If you want it, yo there's the track;put your rhyme on it!
This hunger inside of me's unexplainable, Kris
The struggle we put in this box will be put into disc
Birth and ever, these family problems is hurtin'
Both of my sisters is pregnant, fuckin' feel like murkin'
All I have is my word and my balls
And my fam and my music speaks for them all
It's the Dominican animal ready to damage, you puttin'
Pressure to rappers that think they can challenge you, Kris (uh huh)
We been through it all, the grimiest days, this earth ain't
Ready for my brain, comin' to face (word)
Everyone plus everyone
Do you hear me, KRS-One?
Well listen
You grimy and hungry?
But how long you gonn' trust me?
You really down for this cause or just chasin' the money?
I be up in them spots to be hot, so dusty and ugly
Nothin' be funny, it's all dark, nothin' sunny
Can you walk with me? Talk with me? Pop the cork with me?
When we in other cities, will you rep New York with me? (yeah!)
I need respect and honor
Discipline and no drama
How bad you want it, poppa? (with all my)
Loyalty is the key to it all (remember)
Get used to my face, we the winners of all
By mi gente, yo I go low to say-ah
Real like them Washington Heights
Niggaz there (say yeah!)
After you rap, will you stab my back? (never)
You gimme a track, will you take that back? (never)
I give the word, yo you bustin' your Gatt? (whatever)
Respect from your crew? They livin' like that? (they better)
This is no game! Why should I make you popular?
You know I'm the philosopha
How bad do you want it?
How bad do you need it?
If you see it, you can believe it, perceive it, retrieve it and flaunt it
How bad do you want, doggone it, there's the track, if you want it
You got to put your rhyme on it!
How bad do I want it? I'm ready to die like Big
A serious man with blood in my eyes for this
Success doesn't come overnight
It's gonna be dark a while until I see light (that's right!)
What is it?
This is no game, why should I do it?
KRS-One, me and Peedo runnin' through it
I saw you down the street in FedEx
You said you had the beats was comin', like "I Got Next"
So we went upstairs, my man Choco hooked it up
This is KRS-One�turn my voice up! Wha� (wha-,wha-)
How bad do you want it?
How bad do you see it?
How bad do you hear it?
How bad do you BELIEVE you can be it?
If you doubt, then you're out
If you believe, you can achieve
I got the city on lock, but I'm gonna hand you the Keys like Alicia
You know my style, you know I'm the teacha
Philosopha, minister, emcee, Hiphop's spiritual leader
With the heater
You comin' with me? You runnin' with me?
In the spirit Scott LaRock, JMJ and Pun is with me
Yo, cats be steppin' to me ALL the time
With the rawest rhyme
But two weeks later, they fall to crime
If you listenin' to this song, and you want to be put on
You must be loyal to the cats that made you strong
It could be your friend, your father, you sister, your mother, your brother or some other
Just remember the days when YOU was under!
Before the Hummer, before the Benz
Before the hundreds, before the fifties, the twenties and tens
When you was thirsty, remember the living water, and who poured it
Now ask yourself, how bad do you want it?
You know how many cats I threw the pitch, and they never caught it?
I told them to bring they lyric, but they never brought it
Scared to get ripped off, cheated, deleted, rejected and shorted?
Yo, how bad do you want it?
Fear I ain't got no time for it
If you want it, yo there's the track;put your rhyme on it!
This hunger inside of me's unexplainable, Kris
The struggle we put in this box will be put into disc
Birth and ever, these family problems is hurtin'
Both of my sisters is pregnant, fuckin' feel like murkin'
All I have is my word and my balls
And my fam and my music speaks for them all
It's the Dominican animal ready to damage, you puttin'
Pressure to rappers that think they can challenge you, Kris (uh huh)
We been through it all, the grimiest days, this earth ain't
Ready for my brain, comin' to face (word)
Everyone plus everyone
Do you hear me, KRS-One?
Well listen
You grimy and hungry?
But how long you gonn' trust me?
You really down for this cause or just chasin' the money?
I be up in them spots to be hot, so dusty and ugly
Nothin' be funny, it's all dark, nothin' sunny
Can you walk with me? Talk with me? Pop the cork with me?
When we in other cities, will you rep New York with me? (yeah!)
I need respect and honor
Discipline and no drama
How bad you want it, poppa? (with all my)
Loyalty is the key to it all (remember)
Get used to my face, we the winners of all
By mi gente, yo I go low to say-ah
Real like them Washington Heights
Niggaz there (say yeah!)
After you rap, will you stab my back? (never)
You gimme a track, will you take that back? (never)
I give the word, yo you bustin' your Gatt? (whatever)
Respect from your crew? They livin' like that? (they better)
This is no game! Why should I make you popular?
You know I'm the philosopha
How bad do you want it?
How bad do you need it?
If you see it, you can believe it, perceive it, retrieve it and flaunt it
How bad do you want, doggone it, there's the track, if you want it
You got to put your rhyme on it!
How bad do I want it? I'm ready to die like Big
A serious man with blood in my eyes for this
Success doesn't come overnight
It's gonna be dark a while until I see light (that's right!)
What is it?
This is no game, why should I do it?
KRS-One, me and Peedo runnin' through it
I saw you down the street in FedEx
You said you had the beats was comin', like "I Got Next"
So we went upstairs, my man Choco hooked it up
This is KRS-One�turn my voice up! Wha� (wha-,wha-)
How bad do you want it?
How bad do you see it?
How bad do you hear it?
How bad do you BELIEVE you can be it?
If you doubt, then you're out
If you believe, you can achieve
I got the city on lock, but I'm gonna hand you the Keys like Alicia
You know my style, you know I'm the teacha
Philosopha, minister, emcee, Hiphop's spiritual leader
With the heater
You comin' with me? You runnin' with me?
In the spirit Scott LaRock, JMJ and Pun is with me
Yo, cats be steppin' to me ALL the time
With the rawest rhyme
But two weeks later, they fall to crime
If you listenin' to this song, and you want to be put on
You must be loyal to the cats that made you strong
It could be your friend, your father, you sister, your mother, your brother or some other
Just remember the days when YOU was under!
Before the Hummer, before the Benz
Before the hundreds, before the fifties, the twenties and tens
When you was thirsty, remember the living water, and who poured it
Now ask yourself, how bad do you want it?
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.