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.
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done comin' out of the black shade
Fightin' to lighten a path made back
Let's go way back to the beginnin'
That's when an idea took part from the start
Listen to another Marley beat I'm impatient
I gotta leave my seat for motivation
Pump the bass what's next
Kickin' the steps me and the mirror's havin' wreck
So hard that I cracked my neck
And I'm popping sweat now I'm soakin' wet
But I feel it
Grab the beat cause I must
Defeat it's a funky groove
So I steal it
To improve what could
Soon be the Left Eye move
Pin it down and snatch a sample to loop it up
And start makin' my own example cause
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done (yeah, yeah)
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done
This style is identical to none
This is how it should be done steppin' into a shade a bit lighter
Now is the time to write a rhyme a rhythmic type of memo
Tick-tack it to the track it is now my demo-kay
What's to do where's to go yo I don't know
Who's to see see ya at the local show
Me and Mo takin' a chance and he's dancin'
Round and round the deck as I flow
But what an awkward situation
Cause there's not much crowd participation
For checkin' me out I'm too new it
Gots to be somethin' else another way to do it
So I sit back and think for a minute
Which city needs a little more talent in it
Maybe A.T.L. is the place packed up left Philly gotta hit LaFace
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done (hey)
This style is identical to none
This is how it should be done and I'm comin' through
Grippin' the mic spittin' out what's after verse 2
And ready to rock the spot cause I'm on it
They want to see what I got
Givin' it all and makin' it seem so simple to be myself
Along wit' doin' what I do
Cool they want me not knowin' I'm soon to be the "L" of TLC
Word up T.B.O.Z. that's T-Boz
Saucin' it up is Chilli
We three alike all small in height but I'm Left Eye
Cause the eye is right
So now they thinkin' well is we ready enough
Yeah it's time to get busy
The aftermath is the brightest path so far
Yo cause here we are
This is how it should be done
This is how, this is how
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done comin' out of the black shade
Fightin' to lighten a path made back
Let's go way back to the beginnin'
That's when an idea took part from the start
Listen to another Marley beat I'm impatient
I gotta leave my seat for motivation
Pump the bass what's next
Kickin' the steps me and the mirror's havin' wreck
So hard that I cracked my neck
And I'm popping sweat now I'm soakin' wet
But I feel it
Grab the beat cause I must
Defeat it's a funky groove
So I steal it
To improve what could
Soon be the Left Eye move
Pin it down and snatch a sample to loop it up
And start makin' my own example cause
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done (yeah, yeah)
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done
This style is identical to none
This is how it should be done steppin' into a shade a bit lighter
Now is the time to write a rhyme a rhythmic type of memo
Tick-tack it to the track it is now my demo-kay
What's to do where's to go yo I don't know
Who's to see see ya at the local show
Me and Mo takin' a chance and he's dancin'
Round and round the deck as I flow
But what an awkward situation
Cause there's not much crowd participation
For checkin' me out I'm too new it
Gots to be somethin' else another way to do it
So I sit back and think for a minute
Which city needs a little more talent in it
Maybe A.T.L. is the place packed up left Philly gotta hit LaFace
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done (hey)
This style is identical to none
This is how it should be done and I'm comin' through
Grippin' the mic spittin' out what's after verse 2
And ready to rock the spot cause I'm on it
They want to see what I got
Givin' it all and makin' it seem so simple to be myself
Along wit' doin' what I do
Cool they want me not knowin' I'm soon to be the "L" of TLC
Word up T.B.O.Z. that's T-Boz
Saucin' it up is Chilli
We three alike all small in height but I'm Left Eye
Cause the eye is right
So now they thinkin' well is we ready enough
Yeah it's time to get busy
The aftermath is the brightest path so far
Yo cause here we are
This is how it should be done
This is how, this is how
[Chorus]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
This Is How It Should Be Done Lyrics as written by James Brown Curtis Mayfield
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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