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
Flipmode, y'all, what you talkin' 'bout? (Left)
De La, y'all, what you talkin' 'bout? (Left, right, left)
Whatchu talkin' 'bout?
Yo, you gettin' stomped by the marching band
Keep 'em shook like spray cans (it's so hot)
It's so hot it'll make your face tan (ooh)
Ace ban rap, the place, the wasteland (uh-huh)
Bit, y'all in my mouth, but you taste bland
I feel fake niggas and mince these snake niggas
That hiss but won't bite, false alarm
And if it don't rock wild, we finna to drop a bomb (word up)
Strong grip on a mic like we stretch arm
I been shine, you been warned and been torn
Get smacked for the BS you been on
Storm, bad whether or not you stay scorned
For ten years I've baked shit like hot potato (ooh)
Rhymes still drippin' like stew peas's, you groupies
Need to show I.D. before the bust down
Touched down the God put seven to your Zippo
And drop it on you heavy like a hippo (now you heard that?)
To all my dawgs all the way in the back, ready to black
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all
Ladies get down, shake yo' ass around, I hope you know that
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all (see y'all)
To all my soldiers on the corner I see y'all (see y'all)
Women doin' what they want to I see y'all
To them people gettin' pulled over I see y'all (see y'all)
I see y'all (see y'all), wouldn't want to be y'all (be y'all)
It's the one and only effect, that you catch from a cassette
Straight wig out the world and girls we straight dig out ya back (ha)
With letters spellin' out my name
All over your marquee 'cause the spark is me
Currently we can be seen across your screen
Starin' wide-eyed 'cause you niggas tryin' to scheme
Welcome to the spot, I'm slang with it
Chopped up and fit it inside your quart of rice
You speak ghetto falsetto on the mic device
Tryin' to give me third degree, you just a third of me (ooh)
Couldn't be the shit if you were a turd of me
A man tight with my funds, crush like Ricky D
Who quoted Vance Wright, no one can serve us
My squad advance heights quite superb
Just kick off your shoes, jump on the jock
It's been a long time comin', this you need to cop
To all my dawgs all the way in the back, ready to black
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all
Ladies get down, shake yo' ass around, I hope you know that
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all (see y'all)
To all my soldiers on the corner I see y'all (see y'all)
Women doin' what they want to I see y'all
To them people gettin' pulled over I see y'all (see y'all)
I see y'all (see y'all), wouldn't want to be y'all (be y'all)
It goes one (one), two (two), three (three), four (four)
Bounce so much I ricochet up off the floor (floor)
So raw shit the most raw you ever saw
Quarter after four, niggas quick to bust the back door
Baby (huh), open your blouse while I joust another nigga's spouse
Quick Jamaican dick style all in they house
I practice to be the all access, you see the fact is
My mouth dirty, so follow while I display the slackness
Yo, you see my slang talk straight from the slums
When I was young, moms put soap on my tongue and yo, yo
Forever we gettin' this cheddar with the quickness
I'ma cast the spell on these bitches, you can be my eyewitness
Short fuse, nowadays Langston Hughes
We gettin' money with whoever, even the Jews
The way we finagle and gain it must be all in my shoes
Fuck a nigga up with De La like back in the mus'
To all my dawgs all the way in the back, ready to black
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all
Ladies get down, shake yo' ass around, I hope you know that
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all (see y'all)
To all my soldiers on the corner I see y'all (see y'all)
Women doin' what they want to I see y'all
To them people gettin' pulled over I see y'all (see y'all)
I see y'all (see y'all), wouldn't want to be y'all (be y'all)
Flipmode, y'all, what you talkin' 'bout? (Left)
De La, y'all, what you talkin' 'bout? (Left, right, left)
Whatchu talkin' 'bout?
Yo, you gettin' stomped by the marching band
Keep 'em shook like spray cans (it's so hot)
It's so hot it'll make your face tan (ooh)
Ace ban rap, the place, the wasteland (uh-huh)
Bit, y'all in my mouth, but you taste bland
I feel fake niggas and mince these snake niggas
That hiss but won't bite, false alarm
And if it don't rock wild, we finna to drop a bomb (word up)
Strong grip on a mic like we stretch arm
I been shine, you been warned and been torn
Get smacked for the BS you been on
Storm, bad whether or not you stay scorned
For ten years I've baked shit like hot potato (ooh)
Rhymes still drippin' like stew peas's, you groupies
Need to show I.D. before the bust down
Touched down the God put seven to your Zippo
And drop it on you heavy like a hippo (now you heard that?)
To all my dawgs all the way in the back, ready to black
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all
Ladies get down, shake yo' ass around, I hope you know that
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all (see y'all)
To all my soldiers on the corner I see y'all (see y'all)
Women doin' what they want to I see y'all
To them people gettin' pulled over I see y'all (see y'all)
I see y'all (see y'all), wouldn't want to be y'all (be y'all)
It's the one and only effect, that you catch from a cassette
Straight wig out the world and girls we straight dig out ya back (ha)
With letters spellin' out my name
All over your marquee 'cause the spark is me
Currently we can be seen across your screen
Starin' wide-eyed 'cause you niggas tryin' to scheme
Welcome to the spot, I'm slang with it
Chopped up and fit it inside your quart of rice
You speak ghetto falsetto on the mic device
Tryin' to give me third degree, you just a third of me (ooh)
Couldn't be the shit if you were a turd of me
A man tight with my funds, crush like Ricky D
Who quoted Vance Wright, no one can serve us
My squad advance heights quite superb
Just kick off your shoes, jump on the jock
It's been a long time comin', this you need to cop
To all my dawgs all the way in the back, ready to black
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all
Ladies get down, shake yo' ass around, I hope you know that
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all (see y'all)
To all my soldiers on the corner I see y'all (see y'all)
Women doin' what they want to I see y'all
To them people gettin' pulled over I see y'all (see y'all)
I see y'all (see y'all), wouldn't want to be y'all (be y'all)
It goes one (one), two (two), three (three), four (four)
Bounce so much I ricochet up off the floor (floor)
So raw shit the most raw you ever saw
Quarter after four, niggas quick to bust the back door
Baby (huh), open your blouse while I joust another nigga's spouse
Quick Jamaican dick style all in they house
I practice to be the all access, you see the fact is
My mouth dirty, so follow while I display the slackness
Yo, you see my slang talk straight from the slums
When I was young, moms put soap on my tongue and yo, yo
Forever we gettin' this cheddar with the quickness
I'ma cast the spell on these bitches, you can be my eyewitness
Short fuse, nowadays Langston Hughes
We gettin' money with whoever, even the Jews
The way we finagle and gain it must be all in my shoes
Fuck a nigga up with De La like back in the mus'
To all my dawgs all the way in the back, ready to black
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all
Ladies get down, shake yo' ass around, I hope you know that
I see y'all (see y'all), I see y'all (see y'all)
To all my soldiers on the corner I see y'all (see y'all)
Women doin' what they want to I see y'all
To them people gettin' pulled over I see y'all (see y'all)
I see y'all (see y'all), wouldn't want to be y'all (be y'all)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
I.C. Y'all Lyrics as written by Harold Ray I. Brown Sylvester Allen
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.