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.
Me and my old man lived down in Decatur
He worked most of his life at the grain elevator
Yeah he worked there for over 30 years
After work he'd go out and he'd pound down some beers
Some evenings he'd go playing cards with a few of his pals
At night they'd go downtown and they'd rouse up some gals
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
One afternoon, the exact day I forget
Inside the elevator someone lit a cigarette
The dust in the air just up and exploded
Along with the elevator and the trucks being loaded
Everyone but my old man were blown to kingdom come
He was left with a face that looked like chewed bubble gum
Haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw
Haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw
His looks don't bother him, now in the least
With a sack on his head he's still a sexual beast
His pals are all gone now, but he doesn't mind
'Cause when it came to playing cards they were all the cheating kind
Everyone but my old man, blown from Decatur to kingdom come...
The kids on the street just call him Mr. Bubble gum.
La la la la la la...
La di da da dum, lolli-lolli-lollipop
He worked most of his life at the grain elevator
Yeah he worked there for over 30 years
After work he'd go out and he'd pound down some beers
Some evenings he'd go playing cards with a few of his pals
At night they'd go downtown and they'd rouse up some gals
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
One afternoon, the exact day I forget
Inside the elevator someone lit a cigarette
The dust in the air just up and exploded
Along with the elevator and the trucks being loaded
Everyone but my old man were blown to kingdom come
He was left with a face that looked like chewed bubble gum
Haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw
Haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw
His looks don't bother him, now in the least
With a sack on his head he's still a sexual beast
His pals are all gone now, but he doesn't mind
'Cause when it came to playing cards they were all the cheating kind
Everyone but my old man, blown from Decatur to kingdom come...
The kids on the street just call him Mr. Bubble gum.
La la la la la la...
La di da da dum, lolli-lolli-lollipop
Lyrics submitted by joelm
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