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.
C'mon
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh (yes, yes, yes)
Uh-oh (uh), yeah (yes, yes, y'all)
Freak, freak y'all (I'm gon' get this going)
Freak, freak y'all (uh-oh, uh-oh)
Freak, freak y'all, fifteen
(Oh) yes, yes y'all
Put them hands in the air, y'all (oh)
It's Mos Def, y'all
Now, put them hands in the air, y'all, yeah (what up, Brooklyn?)
And just clap your hands, yo, yo (oh)
Freak, freak y'all and you don't stop (feel free, y'all)
To the beat, y'all and you don't stop (who's that? Who's coming?)
Freak, freak y'all and you don't stop (Common Sense, Mos Def)
Freak, freak y'all (let's bring the party out, c'mon, oh, oh)
Yo, mad love for the culture
Since the days of Adidas and hip hop posters (c'mon)
Now I host with Mos and just to boast to brag a bet about it (oh)
'Cause I can't live without it (ay)
Seen her on the streets when I was like ten
Expressions on the Latin and the young Black men (men)
From back spins to backyards, we rap harder (c'mon)
People that lack charge (c'mon) now we black stars (shawty)
Gift from God, they said we must be crazy
Now they saying Common, Nasir and Jay-Z (that's right)
Leaders of tomorrow, follow the steps of (oh)
Africans rappin' in ghettos, make and express love
Yo, we bring the light, we do it tonight
Alicia Keys and Mos Def bring it right (uh-oh)
We come down and bam, and rock who I am (c'mon)
Com' Sense, yo, I rip the band, yo (c'mon, c'mon, everybody say)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (uh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (how we do it?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (Alicia Keys, say)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (uh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (what? What? Mos Def like)
Ay yo, peep it out while I tell you like this
A fresh little story be sure you don't miss
It's the truth for ya, true feature
I could go on for days about this queen named Alicia ('Licia)
Walking down the block with brother Com' Sense
Comrade Com' Sense said, "What the heck," so I
Saw this fresh girl that you always saw
Before and in my heart she'll be adored and
Can't fraud and never ignore
It's Aquarius love and highly secure
Daydreaming her and really getting in it
Fantasizing my life for one or two minutes
And my man Com' Sense just stopped and said
"Yo, stop frontin' and use your head"
And said, "Yo, stop frontin' and use your head" (heart)
And said, "Yo, stop frontin' and use your head" (soul)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (freak, freak)
You gotta love it or leave it alone
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta (oh, oh, oh, oh)
Right about now, I wanna thank everybody
For comin' out and rockin' with me tonight (whoa)
I wanna give a big up, to my man Mos Def (uh)
My man Common Sense, my man Krucial
My man Ills, the whole M.B.k. Fam
The whole Krucial Keys fam, and MTV
And everybody out there say, "Yeah, yeah" (uh)
Said everybody out there say, "Yeah" (yeah)
C'mon, and alright
I need y'all to give it up, for Pablo on percussion
For Paul John on drums, Onree Gill on M.D
For Anaysha, Sara, Jermaine, and Denise on backgrounds
Steve on the bass, oh
Artie on the guitar (yeah)
Jeff's on the horns (yeah) (uh, uh)
Ay, yeah, yeah, and the string quartets (yeah)
Ray Chew and the Crunks
Uh, uh (one, two, one, two), you know
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (Jeff Robinson)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (oh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (J Rob)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (J Rob)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (oh, oh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (c'mon, c'mon)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (what's that J Rob?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah, yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah, uh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (let's go)
You gotta love it (uh)
Rewind (yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh, oh
I wanna bring Damian Marley to the spot (oh, oh, oh)
Up in the streets, they call it murder (yeah, ha)
Welcome to Jamrock
Camp where the thugs dem camp at
Two pound ah weed inna van back
It inna yuh hand bag, yuh knapsack, it inna yuh backpack
The smell ah give your girlfriend con-
Some bwoy nuh notice, dem only come around like tourist
On the beach with a few club sodas
Bedtime stories, pose like dem name Chuck Norris
Don't know the real hardcore (welcome)
Sandals ah nuh Backtoo, di thugs dem will do when dem got to
And won't think twice to shot you, don't make dem spot you
Unless you carry guns, a lot too, ah bare tuff tings come at you
When New York man stop laugh and block off traffic (yeah)
Then dem wheel and pop off and dem start clap it (woo, uh)
With the pin file dung and it ah beat rapid (hey)
Police come inna Jeep and dem cyaan' stop it (welcome)
Some say them ah playboy ah Playboy rabbit
Some selecta get dropped like a bad habit
And nuh bodda pose tough if you don't have it
Rastafari stands alone
Welcome to Jamrock
(What?) New York, chuh
(Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
Wel-welcome to Jamrock
Up in the streets, they call it murder
Jamaica, Jamaica, yeah
Jamaica, Jamaica, yeah
Jamaica, Jamaica, yeah
Jamaica, Jamaica (Chi Town)
Chi town, Chi town (hey)
And we gets down
Chi town, Chi town (Chi Town get down)
And we gets down
Chi town, Chi town (Chi Town get down)
We gets down
And Chi Town gettin' on down, c'mon ahh (Chi Town, Chi Town)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
So welcome to Jamrock
Brooklyn, oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Welcome to Jamrock
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh (tell the world)
Welcome to Jamrock
Up in the streets, they call it murder
Yeah (bap, bap, bap, bap, bap, bap, bap)
Damian Marley, ladies and gentlemen
Common Sense, Mos Def
We love you, and we thank you for rockin' with us
Much love to the people
Brooklyn
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh (yes, yes, yes)
Uh-oh (uh), yeah (yes, yes, y'all)
Freak, freak y'all (I'm gon' get this going)
Freak, freak y'all (uh-oh, uh-oh)
Freak, freak y'all, fifteen
(Oh) yes, yes y'all
Put them hands in the air, y'all (oh)
It's Mos Def, y'all
Now, put them hands in the air, y'all, yeah (what up, Brooklyn?)
And just clap your hands, yo, yo (oh)
Freak, freak y'all and you don't stop (feel free, y'all)
To the beat, y'all and you don't stop (who's that? Who's coming?)
Freak, freak y'all and you don't stop (Common Sense, Mos Def)
Freak, freak y'all (let's bring the party out, c'mon, oh, oh)
Yo, mad love for the culture
Since the days of Adidas and hip hop posters (c'mon)
Now I host with Mos and just to boast to brag a bet about it (oh)
'Cause I can't live without it (ay)
Seen her on the streets when I was like ten
Expressions on the Latin and the young Black men (men)
From back spins to backyards, we rap harder (c'mon)
People that lack charge (c'mon) now we black stars (shawty)
Gift from God, they said we must be crazy
Now they saying Common, Nasir and Jay-Z (that's right)
Leaders of tomorrow, follow the steps of (oh)
Africans rappin' in ghettos, make and express love
Yo, we bring the light, we do it tonight
Alicia Keys and Mos Def bring it right (uh-oh)
We come down and bam, and rock who I am (c'mon)
Com' Sense, yo, I rip the band, yo (c'mon, c'mon, everybody say)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (uh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (how we do it?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (Alicia Keys, say)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (uh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (what? What? Mos Def like)
Ay yo, peep it out while I tell you like this
A fresh little story be sure you don't miss
It's the truth for ya, true feature
I could go on for days about this queen named Alicia ('Licia)
Walking down the block with brother Com' Sense
Comrade Com' Sense said, "What the heck," so I
Saw this fresh girl that you always saw
Before and in my heart she'll be adored and
Can't fraud and never ignore
It's Aquarius love and highly secure
Daydreaming her and really getting in it
Fantasizing my life for one or two minutes
And my man Com' Sense just stopped and said
"Yo, stop frontin' and use your head"
And said, "Yo, stop frontin' and use your head" (heart)
And said, "Yo, stop frontin' and use your head" (soul)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (freak, freak)
You gotta love it or leave it alone
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta (oh, oh, oh, oh)
Right about now, I wanna thank everybody
For comin' out and rockin' with me tonight (whoa)
I wanna give a big up, to my man Mos Def (uh)
My man Common Sense, my man Krucial
My man Ills, the whole M.B.k. Fam
The whole Krucial Keys fam, and MTV
And everybody out there say, "Yeah, yeah" (uh)
Said everybody out there say, "Yeah" (yeah)
C'mon, and alright
I need y'all to give it up, for Pablo on percussion
For Paul John on drums, Onree Gill on M.D
For Anaysha, Sara, Jermaine, and Denise on backgrounds
Steve on the bass, oh
Artie on the guitar (yeah)
Jeff's on the horns (yeah) (uh, uh)
Ay, yeah, yeah, and the string quartets (yeah)
Ray Chew and the Crunks
Uh, uh (one, two, one, two), you know
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (say what?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (Jeff Robinson)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (oh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (J Rob)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (J Rob)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (oh, oh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (c'mon, c'mon)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (what's that J Rob?)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah, yeah)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (yeah, uh)
You gotta love it or leave it alone (let's go)
You gotta love it (uh)
Rewind (yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh, oh
I wanna bring Damian Marley to the spot (oh, oh, oh)
Up in the streets, they call it murder (yeah, ha)
Welcome to Jamrock
Camp where the thugs dem camp at
Two pound ah weed inna van back
It inna yuh hand bag, yuh knapsack, it inna yuh backpack
The smell ah give your girlfriend con-
Some bwoy nuh notice, dem only come around like tourist
On the beach with a few club sodas
Bedtime stories, pose like dem name Chuck Norris
Don't know the real hardcore (welcome)
Sandals ah nuh Backtoo, di thugs dem will do when dem got to
And won't think twice to shot you, don't make dem spot you
Unless you carry guns, a lot too, ah bare tuff tings come at you
When New York man stop laugh and block off traffic (yeah)
Then dem wheel and pop off and dem start clap it (woo, uh)
With the pin file dung and it ah beat rapid (hey)
Police come inna Jeep and dem cyaan' stop it (welcome)
Some say them ah playboy ah Playboy rabbit
Some selecta get dropped like a bad habit
And nuh bodda pose tough if you don't have it
Rastafari stands alone
Welcome to Jamrock
(What?) New York, chuh
(Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
Wel-welcome to Jamrock
Up in the streets, they call it murder
Jamaica, Jamaica, yeah
Jamaica, Jamaica, yeah
Jamaica, Jamaica, yeah
Jamaica, Jamaica (Chi Town)
Chi town, Chi town (hey)
And we gets down
Chi town, Chi town (Chi Town get down)
And we gets down
Chi town, Chi town (Chi Town get down)
We gets down
And Chi Town gettin' on down, c'mon ahh (Chi Town, Chi Town)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
New York, New York (New York, New York)
So welcome to Jamrock
Brooklyn, oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Welcome to Jamrock
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh (tell the world)
Welcome to Jamrock
Up in the streets, they call it murder
Yeah (bap, bap, bap, bap, bap, bap, bap)
Damian Marley, ladies and gentlemen
Common Sense, Mos Def
We love you, and we thank you for rockin' with us
Much love to the people
Brooklyn
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Love It or Leave It Alone/Welcome to Jamrock Lyrics as written by Lorenzo Deschaelus Charles Davis
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Cloud9
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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