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.
[Intro]
Some people call it being soft
Some people call it bitching out
I call it me being the bigger man then you think I am
[Chorus]
I got the money, money and the cars, cars and the clothes
And unless I want to let it all go
I just gotta be more careful x3
[Verse 1]
Yeah, and you already know I feel
Shit, I almost forgot how good the lies feel
'Cause when you think you're on top if the world
You come to realize your standing in some high heels
So that Nuvo got me popping shit
And even worse nobody around me is knocking it
'Cause they don’t say what's on their mind
Until I say what's on mine, and now they trying just to stop the shit
Cause to them it's just the ego
But I'm a straight shooter so they call me for the free throws
Now most days rocking hard with the chicos
But I still got a nine and some green like Geno
And in order for me to live right, I gotta change
But after five years of being hated on I got deranged
I live good, but homie I ain’t got the range
I make the 6-4 go up and down like the stock exchange
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
Okay, they say my girl look regular
But having a bad bitch don’t make you better bruh
And she don’t diss me like your bitch ass
She’ll let me fuck your girl and even help me spread that bitch ass
And you want me to fuck the best girl
But the model hoes get sideways like a s curl
And I don’t get attitude I get respect
'Cause she was with me three years before I got a check
So I can keep my girl and live happy on the boat
Or a freaky fine bitch that’ll have me going broke
But I'll never leaver her, 'cause she a go-getter
Even if she go to Hell, I'mma go with her
And you bitches hating on her because she light skinned
But look at the fucking industry that I'm in
I'm the only artist with dark girls in my videos
So a bad attitude and a dick is what I give you hoes
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Alright, so lets talk about the Jay shit
Some days I wish that I ain't never say shit
And Diddy said there ain't no excuse for what I did
But I felt like he was knocking the same shit that feed my kids
I do music 'cause I need it to make my world spin
So when you down it, it's like you dissing my girlfriend
And Jay one of the only niggas I hear bringing it
So I didn’t think that he would even entertain the shit
Because entertainment is see through
But if you really feel like I'm dead, then nigga me too
I ain't trying to write your rhyme
But you could’ve skip one DJ
And all you had to say was "T-pain, we cool."
But by all mean don’t take it as a diss or hating
I just want to explain my side of the situation
So if you knew just how much respect I had
You know I'm a real nigga when I say...my bad
[Chorus]
[Outro]
Yeah
I'm just a real nigga man
I don’t sugar coat nothing
Anything I say I stand by it so
You can hear my reasons and you can think what you think but
I'm gonna be a real nigga regardless of what's going on
You know what I'm saying?
Revolver, coming at you man
Yeah, Nappy Boy
Some people call it being soft
Some people call it bitching out
I call it me being the bigger man then you think I am
[Chorus]
I got the money, money and the cars, cars and the clothes
And unless I want to let it all go
I just gotta be more careful x3
[Verse 1]
Yeah, and you already know I feel
Shit, I almost forgot how good the lies feel
'Cause when you think you're on top if the world
You come to realize your standing in some high heels
So that Nuvo got me popping shit
And even worse nobody around me is knocking it
'Cause they don’t say what's on their mind
Until I say what's on mine, and now they trying just to stop the shit
Cause to them it's just the ego
But I'm a straight shooter so they call me for the free throws
Now most days rocking hard with the chicos
But I still got a nine and some green like Geno
And in order for me to live right, I gotta change
But after five years of being hated on I got deranged
I live good, but homie I ain’t got the range
I make the 6-4 go up and down like the stock exchange
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
Okay, they say my girl look regular
But having a bad bitch don’t make you better bruh
And she don’t diss me like your bitch ass
She’ll let me fuck your girl and even help me spread that bitch ass
And you want me to fuck the best girl
But the model hoes get sideways like a s curl
And I don’t get attitude I get respect
'Cause she was with me three years before I got a check
So I can keep my girl and live happy on the boat
Or a freaky fine bitch that’ll have me going broke
But I'll never leaver her, 'cause she a go-getter
Even if she go to Hell, I'mma go with her
And you bitches hating on her because she light skinned
But look at the fucking industry that I'm in
I'm the only artist with dark girls in my videos
So a bad attitude and a dick is what I give you hoes
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Alright, so lets talk about the Jay shit
Some days I wish that I ain't never say shit
And Diddy said there ain't no excuse for what I did
But I felt like he was knocking the same shit that feed my kids
I do music 'cause I need it to make my world spin
So when you down it, it's like you dissing my girlfriend
And Jay one of the only niggas I hear bringing it
So I didn’t think that he would even entertain the shit
Because entertainment is see through
But if you really feel like I'm dead, then nigga me too
I ain't trying to write your rhyme
But you could’ve skip one DJ
And all you had to say was "T-pain, we cool."
But by all mean don’t take it as a diss or hating
I just want to explain my side of the situation
So if you knew just how much respect I had
You know I'm a real nigga when I say...my bad
[Chorus]
[Outro]
Yeah
I'm just a real nigga man
I don’t sugar coat nothing
Anything I say I stand by it so
You can hear my reasons and you can think what you think but
I'm gonna be a real nigga regardless of what's going on
You know what I'm saying?
Revolver, coming at you man
Yeah, Nappy Boy
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.