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.
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide
Gonna find you and take it slowly
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh)
Gonna find you and make you want me (yo)
Now that I escape, sleepwalker awake (yeah)
Those who could relate know the world ain't cake
Jail bars ain't golden gates
Those who fake, they break
When they meet their four-hundred pound mate
If I could rule the world (if I ruled the world)
Everyone would have a gun in the ghetto of course
When giddyuping on their horse (giddyup)
I kick a rhyme drinking moonshine
I pour a sip on the concrete, for the deceased
But no don't weep, Wyclef's in a state of sleep
Thinking 'bout the robbery that I did last week
Money in the bag, banker looked like a drag
I wanna play with pelicans from here to Baghdad
Gun blast, think fast, I think I'm hit
My girl pinched my hips to see if I still exist
I think not, I'll send a letter to my friends
A Born Again hooligan only to be king again
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide
Gonna find you and take it slowly
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh)
Gonna find you and make you want me (yo, yo, yo)
Yo, I play my enemies like a game of chess, where I rest
No stress, if you don't smoke sess, lest
I must confess, my destiny's manifest
In some Goretex and sweats I make treks like I'm homeless
Rap orgies with Porgy and Bess
Capture your bounty like Elliot Ness, yes
Bless you if you represent the Fu
But I'll hex you with some witch's brew
If you're doo-doo, voodoo
I can do what you do, easy, believe me
Fronting niggas give me hee-bee-gee-bees
So while you're imitating Al Capone, I'll be Nina Simone
And defecating on your microphone
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide
Gonna find you and take it slowly
You can't run away
From these styles I got, oh baby, hey baby
Cause I got a lot, oh yeah
And anywhere you go (ooh)
My whole crew's gonna know baby, hey baby
You can't hide from the block, oh no
Ready or not, refugees taking over (ready or not)
The Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock Rasta
On the twelfth hour, fly by in my bomber
Crews run for cover, now they're under pushing up flowers
Superfly true lies, do or die (he's super fly)
Toss me high, only puff lye
With my crew from lakay
I refugee from Guantanamo Bay
Dance around the border like I'm Cassius Clay (yessir, yo)
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh, yo, hey yo nobody move)
Gonna find you and take it slowly (yeah)
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh, yo, hey yo nobody move)
Gonna find you and make you want me (whoa, yeah, c'mon)
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (you know the, you know the)
Gonna find you and take it slowly
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh, yo, hey yo nobody move)
Gonna find you and make you want me (ooh)
Ready-
Gonna find you and take it slowly
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh)
Gonna find you and make you want me (yo)
Now that I escape, sleepwalker awake (yeah)
Those who could relate know the world ain't cake
Jail bars ain't golden gates
Those who fake, they break
When they meet their four-hundred pound mate
If I could rule the world (if I ruled the world)
Everyone would have a gun in the ghetto of course
When giddyuping on their horse (giddyup)
I kick a rhyme drinking moonshine
I pour a sip on the concrete, for the deceased
But no don't weep, Wyclef's in a state of sleep
Thinking 'bout the robbery that I did last week
Money in the bag, banker looked like a drag
I wanna play with pelicans from here to Baghdad
Gun blast, think fast, I think I'm hit
My girl pinched my hips to see if I still exist
I think not, I'll send a letter to my friends
A Born Again hooligan only to be king again
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide
Gonna find you and take it slowly
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh)
Gonna find you and make you want me (yo, yo, yo)
Yo, I play my enemies like a game of chess, where I rest
No stress, if you don't smoke sess, lest
I must confess, my destiny's manifest
In some Goretex and sweats I make treks like I'm homeless
Rap orgies with Porgy and Bess
Capture your bounty like Elliot Ness, yes
Bless you if you represent the Fu
But I'll hex you with some witch's brew
If you're doo-doo, voodoo
I can do what you do, easy, believe me
Fronting niggas give me hee-bee-gee-bees
So while you're imitating Al Capone, I'll be Nina Simone
And defecating on your microphone
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide
Gonna find you and take it slowly
You can't run away
From these styles I got, oh baby, hey baby
Cause I got a lot, oh yeah
And anywhere you go (ooh)
My whole crew's gonna know baby, hey baby
You can't hide from the block, oh no
Ready or not, refugees taking over (ready or not)
The Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock Rasta
On the twelfth hour, fly by in my bomber
Crews run for cover, now they're under pushing up flowers
Superfly true lies, do or die (he's super fly)
Toss me high, only puff lye
With my crew from lakay
I refugee from Guantanamo Bay
Dance around the border like I'm Cassius Clay (yessir, yo)
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh, yo, hey yo nobody move)
Gonna find you and take it slowly (yeah)
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh, yo, hey yo nobody move)
Gonna find you and make you want me (whoa, yeah, c'mon)
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (you know the, you know the)
Gonna find you and take it slowly
Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide (ooh, yo, hey yo nobody move)
Gonna find you and make you want me (ooh)
Ready-
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Great version of a great song,
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