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Sabotage Lyrics
I can't stand it I know you planned it
But I'm gonna set it straight, this Watergate
I can't stand rocking when I'm in here
Because your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear
So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this fucking thorn in my side
Oh my, it's a mirage
I'm tellin' y'all it's a sabotage
So listen up 'cause you can't say nothin'
You'll shut me down with a push of your button?
But I'm out and I'm gone
I'll tell you now I keep it on and on
Cause what you see you might not get
And we can bet so don't you get souped yet
You're scheming on a thing that's a mirage
I'm trying to tell you now it's sabotage
Why
Our backs are now against the wall
Listen all of y'all it's a sabotage
Listen all of y'all it's a sabotage
Listen all of y'all it's a sabotage
Listen all of y'all it's a sabotage
I can't stand it, I know you planned it
But I'm gonna set it straight this Watergate
I can't stand rockin' when I'm in this place
Because I feel disgrace because you're all in my face
But make no mistakes and switch up my channel
I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle
What could it be, it's a mirage
You're scheming on a thing; that's sabotage
Song Info
Submitted by
piesupreme On Mar 06, 2001
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First of all, i dont think that "My favorite song by The Beastie Boys" and "This songs rocks!" are anything to do with the meanings of songs. You are destroying this site.
The song to me, is talking about a partner of his who is being drawn away by another guy who is using smoke and mirrors to get her away from him. He is aware of this but does she know he knows?
I agree that those 2 phrases have nothing to do with what the song is about & I think it's probably wrong to leave such a simple comment about a great song like Sabotage. But when It comes to the Beasties, anything is valid. Beastie songs are usually a collage of ideas, quotes, references, samples,........
I agree that those 2 phrases have nothing to do with what the song is about & I think it's probably wrong to leave such a simple comment about a great song like Sabotage. But when It comes to the Beasties, anything is valid. Beastie songs are usually a collage of ideas, quotes, references, samples,........
Foe example:
Foe example:
"I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle"
"I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle"
This line is in reference to famous drummer Buddy Rich & his "Bus Tapes". The bus tapes are recordings that a band member made secretly while riding on the tour bus with Buddy...
This line is in reference to famous drummer Buddy Rich & his "Bus Tapes". The bus tapes are recordings that a band member made secretly while riding on the tour bus with Buddy Rich. These tapes are of Buddy Rich going off on his band, telling them that they aren't good enough to keep up with him. Cursing & berating members of his band for making mistakes on stage. In one of them he actually kicks a guy off the bus in the middle of nowhere. These tapes were passed around for years & can now be heard on youtube. Quite hilarious. Worth a listen.
That is for just one line in this song & I could tell you a lot more about the meaning of this song that might make you think twice about the meaning that you have drawn from Sabotage. I agree with KRS's interpretation. It's kinda like his Buddy Rich style rant. But instead of going off on his bandmates, Ad Rock is talking shit to all rapper, wanna be MC's. But whatever this song means to YOU is what's important & it doesn't necessarily have to match up with what the artist meant when they wrote it. Also, in '94 I heard this song & knew that I really liked it. But I had no idea what the song was about. Saying nothing but "this song rocks" doesn't take away from the meaning of this song or diminish this site in any way. I'm happy to know that so many other people like this song. It's definitely worthy of being a favorite by anyone. Any random comment is OK here, I think.
@Pharaoh I think it could easily mean what you said. It could also be about politics, former business partners or business rivals...basically, anyone with a power trip trying to sabotage someone else who clearly sees it for what it is.
@Pharaoh I think it could easily mean what you said. It could also be about politics, former business partners or business rivals...basically, anyone with a power trip trying to sabotage someone else who clearly sees it for what it is.
the song is about the Watergate scandal, if that wasn't obvious enough.
@autophobe I'm not sure it is that explicit as this song would have been written more than a decade after the Watergate issue and the guys themselves would have been pre-teen during that timeframe. Not to mention, it gets really ambiguously related after the first line. "Watergate" is also just a common colloquialism for "scandal." Hence why every scandal has "gate" attached to it these days: Filegate, IRSgate, Weinstengate (note, I made the last one up). :)
@autophobe I'm not sure it is that explicit as this song would have been written more than a decade after the Watergate issue and the guys themselves would have been pre-teen during that timeframe. Not to mention, it gets really ambiguously related after the first line. "Watergate" is also just a common colloquialism for "scandal." Hence why every scandal has "gate" attached to it these days: Filegate, IRSgate, Weinstengate (note, I made the last one up). :)
@autophobe I think it's partly about Watergate yes. Politics and other shady business deals in general for sure where power grabs are made at the demise of others in order to try to win and assert dominance. They also mention Buddy Rich who was a Jazz musician who had a notoriously short temper and that was also from the same time period as Watergate, so there's most definitely a connection to all of that.
@autophobe I think it's partly about Watergate yes. Politics and other shady business deals in general for sure where power grabs are made at the demise of others in order to try to win and assert dominance. They also mention Buddy Rich who was a Jazz musician who had a notoriously short temper and that was also from the same time period as Watergate, so there's most definitely a connection to all of that.
This song is a 3 minute commercial for Tom Selleck stick-on moustaches, $22.95 from all good hair shops near you. ;0)
I can't believe how ignorant all of you are, especially all of you from America. The lyrics are highly political and don't try to make it about competition or any other crap that comes through your mind. I am also concerned not to find a single correct explanation of the meaning of the lyrics with a simple google search. This site is called songmeanings so maybe you should focus on the actual meaning of the lyrics.
@sillybird Look everyone, another person jealous of Americans whining arrogantly about being better informed while providing no information about the topic being discussed, you don't see that every day! Then again, we don't live in holes carved out of dead empires where these things breed ...
@sillybird Look everyone, another person jealous of Americans whining arrogantly about being better informed while providing no information about the topic being discussed, you don't see that every day! Then again, we don't live in holes carved out of dead empires where these things breed ...
It's about Donald Trump conspiring with Russia to sabotage the 2016 Presidential election. The "mirage" is that he won the election honestly. The "scheming on a thing that's a mirage" refers to Republican plans to take advantage of the sabotaged election.
@cory194169 dude, the song was released 1994.
@cory194169 dude, the song was released 1994.
@cory194169 hahaha it easily could be a prediction. But I think it's more broadly about politics or business dealings where power is trying to be asserted for someone by means of sabotaging any and everyone else in their way. Could totally fit for Trump thought too. lol
@cory194169 hahaha it easily could be a prediction. But I think it's more broadly about politics or business dealings where power is trying to be asserted for someone by means of sabotaging any and everyone else in their way. Could totally fit for Trump thought too. lol
@cory194169 The song is from the 90s. That would be impossible
@cory194169 The song is from the 90s. That would be impossible
@cory194169 What. A. Clown. The song was released in the 1990s.
@cory194169 What. A. Clown. The song was released in the 1990s.
@cory194169 ????????????Congratulations, that is the dumbest thing I’ve heard today!
@cory194169 ????????????Congratulations, that is the dumbest thing I’ve heard today!
it's pretty obvious that theyre talking about the "1%" using smoke and mirrors to sabatoge society to create a recycling doom and hooelessness. theyre yelling, obviously, trying to get everyones attention, ill dissect the confusing hip hop vocabulary. " listen all of you, this is sabatoge"
This song is literally about the Beasties sound engineer trying to make them do something they didn't want to do. It's clear as day when you read the lyrics. Adam's trying to set the record straight about why the songs aren't being produced the way the band wanted, and the band feels like their sound is being sabotaged.
This songs rocks!
It means the FUNNIEST VIDEO EVER ON MTV!!!!
Spike Jonze made the video