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.
Hi my name is stereo Mike
Yeah, we got free tickets to the Bran Van concert
Happening this Monday night at the Pacific Coliseum
You can all call in if you want to answer a couple of questions, mainly, what is Todd's favorite cheese?
Ah, Jackie just called in and said it was a type of Rockford, whatever that is
Give us a ring-a-ding-ding, it's a beautiful day
Yeah Todd, this is Liquid ring-a-ding-dinging
I want those free Bran Van tickets man
What do you think? Todd? (He's alive Mike, alive, Todd)
I woke up again this morning with the sun in my eyes
When Mike came over with a script surprise
A mafioso story with a twist
A To Wong Fu-Julie Newmar Hitch
"Get your ass out of bed" he said, "I'll explain it on the way"
But we did nothing, absolutely nothing that day
And I say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
I got the fever for the flavour
The payback will be later
But still I need a fix
And the girls on the bus kept laughing at us
As we rode on the 10 down to Venice again
Blaring out the g-funk sipping on juice and gin
Just me and a friend feeling kind of groovy, workin' on a movie (yeah, right)
But we did nothing, absolutely buttkiss that day
And I'll say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
(With my mind on my money and my money on my beer, beer)
I know that life is for the taking
So I better wise up and take it quick (yeah, one more time at Trader Vic's)
Well some men there wanted to hurt us
And other men said we weren't worth the fuss
You could catch 'em all bitching by the bar
Above the fine line between the rich and the poor
Then Mike turned to me and said "what you think we got done son?"
We had the conclusion and I guess that's something
So I ask you what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
I got the fever for the nectar, the payback will be later
Still I need a fix
Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A.L.A
Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A.L.A
Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A
So I ask you what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
(He's alive Mike, alive)
L.A., L.A.
Yeah, we got free tickets to the Bran Van concert
Happening this Monday night at the Pacific Coliseum
You can all call in if you want to answer a couple of questions, mainly, what is Todd's favorite cheese?
Ah, Jackie just called in and said it was a type of Rockford, whatever that is
Give us a ring-a-ding-ding, it's a beautiful day
Yeah Todd, this is Liquid ring-a-ding-dinging
I want those free Bran Van tickets man
What do you think? Todd? (He's alive Mike, alive, Todd)
I woke up again this morning with the sun in my eyes
When Mike came over with a script surprise
A mafioso story with a twist
A To Wong Fu-Julie Newmar Hitch
"Get your ass out of bed" he said, "I'll explain it on the way"
But we did nothing, absolutely nothing that day
And I say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
I got the fever for the flavour
The payback will be later
But still I need a fix
And the girls on the bus kept laughing at us
As we rode on the 10 down to Venice again
Blaring out the g-funk sipping on juice and gin
Just me and a friend feeling kind of groovy, workin' on a movie (yeah, right)
But we did nothing, absolutely buttkiss that day
And I'll say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
(With my mind on my money and my money on my beer, beer)
I know that life is for the taking
So I better wise up and take it quick (yeah, one more time at Trader Vic's)
Well some men there wanted to hurt us
And other men said we weren't worth the fuss
You could catch 'em all bitching by the bar
Above the fine line between the rich and the poor
Then Mike turned to me and said "what you think we got done son?"
We had the conclusion and I guess that's something
So I ask you what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
I got the fever for the nectar, the payback will be later
Still I need a fix
Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A.L.A
Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A.L.A
Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A
So I ask you what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?
(He's alive Mike, alive)
L.A., L.A.
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I love this song! I think it totally represents my life now. I'm 25 and feel like I've just wasted the last 7 years of my life :-( When i was 18 i had such hope for the future, i really did! And now...well i'm just living off my parents money. it's tragic. but anyway, like the above posters said its about wasting time and just thinking 'what the hell am i doing with my life' yet you're just kind of resigned to it. like 'oh well, lets just have another drink' that's my interpretation anyway.
@bluegirl25 <br /> Hi. It's 2022 (May 17th) & I just came across this thread & your post. You were 25 when you wrote your post in 2007. You would be about 40 years old now & I'm super curious about what life is like NOW 15 yrs later! & do you still feel the songs meaning the same way as you did Back then?<br /> Thank you for any reply.<br /> Garry :)
This is my all-time favorite hip-hop song, by one of the most diverse bands one will ever hear. Bran Van 3000 is one hip-hop crew who actually play their own instruments at their live shows! I feel this song is about wasting time. I think the Bran Van moved out to L.A. from Montreal in hopes of making it big. They come up with all these plans of how they're going to do it ("And Mike came over with a script suprise"..."Working on a movie...Yeah Right!"), but never follow through with them. They never write the movie script. They're doing nothing but drinking away they're days ("But we did nothing, absolutely nothing that day and I say: What the hell am I doing drinking in L.A.?") They're wasting they're money on beer, and not getting the big break the band always wanted. I think getting drunk is how they cope with their failure ("I got the fever for the nectar, the payback will be later, still I need a fix.") The Bran Man (Disalvio) realizes how sad this wasting of time really is (like in the lines: "I know that life is for the taking, so I better wise up, and take it quick."....and in "The payback will be later.") This song is also about the how Bran Man is trying to find his own identity. The Bran Man doesn't know what he wants to be, or who he really is. Just listen to the background vocals that the girls beautifully sing: "Who are you? Who are You?". It's a recurring theme throuhgout this whole song. They're whole experience in L.A. is a living hell. This song strikes a personal chord with me. I'm in high school and it always seems my peers are asking "Who are you?". Finding identity in high school is the most important part of the learning experience. I see lots of people acting like something they are not (Mainly kids that are in ghetto-wannabe and in-crowd cliques). I also see lots of dreamers who come up with big plans that they never follow through on (I have some drop-out friends like this). And there are many kids who spend all their time playing in their band, and hoping they'll make it big one day. Chances are they won't. Bran Van 3000 got lucky. This song became a huge hit, and deservingly so.
@CoolHi-C
@CoolHi-C 16 years ago you wrote this, what happened to those dreamers? What happened to you?
the guitars on this song are great. Best guitar riff on a hip-hop song ever ..... apart from "Walk This Way"
This song made me leave L.A.
Epic......
I love this song. I first heard it on a rock radio station back when I was in middle school. It was in heavy rotation for a while, and then all of a sudden they stopped playing it. I don't listen to hip-hop, or rap, but this song is still just so awesome. the guitars in the background are so cool; they just give that song a lot of feeling. Great song.
i dont normally like this kind of music, (how were people describing it? hip hop? i dunno) but this song is wonderful! the lyrics are kinda funny, esp. "With my mind on my money and my money on my... Beer, beer! " everytime i listen to it makes me smile. this rocks.
this song is awesome...cd is awesome also
i heard this song on a CMJ disc when the album came out. i've been hooked on these guys since.
great beat...i think this song is all about being lost and not knowing what to do with your life...uve come to the point where your independent and ur 26 and uve just lost urself somewhere and drinking this unknown feeling away...