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.
Regulators
We regulate any stealin' of his property
We're damn good too, but you can't be any geek off the street
You gotta be handy with the steel, if you know what I mean
Earn your keep
Regulators, mount up
It was a clear black night, a clear white moon
Warren G was on the streets, tryin' to consume
Some skirts for the eve, so I can get some phones
Rollin' in my ride, chillin' all alone
Just hit the eastside of the L-B-C
On a mission tryna find Mr. Warren G
Seen a car full of girls, ain't no need to tweak
All you skirts know what's up with 2-1-3
So I hooks a left on 2-1 and Lewis
Some brothers shootin' dice, so I said, "Let's do this"
I jumped out the ride and said, "What's up?"
Some brothers pulled some gats, so I said, "I'm stuck"
Since these girls peepin' me I'ma glide and swerve
These hookers lookin' so hard they straight hit the curb
Onto bigger, better things than some horny tricks
I see my homie and some suckas all in his mix
I'm gettin' jacked, I'm breakin' myself
I can't believe they takin' Warren's wealth
They took my rings, they took my Rolex
I looked at the brother said, "Damn, what's next?"
They got my homie hemmed up and they all around
Can't none of them see him if they goin' straight pound for pound
They wanna come up real quick before they start to clown
I best pull out my strap and lay them busters down
They got guns to my head
I think I'm goin' down
I can't believe it's happenin' in my own town
If I had wings I would fly, let me contemplate
I glanced in the cut and I see my homie Nate
Sixteen in the clip and one in the hole
Nate Dogg is about to make some bodies turn cold
Now they droppin' and yellin', it's a tad bit late
Nate Dogg and Warren G had to regulate
I laid all them busters down, I let my gat explode
Now I'm switchin' my mind back into freak mode
If you want skirts, sit back and observe
I just left a gang of hoes over there on the curb
Now Nate got the freaks and that's a known fact
Before I got jacked I was on the same track
Back up, back up, 'cause it's on
N-A-T-E and me, the Warren to the G
Just like I thought, they were in the same spot
In need of some desperate help
But Nate Dogg and the G child
Were in need of somethin' else
One of them dames was sexy as hell
I said, "Ooh, I like your size"
She said, "My car's broke down and you seem real nice, would you let me ride?"
I got a car full of girls and it's goin' real swell
The next stop is the Eastside Motel
I'm tweakin' into a whole new era
G-funk, step to this, I dare ya
Funk on a whole new level
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble (woo)
Chords, strings, we brings melody
G-funk, where rhythm is life and life is rhythm
If you know like I know
You don't wanna step to this
It's the G-funk era, funked out with a gangster twist
If you smoke like I smoke
Then you're high like everyday
And if your ass is a buster
2-1-3 will regulate
We regulate any stealin' of his property
We're damn good too, but you can't be any geek off the street
You gotta be handy with the steel, if you know what I mean
Earn your keep
Regulators, mount up
It was a clear black night, a clear white moon
Warren G was on the streets, tryin' to consume
Some skirts for the eve, so I can get some phones
Rollin' in my ride, chillin' all alone
Just hit the eastside of the L-B-C
On a mission tryna find Mr. Warren G
Seen a car full of girls, ain't no need to tweak
All you skirts know what's up with 2-1-3
So I hooks a left on 2-1 and Lewis
Some brothers shootin' dice, so I said, "Let's do this"
I jumped out the ride and said, "What's up?"
Some brothers pulled some gats, so I said, "I'm stuck"
Since these girls peepin' me I'ma glide and swerve
These hookers lookin' so hard they straight hit the curb
Onto bigger, better things than some horny tricks
I see my homie and some suckas all in his mix
I'm gettin' jacked, I'm breakin' myself
I can't believe they takin' Warren's wealth
They took my rings, they took my Rolex
I looked at the brother said, "Damn, what's next?"
They got my homie hemmed up and they all around
Can't none of them see him if they goin' straight pound for pound
They wanna come up real quick before they start to clown
I best pull out my strap and lay them busters down
They got guns to my head
I think I'm goin' down
I can't believe it's happenin' in my own town
If I had wings I would fly, let me contemplate
I glanced in the cut and I see my homie Nate
Sixteen in the clip and one in the hole
Nate Dogg is about to make some bodies turn cold
Now they droppin' and yellin', it's a tad bit late
Nate Dogg and Warren G had to regulate
I laid all them busters down, I let my gat explode
Now I'm switchin' my mind back into freak mode
If you want skirts, sit back and observe
I just left a gang of hoes over there on the curb
Now Nate got the freaks and that's a known fact
Before I got jacked I was on the same track
Back up, back up, 'cause it's on
N-A-T-E and me, the Warren to the G
Just like I thought, they were in the same spot
In need of some desperate help
But Nate Dogg and the G child
Were in need of somethin' else
One of them dames was sexy as hell
I said, "Ooh, I like your size"
She said, "My car's broke down and you seem real nice, would you let me ride?"
I got a car full of girls and it's goin' real swell
The next stop is the Eastside Motel
I'm tweakin' into a whole new era
G-funk, step to this, I dare ya
Funk on a whole new level
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble (woo)
Chords, strings, we brings melody
G-funk, where rhythm is life and life is rhythm
If you know like I know
You don't wanna step to this
It's the G-funk era, funked out with a gangster twist
If you smoke like I smoke
Then you're high like everyday
And if your ass is a buster
2-1-3 will regulate
Lyrics submitted by defubuskorn
Regulate Lyrics as written by Mike Stoller Jerry Leiber
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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