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.
Hahaha, uh
See, to live is to suffer
But to survive
Well, that's to find meaning in the suffering
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
I've been through mad different phases like mazes, to find my way
And now I know that happy days are not far away
If I'm strong enough I'll live long enough to see my kids
Doin' somethin' more constructive with their time than bids
I know because I been there
Now I'm in there, sit back and look at what it took for me to get there
First came the bullshit the drama with my Mama
She got on some fly shit, so I split
And said that I'ma be that seed that doesn't need much to succeed
Strapped with mad greed and a heart that doesn't bleed
I'm ready for the world or at least I thought I was
Baggin' niggas when I caught a buzz for thinkin about how short I was
Goin' too fast, it wouldn't last but yo, I couldn't tell
Group homes and institutions prepared my ass for jail
They put me in a situation, forcin' me to be a man
When I was just learning to stand without a helpin' hand
Damn, was it my fault? Something I did?
To make a father leave his first kid, at seven doin my first bid
Back on the scene at fourteen with a scheme
To get more cream than I'd ever seen in a dream
And by all means I will be livin' high off the hog
And I never gave a fuck about much but my dog
That's the only muthafucka I'd hit off with my last
Just another little nigga headed nowhere fast
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
That ain't the half, shit get's worse as I get older
Actions become bolder, heart got colder
Chip on my shoulder that I dared a nigga to touch
Didn't need a clique 'cause I scared a nigga that much
One deep with the pit, startin' shit for kicks
Catchin' vics, throwin' bricks, gettin' by bein' slick
Used to get high just to get by
Used to have to puff my L in the morning before I get fly
Ate somethin', a couple of forties made me hate something
I did some coke now I'm ready to take something
Three years later showing signs of stress
Didn't keep my hair cut or give a fuck how I dressed
I'm possessed by the darker side, livin' the cruddy life
Shit like this kept a nigga with a bloody knife
Wanna make records but I'm fuckin' it up
I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Wasn't long before I hit rock bottom
Niggas talkin' shit, was like "Damn, look how that rock got him"
Open like a window, no more indo
Look at a video, say to myself "that could've been yo
Ass on the TV", believe me, it could be done
Somethin' gots to give, gots to change 'cause now I got a son
I gots to do the right thing for shorty
And that means no more gettin' high, drinkin' 40s
So I get back lookin' type slick again
Fake niggas jump back on my dick again
Nothin' but love for those that know how it feel
And much respect to all my niggas that kept it real
Kept a nigga strong, kept a nigga from doin' wrong
Niggas know who they is and this is yo fuckin' song
And to my boo who stuck with a nigga through
All the bullshit, you'll get yours because it's due
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
See, to live is to suffer
But to survive
Well, that's to find meaning in the suffering
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
I've been through mad different phases like mazes, to find my way
And now I know that happy days are not far away
If I'm strong enough I'll live long enough to see my kids
Doin' somethin' more constructive with their time than bids
I know because I been there
Now I'm in there, sit back and look at what it took for me to get there
First came the bullshit the drama with my Mama
She got on some fly shit, so I split
And said that I'ma be that seed that doesn't need much to succeed
Strapped with mad greed and a heart that doesn't bleed
I'm ready for the world or at least I thought I was
Baggin' niggas when I caught a buzz for thinkin about how short I was
Goin' too fast, it wouldn't last but yo, I couldn't tell
Group homes and institutions prepared my ass for jail
They put me in a situation, forcin' me to be a man
When I was just learning to stand without a helpin' hand
Damn, was it my fault? Something I did?
To make a father leave his first kid, at seven doin my first bid
Back on the scene at fourteen with a scheme
To get more cream than I'd ever seen in a dream
And by all means I will be livin' high off the hog
And I never gave a fuck about much but my dog
That's the only muthafucka I'd hit off with my last
Just another little nigga headed nowhere fast
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
That ain't the half, shit get's worse as I get older
Actions become bolder, heart got colder
Chip on my shoulder that I dared a nigga to touch
Didn't need a clique 'cause I scared a nigga that much
One deep with the pit, startin' shit for kicks
Catchin' vics, throwin' bricks, gettin' by bein' slick
Used to get high just to get by
Used to have to puff my L in the morning before I get fly
Ate somethin', a couple of forties made me hate something
I did some coke now I'm ready to take something
Three years later showing signs of stress
Didn't keep my hair cut or give a fuck how I dressed
I'm possessed by the darker side, livin' the cruddy life
Shit like this kept a nigga with a bloody knife
Wanna make records but I'm fuckin' it up
I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Wasn't long before I hit rock bottom
Niggas talkin' shit, was like "Damn, look how that rock got him"
Open like a window, no more indo
Look at a video, say to myself "that could've been yo
Ass on the TV", believe me, it could be done
Somethin' gots to give, gots to change 'cause now I got a son
I gots to do the right thing for shorty
And that means no more gettin' high, drinkin' 40s
So I get back lookin' type slick again
Fake niggas jump back on my dick again
Nothin' but love for those that know how it feel
And much respect to all my niggas that kept it real
Kept a nigga strong, kept a nigga from doin' wrong
Niggas know who they is and this is yo fuckin' song
And to my boo who stuck with a nigga through
All the bullshit, you'll get yours because it's due
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up
Lyrics submitted by mike
Slippin' Lyrics as written by Michael A. Gomez Grover Washington Jr.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Iricom US Ltd, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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iight DMX will always be the best fuckin rapper out there.... but this song.. wooo tear that shit off the hook