There was a brief period in the early to mid 90’s where several artists showed up with a rap/jazz fusion at the same time, and Digable Planets was one of those bands. This particular song caught on in a big way, probably because of the cool jazz bass and the simple, funky beat. That’s the reason I like it, and I imagine that’s why it was a big hit.
And of course, the lyrics:
we like the breeze floats straight out of our lids
them they got moved by these hard rock brooklyn kids
us floor rush when the dj’s boomin classics
you dig the crew on the fattest hip hop record
he touch the kinks and sinks into the sounds
she frequents the fatter joints called undergrounds
our funk zooms like you hit the mary jane
they flock to booms man boogie had to change
who freaks the clips with mad amount percussion
where kinky hair goes to unthought of dimensions
why’s it so fly cause hip hop kept some drama
when butterfly rock the light blue suede pumas
what by the cut we push it off the corner
how was the buzz entire hip hop era
was fresh and fat since they started sayin outtie
cause funks made fat from right beneath my hoodie
the puba of the styles like miles and shit
like sixties funky worms wit waves and perms
just sendin chunky rhythms right down your block
we be to rap what key be to lock
but i’m cool like dat
i’m cool like dat
i’m cool like dat
i’m cool like dat
i’m cool like dat
i’m cool like dat
i’m cool like dat
i’m cool
(Ladybug)
we be the chocolates taps on my raps
she innovates at the sweeter cat naps
he at the funk club with the vibrate
them they be crazy down with the five nate
it can kick a plan then a crowst burst
me i be diggin it with the bug verse
us we be freakin till dawn beats and i
he yes a stranger smile so i say hi (wassup)
who understood, yeah, understood the plans?
him heard a beat and put it to his hands
what i just flip let borders get loose
how to consume all the beats just like juice
if its the shit we’ll lift it off the plastic
the babe’ll go spastic
hip hop gains a classic
pimp player shark it don’t matter i’m fatter
ask butter how i zone
(Butterfly)
man, cleopatra jones
(Ladybug)
and i’m chill like dat
i’m chill like dat
i’m chill like dat
i’m chill like dat
i’m chill like dat
i’m chill like dat
i’m chill like dat
i’m chill (chill)
(All)
blink, blink, blink, blink, blink
think, think, think, think, think
(Doodlebug)
we get you free cause the clips be fat boss
them dug the jams that commence to goin off
she sweats the beats and ask me could she puff it
me i got crew kid, seven and a crescent
us cause a buzz when the nickel bags a dealt
him that’s my man with the asteroid belt
they catch a fizz from the mr. doodlebig
he rocks a tee from the crooklyn nine pigs
rebirth of slick like my gangster stroll
the lyrics just like loot come in stacks and rolls
you used to find the bug in a box with fade
now he boogies up your stage plaits twist the braids
and i’m peace like that
i’m peace like that
i’m peace like that
i’m peace like that
i’m peace like that
i’m peace like that
i’m peace like that
i’m pace
(Butterfly)
check it out, man i groove like that
i’m smooth like that
i jive like that
i roll like that
(Ladybug)
yeah, i’m thick like that
i stack like that
i’m down like that
i’m black like that
(Doodlebug)
well yo, i funk like that
i’m fat like that
i’m in like that
cause i swing like that
(Butterfly)
we jazz like that
we freak like that
we zoom like that
we out (we out)
You have to love Lyin’ Ass Bitch. Well, you don’t have to, but it really is just a fun song.
I love the manic vocals, the sheer sense of fun you can feel from the band, and the very well-played instruments. Plus, the song almost forces you to two-step because the hooks are so good.
I also really dig the range of the melody, particularly during the chorus. It brings a little jazz flavor to the song as well as that funky ska beat.
You can listen to the song below:
And of course, the lyrics:
Lalalala Lalalalala
I knew her and she knew me
When she asks me to introduce him
When I did we were three
Until she tried to seduce him
I really thought our love was much too strong
But that little slut just proved us Wrong
I still care and that’s my fatal flaw
Cause sharing you will surely kill us all !!
She’s just a…
Lalalala Lalalalala
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she really doesn’t
She swears that her heart’s for you
And she swears that her love never ends
She swears that she’s all for you
As she messes around with your friends
I really thougth our love was much too strong
But that little slut just proved us Wrong
I still care and that’s my fatal flaw
Cause sharing you will surely kill us all !!
She’s just a…
Lalalala Lalalalala
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she really doesn’t
She’s just a…
Lalalala Lalalalala
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she doesn’t
You’re nothing but a little lyin’ ass bitch !
You know she says she loves you but you know she really doesn’t
The lyin’, piss off, sack of shit
Slut trash can scumish
Dirt bag Biiiitch
Waitress is a funny song,but also a bit of a warning about letting your work define you. The song is about a woman who’s become obsessed with her job, so much so that she can no longer enjoy parties, has nightmares about her job, and possibly offers extra favors to regulars who are “nice” to her. Of course, I could be completely off base here as well, as it could just be a cute little song.
The song has a nice quirky, slightly jazzy feel, and it flows nicely within itself. It’s a fun listen, and you can check it out below:
And of course, the lyrics:
I have to clear your table
I wipe it
It’s right to keep it clean
So I clean
Yes — I clean
Do you clean?
Yes — I clean it
I have to empty ash trays
So I empty them
It’s right to keep them clean
so I clean
Yes — I clean
I’m the queen of the clean
…And I’d probably
Be famous now
If I wasn’t
Such a good waitress…
I am a drag at parties
cuz it upsets me
To see so many empties
And I have to pick them up
Or I have to go home
…But sometimes I have nightmares
And the ashtrays are filling up
And I can’t find my section
And the bottles are flying through the air
Like crazy autumn leaves
And I can’t find my section
I lost my section
I lost my section
I can’t find it
Somebody help me please
I am in quicksand
I am in mud to my knees
Help me… aaagghhh…
I have to clear your table
Excuse me
It’s right to keep it clean
So I clean
Yes — I clean
Do you clean?
Yes — I clean it
I have to know the regulars
Well — I don’t have to
But I like to know their names
And I know them even better
When they’re nice to me
… And I’d probably
Be famous now
If I wasn’t
Such a good waitress…
On the surface, this is simply a song about just why someone would choose to stay with someone that seemingly brings nothing of use to the relationship. That’s all well and good, and it’s a very well written song.
However, what really makes this song for me is that it shifts musical genres several times within the song. It starts out like a Broadway show tune, then settles into basic rock for the chorus, then shifts into a smooth jazz feel for the second verse, back to rock and then finally finishing with a reggae feel. Good stuff.
Oh, I think the video is brilliant too.
And of course, the lyrics:
Won’t make the bed up straight
I always stay out late
I never take you out
Ask what you’re all about
I always smell like smoke
Everythings just a joke
I never look at you
When you come hear me sing
These are not all of the
Many simple things
You can find wrong with me
Once would you tell me please
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
I never talk to you
be who you want me to
My music’s way to loud
My friends are all so proud
Say I’m just wasted hope
I could not thread the rope
More than my pocket’s broke
And you don’t see a ring
These are not all of the
Infinitesimal things
You can find wrong with me
Once would you tell me please
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
Never wanted to play in this game
Yes, You’re right
but losing the game doesn’t mean
that we’re losing the fight
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
What do I do, What do I do
What do I do, What do I do…Right
*What do I do…Right
*What do I do
*wont make the bed up straight
*I always stay out/great
*but what do I do
What do I do that is right
True Dreams Of Wichita is one of those great songs that really sneaks up on you. You know it’s good when you hear it, but it takes repeated listenings to give you an idea of how good it really is. The smooth but funky bass line, the mournful, desperate vocals, the evocative yet seemingly obscure lyrics, it’s all quite good.
It’s been suggested at SongMeanings that this song is about a long distance relationship. I cannot confirm this, but it seems as good an explanation as any.
And of course, the lyrics:
Signal got lost to the satellite
Got lost in the
Rideup to the
Plungedown;
Man sends the ray of the electric light
Sends the impulse
Through the air
Down to home
And you can stand
On the arms
Of the Williamsburg Bridge
Crying
Hey man, well this is Babylon
And you can fire out on a bus
To the outside world
Down to Louisiana
You can take her with you
I’ve seen the
Rains of the real world
Come forward on the plain
I’ve seen the Kansas of your sweet little myth
You’ve never seen it, no,
I’m half sick on the drinks you mixed
Through your
True dreams
Of Wichita
Brooklyn like a sea in the asphalt stalks
Push out dead air from a parking garage
Where you stand with the keys and your cool hat of silence
Where you grip her love like a driver’s license
I’ve seen you
Fire up the gas in the engine valves
I’ve seen your hand turn saintly on the radio dial
I’ve seen the airwaves
Pull your eyes towards heaven
Outside Topeka in the phone lines
Her good teeth smile was winding down
Engine sputters ghosts out of gasoline fumes
They say You had it, but you sold it
You didn’t want it, no
I’m half drunk on static you transmit
Through your
True dreams
Of Wichita
Punch it
I got, uh, fed
I got, uh, too much things on bounce, uh, my head
I got to burn ‘em up
I got to burn ‘em up now
I got to go uptown, uptown
I got a thing
I got a little bit pushed
Got to stand on the corner and bellow for mush
I got a bomb
I got a baby bomb bomb
Got to stand on the corner and bellow for my friend Tom
I got a thing, I got to thing it
I got to thing–team
I got to run my side
True dreams
This is one of those great songs that seems both lost in time and timeless at the same time. The sentiment behind the song is eternal, and while it does have a style that places it squarely in the 1940’s, it’s still timeless.
From Wikipedia
It was co-written by Jordan and Billy Austin. Austin (March 6, 1896 - July 24, 1964)[1] was a songwriter and author, born in Denver, Colorado. The phrase “Is you is or is you ain’t” is dialect, apparently first recorded in a 1921 story by Octavus Roy Cohen, a Jewish writer from South Carolina who wrote humorous black dialect fiction[2].
In 1946 the song was sung by Tom in the Tom and Jerry cartoon “Solid Serenade”.
And of course, the lyrics:
I got a gal that’s always late
Every time we have a date
But I love her
Yes I love her
I’m gonna walk right up to her gate
And see if I can get it straight
Cause I want her I’m gonna ask her
Is you is or is you ain’t my baby?
The way you’re actin’ lately makes me doubt
Yous is still my baby-baby
Seems my flame in your heart’s done gone out
A woman is a creature that has always been strange
Just when you’re sure of one
You find she’s gone and made a change
Is you is or is you ain’t my baby
Maybe baby’s found somebody new
Or is my baby still my baby true?
Is you is or is you ain’t my baby?
The way you’re actin’ lately makes me doubt
Yous is still my baby-baby
Seems my flame in your heart’s done gone out
A woman is a creature that has always been strange
Just when you’re sure of one
You find she’s gone and made a change
Is you is or is you ain’t my baby
Maybe baby’s found somebody new
Or is my baby still my baby true?
B-Line is a nice mixture of a smooth jazz tune with a Drum and Bass arrangement. The song itself is just really cool, and Lou Rhodes’ vocals really give a feeling of hope and passion. The video is pretty cool too, especially with the puppet heads.
And of course the lyrics:
Ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
It’s in
Your eyes
And the way you move
You got music in your step
A kind
Of glow
Like you walk with the heat turned up
So brightly above
Suddenly I see
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you walk in the room
No escape for me
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you’re close to me
If I could just
Compose myself
I’d radiate just the right amount of cool and heat
So you’d never know
How I tremble to touch you
Suddenly I see
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you walk in the room
No escape for me
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you’re close to me
Suddenly I see
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you walk in the room
No escape for me
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you’re close to me
Danny’s All Star Joint seems to be anything but, as it appears to be the hangout for various grifters, ex-cons, down on their luck musicians and other assorted riff-raff. The song feels like it might be semi-autobiographical, from the period in Jones’ life before she found fame. Still, the main thing–as always–is that it’s just a cool song. Jones’ vocals really make the song shine, as do the backing band, and it’s a cool synthesis that makes you want to tap your toes and snap your fingers.
And of course, the lyrics:
Downstairs at Danny’s All-Star Joint
They got a juke box that goes doyt-doyt
The vice is nice, they stay in the back all day,
But when the nighttime comes, hey-hey,
There’s this cat down there that makes a bad kinda soup,
I come around struttin’ my luck in my shoop coupe.
Cecil gives me coffee
And he won’t never take my coin
I say, “I got thirty dollars in my pocket!
Whatchoo doin’?”
I holler, “Come on, Cecil, take a dollar!
Come on, Cecil, take a ten!
I’ve finally geared up into a whole buncha big ones,
And you’re actin’ like I’m down-shiftin’ ”
He knows all the under-riders on the boulevard,
They got to barefoot cruise when it’s forty-weight hard
They look particularly dead-beat,
Permanently pale,
Cecil picks up his butcher knife Waves it at the jail
The kid say, “I ain’t got no dough, Joe,
I just want some o.j.”
I said, “Don’t look at me” (’cause he waslookin’ my way)
Cecil wink upon him some juice and some green
And the kid walks over and puts the
quarter in the pin-ball machine
And he says, “Come on, Cec, gimme a dollar,
Come on, Cecil, gimme five,
I’m in a half-way house on a one-way street,
And I’m a quarter past left alive”
He can talk about your people in a wonderful way
He can talk about your people till your hair turns grey
Your sister’s into mustard
She loves to walk the pup
She likes the pickle and the relish
She never gets enough
A Hershey milkshake
Steamin’ on a stick
For a Carte Blanche sandwich
Oh, lettuce, get thick…
It’s not because I’m dirty,
It’s not because I’m clean,
It’s not because I kiss the boys behind the magazine
Hey, boys? How ’bout a fight?
’Cause here comes Rickie with the girdle on tight
And if she don’t know your name
She knows what you got
From your matzo balls
To the chicken-in-the-pot
Chicken-in-the-pot
Chicken-in-the-pot…
Downstairs at Danny’s All-Star Joint
They got a juke box that goes doyt-doyt
A finger-snappin’ deluxe
Make your be-bop bap
And your R&B hep-scat
You can’t break the rules until you know how to play the game,
But if you just want to have a little fun You can mention my name
Keep your feet in the street, Your toes in the lawn,
But keep your business in your pocket,
That’s where it belongs
Come on, Cecil, take a dollar
Come on, Cecil, take a tip:
Do yourself a favor
If she offers it—take it!
But honey, don’t give it away if he don’t appreciate it
This is such a cool sounding song, especially if you ever hear it live. The band did a fabulous job at turning this into the angriest, noisiest song out there. It’s a also a funny, bittersweet reaction to being dumped.
There’s a number of comments on SongMeanings
Here’s a link to the video, although I wish I could have found a decent sounding live version.
And of course, the lyrics:
So you wanted
to take a break
Slow it down some and
have some space
Well fuck you too
Give me my money back
Give me my money back
you bitch
I want my money back
(And don’t forget to give
me back my black T-Shirt)
Wish I hadn’t bought you dinner
Right before you dumped me
on your front porch
Give me my money back
Give me my money back
You bitch
I want my money back
and don’t forget
And don’t forget.
I’ll admit it: I was a fan of Wham!, and I was a fan of George Michael’s early solo career. This song is particularly nice. It’s a nice, jazzy ballad that tells a story. According to Wikipedia:
A ballad with minimal instrumentation and a jazz feel, the song was written about George’s insecurities as a soulmate and partner because of the baggage and reputation with which he came.
And of course, the lyrics:
You are far,
When I could have been your star,
You listened to people,
Who scared you to death, and from my heart,
Strange that you were strong enough,
To even make a start,
But you’ll never find
Peace of mind,
Till you listen to your heart,
People,
You can never change the way they feel,
Better let them do just what they will,
For they will,
If you let them,
Steal your heart from you,
People,
Will always make a lover feel a fool,
But you knew I loved you,
We could have shown them all,
We should have seen love through,
Fooled me with the tears in your eyes,
Covered me with kisses and lies,
So goodbye,
But please don’t take my heart,
You are far,
I’m never gonna be your star,
I’ll pick up the pieces
And mend my heart,
Maybe I’ll be strong enough,
I don’t know where to start,
But I’ll never find
Peace of mind,
While I listen to my heart,
People,
You can never change the way they feel,
Better let them do just what they will,
For they will,
If you let them,
Steal your heart,
And people,
Will always make a lover feel a fool,
But you knew I loved you,
We could have shown them all,
But remember this,
Every other kiss,
That you ever give
Long as we both live
When you need the hand of another man,
One you really can surrender with,
I will wait for you,
Like I always do,
There’s something there,
That can’t compare with any other,
You are far,
When I could have been your star,
You listened to people,
Who scared you to death, and from my heart,
Strange that I was wrong enough,
To think you’d love me too.
I guess you were kissing a fool,
You must have been kissing a fool.