How Bad Can I Be?
Ed Helms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just following my destiny
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just doin' what comes naturally
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? How bad can I possibly be?
Well, there's a principal of nature (principal of nature)
That almost every creature knows
Called survival of the fittest (survival of the fittest)
And check it this is how it goes
The animal that is has got to scratch and bite and claw and bite and punch
And the animal that doesn't (well the animal that doesn't) winds up
Someone else's lu-lu-lu-lu-unch! (I'm just saying')
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just doin' what comes naturally
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just following my destiny
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just doin' what comes naturally
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? How bad can I possibly be?
Well, there's a principal of business (principal of business)
And everybody knows his sound
He says the people with the money (people with the money)
Makes the money-lovin' world go 'round!
So I bigger in my company, I bigger in my factory, I bigger in my corporate size!
Everybody out there take care if yours and me?
I'll take care of mine, mine, mine, mine, mine! (Shake that bottom line!)
Let me hear you say 'smogulous smoke' (smogulous smoke)
Schloppity schlop (schloppity schlop)
Complain all you want, it's never ever, ever, ever gonna stop
Come on how bad can I possibly be?
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just building the economy
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? Just look at me pettin' this puppy
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? A portion of proceeds goes to charity!
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? How bad can I possibly be? Let's see!
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) All the customers are buying!
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) All the money's multiplying!
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) And the PR people are lying!
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) And the lawyers are denying!
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) Who cares if a few trees are dying?
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) This is oh so gratifying!
How bad? How bad can this possibly be?
The lyrics to Ed Helms's song "How Bad Can I Be" can be interpreted as a critique of the "survival of the fittest" philosophy in business and the tendency for companies to prioritize profit above all else, even at the expense of the environment or social responsibility. The chorus with the repeated question "How bad can I be?" serves as a rhetorical defense, implying that the actions taken are simply following the natural order of things and pursuing ambition.
The first verse establishes the concept of the "survival of the fittest" as a natural principle. The following lyrics suggest that those who do not engage in aggressive behavior will simply become prey for others. The second verse shifts the focus to the principle of making money, which the singer declares as the guiding principle of business. The lyrics promote the idea of individual success at the expense of others, with the chorus again emphasizing that the actions taken are simply following the natural order of things.
The song can be interpreted as a critique of the damaging impact of capitalism on the environment and our society. The chorus serves as a critique of those who prioritize profit over social responsibility and the environment. The lyrics of the song appear to be satire, with the use of absurd imagery and hyperbole to highlight the negative consequences of business practices.
Line by Line Meaning
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just doin' what comes naturally
I'm not doing anything wrong, just following what feels instinctively correct to me.
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just following my destiny
I was meant to do the things I am doing and they are leading me to my destined place.
Well, there's a principal of nature (principal of nature) That almost every creature knows Called survival of the fittest (survival of the fittest) And check it this is how it goes The animal that is has got to scratch and bite and claw and bite and punch And the animal that doesn't (well the animal that doesn't) winds up Someone else's lu-lu-lu-lu-unch! (I'm just saying')
It's a natural instinct for animals to fight to survive, and those that don't will become prey for others. It's just a fact of life.
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? How bad can I possibly be?
I'm not doing anything too wrong, am I? It can't be that bad...
Well, there's a principal of business (principal of business) And everybody knows his sound He says the people with the money (people with the money) Makes the money-lovin' world go 'round! So I bigger in my company, I bigger in my factory, I bigger in my corporate size! Everybody out there take care of yours and me? I'll take care of mine, mine, mine, mine, mine! (Shake that bottom line!) Let me hear you say 'smogulous smoke' (smogulous smoke) Schloppity schlop (schloppity schlop) Complain all you want, it's never ever, ever, ever gonna stop
In business, those with money are the ones who control everything. I want to grow my business and make more profit for myself, regardless of the consequences. I don't care if our actions harm the environment or if people complain about us- we'll continue to do what we want.
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? I'm just building the economy
I'm doing a great thing for society by helping build the economy, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep the economy growing.
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? Just look at me pettin' this puppy
I might be doing some bad things, but look! I'm also doing a good thing by petting cute animals like this puppy.
How ba-a-a-ad can I be? A portion of proceeds goes to charity!
I might be doing some morally questionable things, but I'm also giving some of the money I make to charity, so that makes it okay, right?
(How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) All the customers are flying! (How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) All the money's multiplying! (How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) And the PR people are lying! (How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) And the lawyers are denying! (How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) Who cares if a few trees are dying? (How ba-a-a-ad can I be?) This is oh so gratifying!
Look at how successful I am! I'm making lots of money and my business is booming. Even if we're doing harmful things to the environment or bending the truth, it doesn't matter because we're getting what we want.
How bad? How bad can this possibly be?
Could it really be all that bad when we're doing so well and making so much money? Why worry about the consequences when we're having fun?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Allan Grigg, John James Powell, Cinco Paul
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NW
on Threat Level Midnight
Threat level midnite, makes all the girlies feel all right, from Madonna to Madeline Albright, Threat Level Midnight, it's a threat a level a level level threat, he's the greatest hockey star I eva seen yet, Threat Level what?: Midnight, Threat Level who?: Michael Scarn, Threat Level why?: apartheid, gotta fight it, Free Mandela peace I'm out