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Accordion
Madvillain Lyrics


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Living off borrowed time, the clock tick faster
That'd be the hour they knock the slick blaster
Dick Dastardly and Muttley with sick laughter
A gun fight and they come to cut the mixmaster
I-c-e cold, nice to be old
Y2g stee twice to threefold
He sold scrolls, lo and behold
Know who's the illest ever like the greatest (ever) story told
Keep your glory, gold and glitter
For half, half of his niggas'll take him out the picture
The other half is rich and it don't mean shit-ta
Villain a mixture between both with a twist of liquor
Chase it with more beer, taste it like truth or dare
When he at the mic, it's like the place get like, "Ah, yeah"
It's like they know what's 'bout to happen
Just keep ya eye out, like, "Aye, aye, captain"
Is he still a fly guy clapping if nobody ain't hear it
And can they testify from in the spirit? (Nah)

In living, the true Gods
Giving y'all nothing but the lick like two broads
Got more lyrics than the church got ooh, Lords
And he hold the mic and your attention like two swords (either that)
Or even one with two blades on it
Hey, you, don't touch the mic like it's AIDS on it (yuck)
It's like the end to the means
Fucked type of message that sends to the fiends
That's why he bring his own needles
And get more cheese than Doritos, Cheetos or Fritos
Slip like Freudian
Your first and last step to playing yourself like accordion

When he at the mic, you don't go next
Leaving pussy cats like why hoes need Kotex
Exercise index, won't need Bowflex
And won't take the one with no skinny legs like Joe Tex

Overall Meaning

The first line in Madvillain’s song Accordion is a reference to the reality of death and how time is running out. The ticking clock is metaphorical to how life is counted in seconds, minutes or hours. Living off borrowed time means that we don't have the control of the amount of time we have been given, and we must use it wisely. The word "slick blaster" refers to a gun, and this line might be a pre-warning of the imminent danger that could come at any moment.


The line, "Dick Dastardly and Muttley with sick laughter" references two animated villains with twisted faces from the 1970s television show, Wacky Races. The wordplay on ‘sick laughter’ could be interpreted as a metaphorical way of describing the fact that laughter can be contagious, even if the situation is grim. In the following line, "A gunfight and they come to cut the mixmaster," Madvillain might be describing the potential outcome of recklessness as people get caught up in the fray and end up harming the innocent.


The second paragraph sees the rapper take on a more philosophical tone as he references the power of rap music. The line "Got more lyrics than the church got ooh, Lords" may be referring to the influence of words on people. Madvillain holds the mic and brings the attention of the listener onto himself. The line "And he holds the mic and your attention like two swords" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the two sides of a sword that are sharp and can be used for good or evil. The final line, "Your first and last step to playing yourself like accordion," may be a play on the word-accordion as it is an instrument that can change shape and play different tunes. This could be a metaphor for the lyrical and metaphorical shape-shifting that occurs in Madvillain's music.


Line by Line Meaning

Living off borrowed time, the clock tick faster
Time is fleeting, and we all eventually run out of it


That'd be the hour they knock the slick blaster
If someone is going to get caught doing something illegal, it's usually at the worst possible moment


Dick Dastardly and Muttley with sick laughter
The laughter of villains often masks their true intentions and their evil deeds


A gun fight and they come to cut the mixmaster
In a violent situation, everyone is a potential enemy, even those who were formerly friends


I-c-e cold, nice to be old
It's easier to be comfortable with life and secure in one's identity as one grows older


Y2g stee twice to threefold
The singer is confident in his abilities and is capable of producing multiple hits in rapid succession


He sold scrolls, lo and behold
The singer is capable of making a profit off of his unique skills and talents


Know who's the illest ever like the greatest (ever) story told
The artist is aware of his own greatness and wants others to recognize it as well


Keep your glory, gold and glitter
Fame, money, and material possessions aren't important to the artist


For half, half of his niggas'll take him out the picture
Some people will bring about your downfall, even if they're supposed to be your friends


The other half is rich and it don't mean shit-ta
Money isn't everything


Villain a mixture between both with a twist of liquor
The artist is a complex combination of different personality traits, with a dose of alcohol thrown in


Chase it with more beer, taste it like truth or dare
The singer enjoys taking risks and living in the moment


When he at the mic, it's like the place get like, 'Ah, yeah'
The singer is a natural performer who knows how to captivate his audience


It's like they know what's 'bout to happen
The audience is so in tune with the singer that they can tell what he's going to say or do next


Just keep ya eye out, like, 'Aye, aye, captain'
Be ready for anything, just like a ship captain keeps a lookout for danger


Is he still a fly guy clapping if nobody ain't hear it
If someone does something great but nobody is around to witness it, does it really count?


And can they testify from in the spirit? (Nah)
Even if someone has passed away, their spirit can't testify to what happened in the physical world


In living, the true Gods
The real rulers of the world are those who are alive and active, not those who are worshiped as Gods


Giving y'all nothing but the lick like two broads
The artist isn't holding anything back and is giving his all to his audience


Got more lyrics than the church got ooh, Lords
The artist has an abundance of lyrics, like a church has an abundance of religious leaders


And he hold the mic and your attention like two swords (either that)
The artist is controlling the audience's attention like he's wielding two swords


Or even one with two blades on it
The singer is just as effective at controlling the audience's attention with a single mic


Hey, you, don't touch the mic like it's AIDS on it (yuck)
The artist values his own instrument and doesn't want anyone else to touch it


It's like the end to the means
The singer's message is so powerful that it overshadows everything else


Fucked type of message that sends to the fiends
The singer's message is so powerful that it could have a negative influence on people who are easily influenced


That's why he bring his own needles
The singer always comes prepared and self-sufficient


And get more cheese than Doritos, Cheetos or Fritos
The artist is getting more money and success than he ever thought possible


Slip like Freudian
The artist is able to make people reveal their innermost secrets and desires, just like Freud did


Your first and last step to playing yourself like accordion
If you try to be someone you're not, you'll only end up embarrassing yourself in the end


When he at the mic, you don't go next
No one can follow the singer because he's too good


Leaving pussy cats like why hoes need Kotex
The artist's rhymes leave inferior rap artists feeling inferior and inadequate


Exercise index, won't need Bowflex
The artist is so in shape that he doesn't require any special exercise equipment


And won't take the one with no skinny legs like Joe Tex
The artist has high standards for those he collaborates with and isn't interested in working with anyone who doesn't meet them




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alfred Darlington, Daniel Thompson, Otis Jackson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@baloymoisesrodriguezcolmen7812

I hate me a lot for not known MF DOOM before he died

What a underground legend

I never was so hooked about a rapper until now

"Madvillainy" is a awesome album, but in special this song has something, something sad, something amazing, something nostalgic, something... IDK what has this song

I feel like I want to die right now... But with a smile in my face.

RIP sweet legend, thanks for gift to us amazing lyrics and amazing projects



All comments from YouTube:

@ZicoTops

This is one of the most legendary songs in hip hop.

@tcarpio83

Sound bombing 2

@scottgall8383

fire

@VenomTNT

cla

@drdread9896

@@tcarpio83 this wasn't on soundbombing

@danielapardo5179

Damn, primera persona de hablahispana que veo por aqui :c

132 More Replies...

@ZicoTops

"Got more lyrics than the church got ooh lords."

@1eighty

Grande Zico

@jorgethecreator382

A bueno mi rey tiene buenos gustos ademas de buenos tops😎🤘

@caradexibata.

grande zico

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