Apart from his solo career, Anderson formed the duo NxWorries in 2015 with record producer Knxwledge. He is frequently accompanied by the band Free Nationals, who play a variety of instruments, such as electric guitar, bass, piano, keyboards and drums, and also serve as backing vocalists. In 2021, he formed the duo Silk Sonic with fellow singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. The duo's debut single, "Leave the Door Open", became Anderson's first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
What Can We Do?
Anderson .Paak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh
It's the rap singer, the hook master
Real life convict, son of a gambler
Heart made of stone, and boob so cold
'Cause my girl up and gone
She'll be back in the morn'
Seems like I can't live without it
I ache and moan
'Cause my heart is broke
'Cause my love went wrong
Yeah, another bag and she'll love me in the morn'
While the bubble of the stove
As I was dreaming of a bag
Then I woke, it was starting to snow
Wake your ass up
Layin' in a bed full of cash
You slowly rolled over and whispered back to me
That's just the way things have to be
Hey
What can we do?
Yeah, what can we do?
What can we do?
What can we do, baby?
What can we do?
Hey, what can we do?
What can we do? (Do)
That's when the change comes
That's when the game's done
That's when the walls come tumbling down
Ah, ah, ah, yeah
They see me gettin' action
Started, it ain't no fun
Time to grow up and turn it around
Ah, ah, ah, yeah
Hey, what can we do?
Wwhat can we do?
What can we do?
What can we do, baby?
What can we do?
Ooh, what can we do?
What can we do? (Yeah)
To make it feel just like it used to feel
If my cup was empty, you could fill it (Yeah, yeah)
I feel you, yeah, yeah
To make it feel just like it used to feel
If my cup was empty, you could fill it (Yeah)
What can we do, what can we do, what can we do? (Yeah)
What'cha sayin', Nate?
What can we do, what can we do, what can we do? (Yeah)
What can we do, what can we do, what can we do? (Like that)
What can we do, what can we do, what can we do?
Damn, Nate, you sound good as a motherfucker, man
I need a blowout in my voice, man
Keep singin' that shit
Yeah, you can erase all that, man
Hell naw, we already paid for this studio session, my nigga, hold on
It sound good, bro, where you goin'?
Living gone
Aye
Woah, woah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, man, mm
Nate
In Anderson .Paak's "What Can We Do?" the lyrics revolve around a relationship that is in a rocky place. The song is told from the perspective of Anderson himself who is struggling to deal with the changes that are happening in his relationship. He describes himself as the "rap singer" and the "hook master" as he tries to sort through the pain of the breakup. The lyrics also paint a story of loneliness as he describes his heart as being made of stone and his mood as being cold.
The second verse of the song focuses on a moment when Anderson is dreaming of a better life, but is quickly brought back to reality by his girlfriend. His cup is empty and he is searching for meaning and purpose in his life. He wants to turn things around and make things feel the way they used to. The chorus of the song repeats the question "What can we do?" several times, as if asking the universe for an answer to his problems.
Overall, "What Can We Do?" is a song that explores the complexities of love and heartbreak. Anderson .Paak uses his lyrics and his voice to express the pain and turmoil he is feeling, painting a picture of a man who is desperately searching for answers.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the rap singer, the hook master
Anderson .Paak is introducing himself as a talented rapper and singer.
Real life convict, son of a gambler
Anderson .Paak has had experiences with the law and his father had a gambling problem.
Heart made of stone, and boob so cold
Anderson .Paak is comparing his heart and emotions to cold, hard objects.
'Cause my girl up and gone
The reason why Anderson .Paak is hurt and cold is because his girlfriend left him suddenly.
She'll be back in the morn'
Despite his hurt feelings, Anderson .Paak expects his girlfriend will return soon.
Go lil' mama, take your drama
Anderson .Paak tells his girlfriend to leave him alone with her drama and leave him.
Seems like I can't live without it
Despite his words, Anderson .Paak can't seem to live without his girlfriend.
I ache and moan
Anderson .Paak experiences emotional and physical pain from the breakup.
'Cause my heart is broke
The cause of Anderson .Paak's pain and suffering is because his heart is broken.
'Cause my love went wrong
The reason why Anderson .Paak's heart is broken is because his love and relationship went wrong.
Yeah, another bag and she'll love me in the morn'
Anderson .Paak suggests that his girlfriend only loves him for his money and will stay if she gets more of it.
While the bubble of the stove
Anderson .Paak is cooking something on the stove while he is talking or thinking about this.
As I was dreaming of a bag
Anderson .Paak was dreaming about making money.
Then I woke, it was starting to snow
Anderson .Paak had a dream and woke up to find out it's snowing outside.
Wake your ass up
Anderson .Paak is telling someone to wake up and face reality.
Layin' in a bed full of cash
Anderson .Paak is laying down in a bed full of money, suggesting he has a lot of it.
You slowly rolled over and whispered back to me
Someone in the room responded to Anderson .Paak's voice.
That's just the way things have to be
This person is telling Anderson .Paak that things cannot change and they need to accept it.
That's when the change comes
Anderson .Paak suggests that something needs to change in order for him to feel better.
That's when the game's done
Something must be done to solve the problem once and for all.
That's when the walls come tumbling down
When things change and the problem is resolved, everything else will tumble down like a Domino effect.
They see me gettin' action
People around Anderson .Paak notice his success and are aware of it.
Started it ain't no fun
Despite the fun he used to have, Anderson .Paak doesn't enjoy it as much anymore.
Time to grow up and turn it around
Anderson .Paak is acknowledging that it's time to make a change in his life.
To make it feel just like it used to feel
Anderson .Paak wants to feel the way he used to feel when he was happy and in love.
If my cup was empty, you could fill it
Anderson .Paak is asking for help to fill the emptiness he feels inside.
What'cha sayin', Nate?
Anderson .Paak is asking Nate what he thinks about what he's saying.
Damn, Nate, you sound good as a motherfucker, man
Anderson .Paak compliments Nate on his singing ability.
I need a blowout in my voice, man
Anderson .Paak wants to change his own voice or add something to it to make it sound better.
Keep singin' that shit
Anderson .Paak encourages Nate to keep singing because he likes his voice.
Living gone
The song ends with the phrase 'living gone,' which could signal a resolution or an acceptance of the changes that needed to be made.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brandon Paak Anderson, Frederick Nassar, Nathaniel Hale
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind