Hey DJ
B. Rose Lyrics
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'Cause my alarm clock always wakes me right up
And since my options had been whittled away
I struck a bargain with my radio DJ
I said I'd like this song to be number one
He said "I'd really really like to help you my son"
And then I knew that I would have him to thank
Because he asked me how much I had in the bank
He said to think long term investment and
That all the others had forgiven themselves
He said the net reward would justify
The colossal mess they'd made of their lives
He said the record wouldn't have to be hot
And no one ever seemed to care if it's not
It would depend on something else that I've got
And that the other ones who'd given it a shot
Had seen a modest sum grow geometrically
And then they had forgiven themselves
Because the net reward had justified
The colossal mess they'd made of their lives
Hey Mr. DJ, I thought you said we had a deal
I thought you said, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your record"
And I thought you said we had a deal
Well, I told you about the world (its address)
I wonder when they're gonna clean up the mess
You know the rabid child is still tuning in
Chess piece face's patience must be wearing thin
Because they haven't played this song on the air
Not that anyone but me even cared
And the Disk Jockey has moved out of town
The district courthouse says he's nowhere to be found
He said to think long term investment and
That all the others had forgiven themselves
He said the net reward would justify
The colossal mess they'd made of their lives
Hey Mr. DJ, I thought you said we had a deal
I thought you said, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your record"
And I thought you said we had a deal
The song "Hey DJ" by B. Rose is a commentary on the music industry and the lengths to which people will go to achieve success. The first verse talks about the singer's inability to succeed in the typical way, through sleeping their way to the top. Instead, they strike a deal with a DJ to make their song number one. The DJ advises the singer to think long-term and invest wisely, saying that others who had made a mess of their lives had forgiven themselves due to the net reward of their investment. The singer's song doesn't get played, and the DJ disappears, leaving the singer feeling betrayed and questioning the deal they had made.
The second verse reveals the singer's cynical view of the music industry and how it leaves a mess for future generations to clean up. The "rabid child" still tunes in, and the patience of the people tasked with cleaning up the mess is wearing thin. The singer's song doesn't get played, and the DJ has disappeared without a trace. Overall, the song is a cautionary tale of how people can be manipulated and taken advantage of in the music industry, and how success is not always what it seems.
Line by Line Meaning
I could never sleep my way to the top
I can't achieve success by sacrificing my values
'Cause my alarm clock always wakes me right up
I have to work hard to reach my goals
And since my options had been whittled away
I have limited opportunities
I struck a bargain with my radio DJ
I made a deal with the DJ to promote my music
He said "I'd really really like to help you my son"
The DJ was willing to support me
And then I knew that I would have him to thank
I felt grateful to the DJ for his aid
Because he asked me how much I had in the bank
The DJ wanted to assess my financial capacity
He said to think long term investment and
The DJ advised me to invest wisely
That all the others had forgiven themselves
Other musicians had made mistakes and moved on
He said the net reward would justify
The potential profits would outweigh the problems
The colossal mess they'd made of their lives
Their failed attempts at fame were not a big deal in the end
He said the record wouldn't have to be hot
A mediocre song could still succeed
And no one ever seemed to care if it's not
The public isn't always picky about music quality
It would depend on something else that I've got
Other factors contribute to a song's success
And that the other ones who'd given it a shot
Other musicians who tried to make it
Had seen a modest sum grow geometrically
They started small but their earnings increased rapidly
And then they had forgiven themselves
The other musicians moved on from their failures
Because the net reward had justified
The profits made everything worth it
Hey Mr. DJ, I thought you said we had a deal
I thought the DJ promised to promote my song
I told you about the world (its address)
I shared my perspective on the world with the DJ
I wonder when they're gonna clean up the mess
I'm hopeful for change in the world
You know the rabid child is still tuning in
My music could reach a large audience
Chess piece face's patience must be wearing thin
The DJ might be getting impatient with my expectations
Because they haven't played this song on the air
My song hasn't been promoted as promised
Not that anyone but me even cared
My disappointment goes unnoticed by the public
And the Disk Jockey has moved out of town
The DJ is no longer available
The district courthouse says he's nowhere to be found
There's no legal action I can take to find the DJ
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOSEPH LEE WOOD, MICHAEL PAUL ROCHE, MITCHELL DEAN MARGOLIN, RONALD LEWIS EMORY
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