The Beastie Boys were the first successful white rap group and one of the few acts from the early days of hip-hop that still enjoyed major success their whole career. Their rock and punk-influenced rap has had a significant impact on artists both in and outside the hip-hop scene. And they were the first rap group to gain a substantial following with alternative rock fans.
The Beastie Boys came together in 1979 as a punk band called The Young Aborigines. In 1981 MCA joined the group and from the suggestion of their guitarist John Berry, they changed their name to Beastie Boys. Their line up then consisted of Adam Yauch (aka MCA) on bass, drummer Kate Schellenbach (later of Luscious Jackson), guitarist John Berry (of Big Fat Love), and Mike Diamond (aka Mike D) on the mic. Beastie Boys' debut EP, the Pollywog Stew vinyl 7" was released in 1982.
The band's first foray into hip hop, the Cooky Puss 12", followed in 1983, with The Young and the Useless guitarist Adam Horovitz (aka Adrock) replacing John Berry. "Cooky Puss" would be the first B Boys record to receive play at NYC clubs like Danceteria as the band played its first shows outside the city.
The Mike D/MCA/Adrock Beastie Boys lineup debuted in 1984 with the "Rock Hard"/"Beastie Groove" 12." Produced by Rick Rubin, who went on to produce albums for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and Audioslave. The "She's On It"/ "Slow And Low" 12" followed in 1985 and Beastie Boys went on Madonna's "Virgin Tour." as her opening act.
Licensed to Ill dropped in fall 1986 and became the first Beastie Boys album--and the first Rap album ever--to go #1. Fueled by Fight for Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn it remained at #1 for seven weeks and simultaneously reached #2 on the urban chart, becoming the fastest selling debut to date for Columbia and the first hip hop record to break 5 million.
In 1989 Beastie Boys released their second album Paul’s Boutique produced by Beastie Boys and the Dust Brothers. Paul's Boutique laid down the blueprint for a generation of emergent genres and went over the collective head of a nation. The likes of "Shake Your Rump," "Lookin' Down The Barrel Of A Gun," "Car Thief," Shadrach," and the hip hop "suite" "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" contained lyrical and musical references too plentiful and diverse for the average mind to compute in one sitting.
Check Your Head, released in 1992, heralded the return of live instrumentation into the B Boys mix. The album was produced by the band and Mario Caldato Jr. (who first worked with B Boys as engineer on Paul's Boutique), Check Your Head would yield a watershed of new B Boys staples, including So Whatcha' Want, Pass The Mic, "Gratitude" and "Jimmy James." With the assistance of Keyboard Money Mark, Eric Bobo and assorted percussionists, Beastie Boys returned to the touring circuit and Check Your Head hit double platinum.
In the summer of 1994, Ill Communication, also produced by the band and Mario Caldato Jr., entered the charts #1. The album featured such hits Sure Shot and Sabotage. Ill Communication was supported by Beastie Boys' first arena headline tour since the '80s. Following the tour's conclusion, Beastie Boys recorded and released Aglio e Olio consisting of eight songs clocking in at 11 minutes, the EP recalls the vintage hardcore punk of the band's infancy.
On July 14 1998, their fifth album titled Hello Nasty was released. Spurred by the monster success of the "Intergalactic" single and video, the record clocked first week sales of nearly 700,000 in the U.S. and went straight in at #1 in England, Germany, Australia, Holland, New Zealand and Sweden. Early in the tour, Beastie Boys made live tracks available for free download to fans unable to attend the shows-and were blindsided by their label pulling the tracks down.
Having closed 1998 by accepting the Video Vanguard lifetime achievement honor at the MTV Video Music Awards, Beastie Boys rang in 1999 with Artist, Band and/or Record of the Year accolades from the likes of Rolling Stone, SPIN, The New Yorker and Playboy, among others. A month later, at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, the now quadruple-platinum Hello Nasty took Best Alternative Music Performance, while "Intergalactic," nailed Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group--the first time an artist has ever won in both Rap and Alternative categories.1999 would also see "Intergalactic" take Best Hip Hop Video honors at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.
Beastie Boys' sixth studio album, To The 5 Boroughs, released in summer 2004, was the band's third consecutive #1 debut-and Rolling Stone magazine's only 5-star review of the year. To The 5 Boroughs was supported by world tour - traveling pageant - supported by Talib Kweli and Bob Moore's Amazing Mongrels (yes, a live dog show, hence the pageant appellation).
2006 saw the release of the film, Awesome, I Fuckin' Shot That!, a concert film made up of footage filmed by audience members, which debuted at Sundance in early 2006 and was released theatrically the same year.
In 2007 Beastie Boys released The Mix-Up, first ever full length offering of all-new, all-original instrumental recordings.
On February 3rd, 2009, they digitally remastered and released Paul's Boutique on their website.
The band's next record, "Hot Sauce Committee Part 2" was released in the first quarter of 2011. It features the same tracklisting as the previously announced "Hot Sauce Committee Part 1", which was delayed indefinitely after Yauch was diagnosed with a tumor on his parotid gland (which was successfully removed).
Bassist and vocalist Adam Yauch died on May 4, 2012 of cancer.
In June 2014, Mike D stated that the Beastie Boys would not continue their careers as a group, as a promise to Adam Yauch. "We have not been able to tour since MCA, Adam Yauch, died," Diamond said. "We can't make new music."
Move
Beastie Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's times like this when I just can't stop
Can't wind your body without the body rock
Got schemes, schematics blue prints on file
You gotta have dreams to make it all worthwhile
So as I take my time and realign
I wonder what it is I hope to find
I don't mean to brag I don't mean to boast
Adrock with the new addition edition
Gettin' on down for the year 2000
A slight distraction can get you paid
And when it comes to that type shit I paved the way
BBoys to the early morn
BGirls be rockin on and on
BGirls to the break of dawn
BBoys be rockin on and on
Dogs love me cause I'm crazy sniffable
I bet you never knew I got the ill peripheral
In your home I'm cloned I'm on your headphones
I love it when you spazz out all alone
Cause I'm that fool that broke the key
I'm unlockable so don't check me
I got weight on my shoulders and things on my mind
The sky is falling and I'm falling behind
So I synthesize sounds as I patch my brain
Insane mind games move quick like flames
So now I wonder how sometimes you never know
Who be rockin y'all in ster-er-eo?
In ster-er-eo!
In ster-er-eo!
In stereo...
No time like the present to work shit out
That's what I'm going on and on and on about
Not fakin' just makin' beats in the dungeon
Keep that shit funky cause the odor is pungent
No shame in my game just par for the path
I try to hone my craft because at hands the task
But I find I'm not playing with a full deck
I'm up to my neck like Toulouse Latrec
All I want to know is when is checkout time
So I could be in heaven with the rhythm rock rhyme
And when I'm with my man Shadi rock at the gates
We'll be rockin' rhythms over disco breaks
BBoys to the early morn
BGirls be rockin on and on
BGirls to the break of dawn
BBoys be rockin on and on
On and on...on and on...
The lyrics of Beastie Boys' song "The Move" seem to be about the band's continued success in the music industry, as well as their love of creating and performing music. The opening lines suggest that the band is constantly on the move, unable to stay still for too long without the desire to continue creating something new. They discuss their ideas and plans for their music, indicating that they have "schemes, schematics blue prints on file" and that they "gotta have dreams to make it all worthwhile."
The lyrics also discuss the band's love for food, with Adrock boasting about his ability to eat French toast and declaring himself "intercontinental" when he does so. They also touch on the topic of distraction and how it can sometimes lead to success, with the line "A slight distraction can get you paid." The chorus repeats lines about the Beastie Boys and their female counterparts, the "BGirls," both rocking on and on until the break of dawn.
In the second verse, the lyrics again reference the Beastie Boys' love of music and their unique style, describing themselves as "crazy sniffable" and having "the ill peripheral." They discuss being cloned and heard through headphones, and the importance of synthesizing sounds to create a unique musical experience. The final lines of the song express the band's desire to keep making music until they reach "checkout time," and the hope that they'll be remembered for their "rockin' rhythms over disco breaks" with their friend "Shadi."
Line by Line Meaning
Hello...
Opening statement to begin the song.
It's times like this when I just can't stop
At certain moments, the beastie boys have so much creative momentum, they are unable to stop.
Can't wind your body without the body rock
One cannot dance without the proper beat to keep one's body in motion.
Got schemes, schematics blue prints on file
Beastie Boys have multiple plans on hand and are well-prepared.
You gotta have dreams to make it all worthwhile
In order to have a purpose or fulfillment, one must have aspirations.
So as I take my time and realign
Beastie Boys take their time to make sure their intentions are clear and goals in sight.
I wonder what it is I hope to find
It is unclear what the future may hold, but the Beastie Boys continue to search for meaning.
I don't mean to brag I don't mean to boast
Despite their success, Beastie Boys do not intend to come across as arrogant or boastful.
But I'm intercontinental when I eat French toast
Beastie Boys are worldly and well-traveled individuals.
Adrock with the new addition edition
Beastie Boy Adrock has the latest trends and styles.
Gettin' on down for the year 2000
Beastie Boys are preparing for the new millennium by seeking out new styles and techniques.
A slight distraction can get you paid
A minor diversions can lead to compensation.
And when it comes to that type shit I paved the way
Beastie Boys are forefathers and innovators of modern music and style.
BBoys to the early morn
Beastie Boys will continue to work late into the night.
BGirls be rockin on and on
Women have the same creative talent as the Beastie Boys.
BGirls to the break of dawn
Women will continue to create and work through the night.
BBoys be rockin on and on
Beastie Boys will continue to create and work through the night.
Dogs love me cause I'm crazy sniffable
Animals are attracted to Beastie Boys because of their pheromones.
I bet you never knew I got the ill peripheral
Beastie Boys have a unique or rare talent that people are not aware of.
In your home I'm cloned I'm on your headphones
Beastie Boys' music and presence can be felt in one's home through personal audio devices.
I love it when you spazz out all alone
Beastie Boys enjoy knowing that their music can have an emotional effect on listeners, even when alone.
Cause I'm that fool that broke the key
Beastie Boys are the ones who created the sound that others are imitating.
I'm unlockable so don't check me
Beastie Boys cannot be imitated or copied, and cannot easily be evaluated or compared.
I got weight on my shoulders and things on my mind
Beastie Boys have a lot on their minds, and must carry a heavy load.
The sky is falling and I'm falling behind
Beastie Boys are struggling to keep up with life's challenges.
So I synthesize sounds as I patch my brain
Beastie Boys are constantly experimenting and creating new sounds and techniques.
Insane mind games move quick like flames
Beastie Boys' creativity and innovation are intense and quickly evolving.
So now I wonder how sometimes you never know
Beastie Boys are surprised at how people are unaware of their contributions to music and culture.
Who be rockin y'all in ster-er-eo?
Beastie Boys wonder who is creating the music that listeners are enjoying through their audio devices.
In ster-er-eo!
Reaffirming the presence of audio devices and the importance of producing music for them.
No time like the present to work shit out
The current moment is the perfect opportunity to solve problems.
That's what I'm going on and on and on about
Beastie Boys will continue to discuss and work through issues while creating music.
Not fakin' just makin' beats in the dungeon
Beastie Boys are generating authentic and creative music in an isolated environment.
Keep that shit funky cause the odor is pungent
Beastie Boys are producing funky music with an intense vibe.
No shame in my game just par for the path
Beastie Boys have no shame in their actions or style, as they are following their intended path.
I try to hone my craft because at hands the task
Beastie Boys strive to perfect their musical abilities because it is an important task.
But I find I'm not playing with a full deck
Despite their efforts, something is missing in their approach or skills.
I'm up to my neck like Toulouse Latrec
Beastie Boys are overwhelmed with work and stress.
All I want to know is when is checkout time
Beastie Boys are eager for a specific moment to come, perhaps death or the end of a journey.
So I could be in heaven with the rhythm rock rhyme
Beastie Boys dream of being in an ideal environment where music plays an important role.
And when I'm with my man Shadi rock at the gates
Beastie Boys will continue making music, even when they have reached the end.
We'll be rockin' rhythms over disco breaks
Beastie Boys will continue to innovate and create music using a variety of techniques and styles.
On and on...on and on...
Recurring theme of continuing to create and innovate musically.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM HOROVITZ, ADAM NATHANIEL YAUCH, MICHAEL LOUIS DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nestor Galaviz
on Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim remix)
dope