Adam Horovitz told how the song evolved from an incident when the Beastie Boys were waiting outside a recording studio for Run-D.M.C., when Joseph Simmons ("Run") suddenly came running down the street screaming incoherently. When he reached the Beastie Boys, he said "Here's a little story I got to tell...". After much confusion, Simmons stated "THAT's the song". The band worked on it from there.
In 2007, an artist called Kia Shine released a single called "Krispy" with a similar beat, raising questions about copyright infringement.
Paul Revere
Beastie Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About three bad brothers you know so well
It started way back in history
With Adrock, MCA and me, Mike D
I had a little horse named Paul Revere
Just me and my horsy and a quart of beer
Riding across the land, kicking up sand
Sheriff's posse's on my tail 'cause I'm in demand
All by myself without nobody
The sun is beating down on my baseball hat
The air is gettin' hot the beer is getting flat
Lookin' for a girl I ran into a guy
His name is MCA, I said, "Howdy" he said, "Hi"
He told a little story that sounded well rehearsed
Four days on the run and that he's dying of thirst
The brew was in my hand and he was on my tip
His voice was hoarse, his throat was dry, and he asked me for a sip
He said, "Can I get some?"
I said, you can't get none
Had a chance to run
He pulled out his shotgun
Quick on the draw, I thought I'd be dead
He put the gun to my head and this is what he said
"Now my name is MCA, I've got a license to kill
I think you know what time it is, it's time to get ill
Now what do we have here, an outlaw and his beer
I run this land, you understand, I've made myself clear"
We stepped into the wind, he had a gun, I had a grin
You think this story's over but it's ready to begin
"Now I got the gun, you got the brew
You got two choices of what you can do
It's not a tough decision as you can see
I can blow you away or you can ride with me"
I said, I'll ride with you if can get me to the border
The sheriff's after me for what I did to his daughter
I did it like this, I did it like that
I did it with a wiffleball bat
So I'm on the run, the cop's got my gun
And right about now it's time to have some fun
The King Adrock that is my name
And I know the fly spot where they got the champagne"
We rode for six hours then we hit the spot
The beat was a bumping and the girlies was hot
This dude was staring like he knows who we are
We took the empty spot next to him at the bar
MCA said "Y-y-yo, you know this kid?"
I said, I didn't, but I know he did
The kid said "Get ready 'cause this ain't funny
My name's Mike D and I'm about to get money"
Pulled out the jammy, aimed it at the sky
He yelled "Stick 'em up" and let two fly
Hands went up and people hit the floor
He wasted two kids that ran for the door
"I'm Mike D and I get respect
Your cash and your jewelry is what I expect"
MCA was with it and he's my ace
So I grabbed the piano player and I punched him in the face
The piano player's out, the music stopped
His boy had beef and he got dropped
Mike D grabbed the money, MCA Snatched the gold
I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold
The lyrics of Beastie Boys’ song “Paul Revere” give an account of a fictional story about how three band members; Adrock, MCA, and Mike D came into existence. Mike D reveals how it all started with him, his horse named Paul Revere, and a quart of beer. On his way, he ran into MCA, who had been on the run from the authorities for four days and was dying of thirst. Mike D was initially wary of him, but after MCA pulled out his shotgun and threatened him, he agreed to ride with him to the border. They ended up at a bar where they ran into Mike D’s acquaintance, who had beef with another guy, and a scuffle ensued. Mike D and MCA took advantage of the situation to rob the bar of money and gold, and they each got themselves two girlies and a cold beer.
The song's entire narrative is highly fictionalized, regardless of the fact that it includes actual historical details such as Paul Revere and Sheriff's Posse. The Beastie Boys, being from the US, have adopted a well-known piece of American history and adapted it into a storyline complete with fictitious characters, adding elements of danger and excitement that appeals to the group's fans. Overall, the song is a witty and entertaining creation meant to amuse and entertain while also serving as a tribute to American history.
Line by Line Meaning
Now here's a little story I've got to tell
I am about to tell you the story of the Beastie Boys, three bad brothers.
About three bad brothers you know so well
The Baddest Boys in the borough were Adrock, MCA, and myself, Mike D.
It started way back in history
The tale began long ago.
With Adrock, MCA, and me, Mike D
This story revolves around the three members of Beastie Boys.
I had a little horse named Paul Revere
I traveled on a horse named Paul Revere.
Just me and my horsy and a quart of beer
I rode alone with Paul Revere and a large bottle of beer.
Riding across the land kicking up sand
I rode through the dusty landscape.
Sheriff's posse's on my tail 'cause I'm in demand
The Sheriff and his posse pursued me because I was in demand.
One lonely Beastie I be
I was a Beastie Boy without any friends around me.
All by myself without nobody
I was completely alone in my travels.
The sun is beating down on my baseball hat
The bright sun was causing my baseball cap to perspire.
The air is gettin' hot the beer is getting flat
The warm air was making my cold beer flat.
Lookin' for a girl I ran into a guy
I stumbled upon a man while searching for a female companion.
His name is MCA, I said, Howdy' he said, 'Hi
I introduced myself and greeted him, to which he replied with courtesy.
He told a little story that sounded well rehearsed
MCA spoke of a story that he had sounded like he had told it before.
Four days on the run and that he's dying of thirst
MCA had been on the run for four days and was thirsty.
The brew was in my hand and he was on my tip
I had a beer in my hand and MCA was asking for it.
His voice was hoarse, his throat was dry, and he asked me for a sip
MCA's voice was dry, and his throat parched, so he asked me for a drink.
He said, Can I get some?
MCA requested for a sip of the beer.
I said you can't get none
I declined MCA's request for a share of my beer.
Had a chance to run he pulled out his shotgun
MCA could have fled, but he instead chose to pull his shotgun.
Quick on the draw, I thought I'd be dead
MCA had excellent gun aiming skills, and I thought that he would kill me.
He put the gun to my head and this is what he said
With the shotgun to my head, MCA stated the following.
Now my name is MCA, I've got a license to kill
MCA identified himself and boasted that he had a license to kill.
I think you know what time it is, It's time to get ill
MCA knew that it was time to cause some chaos.
Now what do we have here, an outlaw and his beer
MCA recognized me as an outlaw holding a beer.
I run this land, you understand I've made myself clear
MCA claimed to be the ruler of the land, and he made it clear to me.
We stepped into the wind, he had a gun, I had a grin
MCA and I embraced the breeze; MCA was armed, and I was ready to face him.
You think this story's over, but it's ready to begin
Our story had just started and was far from over.
Now I got the gun, you got the brew
MCA had the shotgun, and I had the beer.
You got two choices of what you can do
I had two options to consider.
It's not a tough decision as you can see
The choice seemed straightforward and easy to make.
I can blow you away, or you can ride with me
MCA could either kill me or I could become his partner.
I said, I'll ride with you if you can get me to the border
I decided to join MCA provided he would take me to the border.
The sheriff's after me for what I did to his daughter
Reason I had to escape was that the Sheriff was after me for what I did to his daughter.
I did it like this, I did it like that
I explained to MCA how I committed the crime.
I did it with a wiffleball bat
I had committed the crime using a plastic wiffle ball bat.
So I'm on the run, the cop's got my gun
I am a fugitive, and the cop has my firearm.
And right about now it's time to have some fun
It was time for some amusement.
The King Adrock, that is my name
Adrock declared himself as the King.
And I know the fly spot where they got the champagne
He said that he knows a place to get some quality champagne.
We rode for six hours then we hit the spot
We travelled for six hours, and we eventually arrived at our destination.
The beat was a bumpin' and the girlies was hot
The beat was energetic, and the women were attractive.
This dude was staring like he knows who we are
A guy was looking at us with confidence.
We took the empty spot next to him at the bar
We sat next to the guy at the empty portion of the bar.
MCA said 'Y-y-yo, you know this kid?'
MCA asked if I knew this guy.
I said, I didn't, but I know he did
I don't know him, but MCA recognized him.
The kid said Get ready cause this ain't funny
The guy warned us to prepare ourselves.
My name's Mike D, and I'm about to get money
The guy declared himself as Mike D and said that he's planning on making some money.
Pulled out the jammy, aimed it at the sky
Mike D pulled out his massive firearm and raised it to the heavens.
He yelled 'Stick 'em up', and let two fly
He screamed at us to put our hands up and shot twice.
Hands went up, and people hit the floor
Everyone in the bar lifted their hands up, and some people dropped to the ground.
He wasted two kids that ran for the door
Mike D shot two boys who attempted to run away.
I'm Mike D and I get respect
Mike D introduced himself and demanded respect.
Your cash and your jewelry is what I expect
He demanded our money and jewelry.
MCA was with it, and he's my ace
MCA and Mike D were together in this, and MCA was his companion
So I grabbed the piano player, and I punched him in the face
I punched the piano player in the face.
The piano player's out, the music stopped
The violent act caused the piano player to be knocked out, and thus the music stopped.
His boy had beef, and he got dropped
The piano player's friend got involved and got beaten up.
Mike D grabbed the money, MCA snatched the gold
Mike D took the cash while MCA took the gold.
I grabbed two girlies, and a beer that's cold
I grabbed two women and a cold bottle of beer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Rick Rubin, Joseph Ward Simmons, Darryl Matthews Mcdaniels, Adam Keefe Horovitz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nestor Galaviz
on Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim remix)
dope