Go To Hail
Black Sheep Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dres: Yo, thanks for picking me up. I've been trying to catch a cab.
Cab Driver: Where are you going? Where are you going?
Dres: Yo, I'm going uptown to the pubs.
Cab Driver: I'm sorry. I can't go there. I'm sorry.
Dres: To the Bronx. To the 835.
Cab Driver: No, no, no. No, no. I'm sorry. I can not go.
Dres: Why not. All you gotta do is jump on the Westside Highway.
Cab Driver: Uhm. No, no, no. It's running to fast. My meter is running to fast.
Dres: It's running too...I'll Pay. What ever it says, I'll pay you.
Cab Driver: No, no, no I, I don't want to cheat you. I don't want to cheat you.
Dres: Huh?
Cab Driver: I don't want to cheat you.
Dres: You don't want to cheat me? It's all right, it's all right.
Cab Driver: No. No, no. No. My battery is weak.
Dres: Take me, take me...
Cab Driver: We might not make it. My battery's weak.
Dres: Yo, check this out...
Cab Driver: No, no, no...
Dres: Take me uptown. Take me...
Cab Driver: I'm sorry I can not go.
Dres: Why not?
Cab Driver: I'm sorry. Um, um. look what time it is. It is so late. I'm
I'm off now.
Dres: So, yo, yo...
Cab Driver: No, no, no...
Dres: Yo, take me mother fuckin' uptown.
Cab Driver: No. I'm sorry I can not go.
Dres: Yo check this out...
Cab Driver: I'm sorry I have to go home now.
Dres: Why?
Cab Driver: I'm tired. Ah, I'm tired.
Dres: Yo, yo you stupid mother fucker. Take me home.
Cab Driver: No I can not go.
Dres: Take me home.
Cab Driver: No, no it's not like that. Ahh...
Dres: Why?
Cab Driver: I will take you home. I usually could but I can't.




Dres: Why won't you take me home?
Cab Driver: Ah, ah. It's so late. My wife is waiting for me.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Sheep's "Go To Hail" depict a conversation between Dres, one of the members of the group, and a cab driver. Dres is trying to get a ride uptown to the pubs or the Bronx but the cab driver keeps refusing saying that he can't go there. Dres even offers to pay whatever the meter says but the cab driver responds by saying that his battery is weak and he can't cheat him. Dres gets increasingly angry and frustrated at the refusal of the cab driver and calls him a "stupid mother fucker." Finally, the cab driver relents and says that he will take him home but not uptown, citing that it is too late and his wife is waiting for him.


The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the struggles faced by black people who are discriminated against and denied services, like a cab ride, based on their race or where they want to go. Despite Dres' repeated attempts and offers to pay, the cab driver continues to refuse and make flimsy excuses like a weak battery or the meter running too fast. The anger and frustration expressed by Dres represents the anger that black people might feel when they are refused services, denied equal opportunities or targeted for racial profiling. The song serves as a social commentary and sheds light on the harsh reality of discrimination, even in simple things like getting a cab ride.


Line by Line Meaning

Yo, thanks for picking me up. I've been trying to catch a cab.
The singer expresses gratitude to the cab driver for stopping and picking them up, as they have been struggling to hail a taxi.


Where are you going? Where are you going?
The cab driver asks the destination of the singer twice.


Yo, I'm going uptown to the pubs.
The singer informs the cab driver that they are headed uptown to visit some pubs.


I'm sorry. I can't go there. I'm sorry.
The cab driver apologizes and declines to take the artist to their desired location.


To the Bronx. To the 835.
The artist specifies that their destination is in the Bronx, at 835.


No, no, no. No, no. I'm sorry. I can not go.
The cab driver reiterates that they are unable to take the singer to their destination.


Why not. All you gotta do is jump on the Westside Highway.
The singer questions the cab driver's refusal to go to their destination, suggesting that it is an easy route via the Westside Highway.


Uhm. No, no, no. It's running to fast. My meter is running to fast.
The cab driver offers an excuse for not being able to go to the artist's destination, claiming that their meter will run too fast.


It's running too...I'll Pay. What ever it says, I'll pay you.
The artist offers to pay extra to convince the cab driver to take them to their desired location.


No, no, no I, I don't want to cheat you. I don't want to cheat you.
The cab driver declines the offer to pay extra, out of concern for overcharging the artist.


Huh?
The singer expresses confusion at the cab driver's comment.


I don't want to cheat you. You don't want to cheat me? It's all right, it's all right.
The cab driver repeats their refusal to overcharge the artist and the artist assures them that it is okay.


No. No, no. No. My battery is weak.
The cab driver reveals another reason why they are unable to take the singer to their destination - their car's battery is weak.


Take me, take me...
The singer continues to plead with the cab driver to take them to their destination.


We might not make it. My battery's weak.
The cab driver reiterates that they may not be able to make it to the destination due to their weak battery.


Yo, check this out...
The artist attempts to get the cab driver's attention to make a point.


No, no, no...
The cab driver interrupts the artist and declines to listen to them.


Take me uptown. Take me...
The singer repeats their request for the cab driver to take them uptown.


I'm sorry I can not go.
The cab driver maintains their refusal to take the singer to their destination.


Why not?
The artist continues to question why the cab driver cannot take them to their destination.


I'm sorry. Um, um. look what time it is. It is so late. I'm I'm off now.
The cab driver uses the late hour as an excuse for ending the conversation and ending their shift for the day.


So, yo, yo...
The artist attempts to make one last argument to convince the cab driver to take them to their destination.


No, no, no...
The cab driver interrupts the singer again and declines their request.


Yo, take me mother fuckin' uptown.
The artist resorts to using foul language to express their frustration and desperation in getting to their desired location.


No. I'm sorry I can not go.
The cab driver maintains their refusal to take the singer to their destination, despite the singer's use of strong language.


Yo check this out...
The singer continues to try to persuade the cab driver to change their mind and take them to their destination.


I'm sorry I have to go home now.
The cab driver reiterates that they cannot take the singer to their destination, as they need to go home for the night.


Why?
The artist continues to question why the cab driver cannot take them to their destination.


I'm tired. Ah, I'm tired.
The cab driver uses their fatigue as another excuse for ending the conversation and their shift for the night.


Yo, yo you stupid mother fucker. Take me home.
The singer resorts to insulting the cab driver with foul language, despite their previous attempts at persuasion.


No I can not go.
The cab driver still refuses to take the singer to their destination, even in the face of insults.


Take me home.
The artist switches their request to simply being taken home, abandoning their original destination in frustration.


No, no it's not like that. Ahh...
The cab driver attempts to justify their continued refusal to take the artist to any location.


Why?
The artist persists in asking why the cab driver cannot take them to any destination.


I will take you home. I usually could but I can't.
The cab driver eventually relents and agrees to take the singer home, but emphasizes that it is an unusual occurrence and that they still cannot take the singer to their original destination.


Why won't you take me home?
The artist questions why the cab driver was initially unwilling to take them home, despite eventually agreeing to do so.


Ah, ah. It's so late. My wife is waiting for me.
The cab driver provides yet another excuse for their reluctance to drive the singer home - their wife is waiting for them at home.




Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDRES TITUS, WILLIAM R. MCLEAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

The Dimensioneer

Love how they just go back to sleep even after their roof just got torn off.

Soonami Sapphire

I would’ve done the same I really like to sleep

Pasha Stroud

They just gave up

Steven197981

"Hey, Mike, I got dibs on top bunk!"

"Shut up!"

LOL

Nalu Iwata

0:50

dnasty312

1:04 πŸ˜„

BΝ“Μ½rΝ“Μ½eΝ“Μ½xΝ“Μ½oΝ“Μ½tΝ“Μ½iΝ“Μ½cΝ“Μ½

It's a shame that this was panned by critics, this movie is too funny.

AnDy c

I remember seeing this at the movies and everyone was dying laughing. I don't get the hate. It's hilarious. Plus Farley and spade together was the best

J Dawg

It isn’t as good as Tommy Boy but it’s still funny as hell.

Tom Gambaro

You’re telling me

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