Cal Scruby is a 23-year-old product of Cincinnati, OH and the Ohio State Un… Read Full Bio ↴Cal Scruby is a 23-year-old product of Cincinnati, OH and the Ohio State University. Much of his childhood was spent in the small town of Londen, OH surrounded by a close-knit group of family and friends. Cal's interest in hip-hop grew from an early age until he started making music in 2011. His music covers the aspects of his young adult lifestyle, often using wordplay that references sports and pop-culture. With each project, he focuses on personal and artistic progression. Unsigned, released May 21st, 2019, was his first album since ditching his record label Riveting Music.

Pause
Cal Scruby Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

V1
I wrote this when I was speeding, I think I mean it
I was drinking with my demons, started signing agreements
And every morning now, I’m forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance
To a nation that’s under satan, hoping God can redeem us
All I really need is Freedom of Speech and a pad and pencil
Preferably mechanical, #2, with a stencil
I write until the verses are perfect, it isn’t working

I listened to the radio, I guess the words are worthless
It sound like they conversing in cursive, they got me
Yelling curse words when church is in service, I’m tryna
Blow up like a middle-eastern insurgent
Give me some virgins; if not, I’ma need a bottle of Jergens

HOOK
Man I feel you – pause
Round of applause
For those staying down for the cause
Break bread with the same motherfuckers down to break laws
Break it down, roll it up in Raws
Hey, let me hit that – pause
Round of applause
For those staying down for the cause
Break bread with the same motherfuckers down to break laws
Break it down, roll it up in Raws

V2
I wrote this when I was sober, you think I’m joking
I’m used to blacking out and just blocking out my emotions
A little smoking fixes everything that’s broken
If you’re feeling all your feelings, take a dose of the potion
Abracadabra, now shit don’t even matter
You don’t got the grey matter that can handle my data
Had to break it down for you like it’s all mathematics
They know how to lose money, just don’t know how to add it
Applause and laughter for the small-in-stature
Fast-talking, honest rapper who’s an awkward dapper
Every time I try to dance, I’m getting called a cracker
Even my girl wish I was tall and blacker

HOOK

V3
I wrote this when I was drunk and high at the same time
If I needed, couldn’t even walk a straight line
I can’t lie, it’s something I can’t hide
I’m drunk and I can’t drive this truck and it ain’t mine
I ain’t signed, I mean I could if I wanted to
They see your Twitter followers and tell you they loving you
Put one or two offers on the table in front of you
Then they cut the budget down when they discover another you
Only more commercial, not as controversial with the verses
A younger, dumber group of fans with credit cards to purchase
That’s how they always get you, man; they pitch the perfect picture
Then it finally hits you, this about the richest getting richer

HOOK

Overall Meaning

In Cal Scruby's song "Pause", the artist is reflecting on the challenges he has faced in the music industry and how he often feels conflicted about his place in society. The first verse begins with him admitting that he wrote the song while under the influence of drugs and alcohol but that he still stands by what he wrote. He explains that he often feels trapped by the agreements he has signed and that even though he pledges allegiance to a country he believes is under satan, he still hopes that God can redeem them. He comments that all he needs is the freedom to speak his mind and a pad and pencil to express himself. He writes until he feels his verses are perfect, but when he hears what is popular on the radio, he feels discouraged because he believes that the lyrics lack substance. He ends the verse by commenting that he's trying to make it big, but he's not trying to offend anyone.

In the second verse, Cal Scruby explains that he is writing a sober reflection about his struggles with his emotions. He has developed a habit of blocking out his emotions by blacking out or smoking, but he now recognizes that those are only temporary solutions to his problems. He has to put on a facade when his emotions feel too much to handle. He sarcastically notes that his intelligence is too superior for most people to understand; he has to break things down to the simplest form for anyone to comprehend. He addresses his own weaknesses and moments of feeling inadequate when he is called awkward or getting ridiculed for his dancing, and even his girlfriend wishes he were taller and blacker. Cal Scruby acknowledges that he still has a lot to work on emotionally but ends the verse by saying he's still trying to be himself.

In the third verse, Cal Scruby spills his thoughts while he is drunk and high. He speaks on the music industry, saying that despite offers he's had in the past, he's not signed to a label. He comments that the industry pitches the "perfect" picture to emerging artists, but then they won't be given the budget they were promised. He further explains that the industry would rather have a younger, dumber group of fans that are more easily manipulated into buying and supporting their music. Cal Scruby concludes that the rich get richer while up-and-coming artists continue to struggle.

Line by Line Meaning

I wrote this when I was speeding, I think I mean it
I wrote this song while under the influence of drugs, but I actually meant what I said

I was drinking with my demons, started signing agreements
I was drinking and making bad decisions, like signing contracts with potentially harmful consequences

And every morning now, I’m forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance To a nation that’s under satan, hoping God can redeem us
As an American, I'm expected to pledge my allegiance to a country that I feel is influenced by evil forces, and I pray for redemption

All I really need is Freedom of Speech and a pad and pencil Preferably mechanical, #2, with a stencil
All I need to express myself is the freedom to speak my mind and some basic writing tools

It sound like they conversing in cursive, they got me Yelling curse words when church is in service, I’m tryna Blow up like a middle-eastern insurgent Give me some virgins; if not, I’ma need a bottle of Jergens
When I listen to mainstream music, it sounds so pretentious and fake that it makes me angry. I want to be successful and make a statement, even if it means being controversial. Also, I'm a horny guy.

Man I feel you – pause Round of applause For those staying down for the cause Break bread with the same motherfuckers down to break laws Break it down, roll it up in Raws Hey, let me hit that – pause Round of applause For those staying down for the cause Break bread with the same motherfuckers down to break laws Break it down, roll it up in Raws
I have respect for the people who are loyal to their beliefs and are willing to take risks for them. Let's celebrate them with a joint and a round of applause.

I wrote this when I was sober, you think I’m joking I’m used to blacking out and just blocking out my emotions A little smoking fixes everything that’s broken If you’re feeling all your feelings, take a dose of the potion
This time, I wrote a song while sober, but people might think I'm kidding because I usually avoid dealing with my emotions. However, smoking some weed can fix everything, and I suggest it to anyone who's overwhelmed by their feelings.

They know how to lose money, just don’t know how to add it Applause and laughter for the small-in-stature Fast-talking, honest rapper who’s an awkward dapper Every time I try to dance, I’m getting called a cracker Even my girl wish I was tall and blacker
The music industry is so inefficient that it can waste money like crazy, but they don't know how to properly invest. I'm a small guy who raps fast and honest, but I'm not very stylish or graceful. I also happen to be white, and even my girlfriend sometimes wishes I was a different race.

I wrote this when I was drunk and high at the same time If I needed, couldn’t even walk a straight line I can’t lie, it’s something I can’t hide I’m drunk and I can’t drive this truck and it ain’t mine I ain’t signed, I mean I could if I wanted to
One time, I was both drunk and high, and I was in no condition to do anything useful. I admit that I have a problem with substance abuse, and I'm not even allowed to drive. Despite all that, I have the potential to sign a record deal if I wanted to.

They see your Twitter followers and tell you they loving you Put one or two offers on the table in front of you Then they cut the budget down when they discover another you Only more commercial, not as controversial with the verses A younger, dumber group of fans with credit cards to purchase That’s how they always get you, man; they pitch the perfect picture Then it finally hits you, this about the richest getting richer
Record labels are always on the lookout for artists with a big social media following, but they don't really care for the artist's talent or message. They offer a contract, but they end up reducing the artist's budget when they find someone who's even more marketable. They prefer artists who are simple, stupid, and easily exploitable. They create a perfect image, but eventually, the artist realizes that the music business is rigged in favor of the richest people.

Contributed by Micah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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