The Edge
Chico DeBarge Lyrics
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With a trunkful of work
I just lost my job
Didn't wanna be a mailroom clerk
Besides it didn't pay but dimes
And the boss had a disrespectful mouth
If I wasn't on parole
So I'm drivin', gotta get me some fast cash
Ain't tryin' to hurt nobody
Mama, maybe it's wrong
But I gotta get the money, it's a must have
If I get caught, I go back to jail with no bail
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I'm convinced so, ain't fakin'
It's the life I choose
Win or lose, that's the way you play life's game
If you play it wrong then you're the one to blame
If I can choose I would make a change
But it's the same old song that everybody shame
Now, I'm my own boss
And I ain't got no friction
'Coz I'm a bootleg pharmacist
You don't need no prescription
[Incomprehensible] that's my law
Tryin' to get the dough and retire
'Coz if I stay in it too long
The Feds gonna set my ass on fire
And if they come
Gotta hold court in the streets
And one of three things will happen
I get away, get the chair or die cappin'
And if they catch me right
And I can't fight, I go back to prison
And like my mama say, you can't always bust your gun
She goes sometimes you gotta run
Win or lose, that's the way you play life's game
If you play it wrong then you're the one to blame
If I can choose I would make a change
But it's the same old song that everybody shame
All the odds are against me
'Coz I'm already a felon
I'd probably die this time in jail
'Coz I ain't doin' no tellin'
I'll probably lose the girl that I love
She'll turn her back once the money's spent
And play it off to her friends
Like it was a heated argument
Win or lose, that's the way you play life's game
And you're the one to blame
If I can choose I would make a change
And everybody shame
Bad game, it's a bad game, yeah
It's a bad game, yeah, yeah
It's a bad game, yeah, yeah, yeah
To the mother who's watching over
You know the game ain't fair
Sometimes you can't change their mind
So, all you got is prayer
Win or lose, that's the way you play life's game
Then you're the one to blame
If I can choose I would make a change
That everybody shame
Win or lose, that's the way you play life's game
Listen, I ain't got that much time
Only four minutes to sing to you
But I hope and pray that you will listen
While I try to school you
Bad game, bad game
Nobody wins
That everybody shame
The song "The Edge" by Chico DeBarge is the story of a man who has lost his job and is desperately trying to make fast cash by selling drugs. He is fully aware of the risks involved in his actions and the consequences of getting caught, but he feels like he has no other choice but to take this path. Despite his fears, he is determined to succeed and is fully responsible for his choices. He is willing to take the risk and fight for his survival because he believes it is the only way to make a better life for himself.
The lyrics showcase the harsh reality of life on the edge, where people live on the brink of poverty and have no other option but to engage in illegal activities to survive. The singer knows that he is playing a dangerous game and that the odds are against him. He is aware that he could end up back in jail or even lose his life, but he believes that he has no other choice.
The overall message of the song is that sometimes in life, we are faced with difficult choices and that we have to take risks to succeed. It is a story of survival and the lengths that people are willing to go to make a better life for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Rollin' down the highway
Driving down the road
With a trunkful of work
Carrying a lot of drugs
I just lost my job
Got fired from my job
Didn't wanna be a mailroom clerk
Disliked working in the mailroom
Besides it didn't pay but dimes
The pay was low
And the boss had a disrespectful mouth
The boss was rude and disrespectful
If I wasn't on parole
If I wasn't on probation
I would've knocked the motherfucker out
I would have physically attacked him
So I'm drivin', gotta get me some fast cash
Driving to make quick money
Ain't tryin' to hurt nobody
Not trying to hurt anyone
Mama, maybe it's wrong
It might be wrong
But I gotta get the money, it's a must have
But I need the money badly
If I get caught, I go back to jail with no bail
If caught, I will go to jail without bail
It's the risk that I'm takin'
It's a risky decision
I'm convinced so, ain't fakin'
I'm sure about it, not pretending
It's the life I choose
It's the life I have chosen
Win or lose, that's the way you play life's game
Succeed or fail, that's how life works
If you play it wrong then you're the one to blame
If you make bad choices, it's your fault
If I can choose I would make a change
If I could, I would change my life
But it's the same old song that everybody shame
But most people are in the same situation
Now, I'm my own boss
Now I work for myself
And I ain't got no friction
And I have no problems
'Coz I'm a bootleg pharmacist
Because I illegally sell drugs
You don't need no prescription
You don't need a prescription to buy from me
[Incomprehensible] that's my law
That's my rule
Tryin' to get the dough and retire
Trying to make money and retire
'Coz if I stay in it too long
Because if I keep doing it for too long
The Feds gonna set my ass on fire
The government will catch and punish me
And if they come
And if they catch me
Gotta hold court in the streets
I will have to fight them in the streets
And one of three things will happen
And one of three outcomes will occur
I get away, get the chair or die cappin'
I will either escape, be executed, or die fighting
And if they catch me right
And if they catch me immediately
And I can't fight, I go back to prison
And if I can't resist, I will go back to jail
And like my mama say, you can't always bust your gun
As my mother says, violence isn't always the answer
She goes sometimes you gotta run
Sometimes you have to run away
All the odds are against me
I have very little chance of success
'Coz I'm already a felon
Because I am already a convicted criminal
I'd probably die this time in jail
I would likely not survive another prison sentence
'Coz I ain't doin' no tellin'
Because I will not snitch
I'll probably lose the girl that I love
I will likely lose my girlfriend
She'll turn her back once the money's spent
She will abandon me once I run out of money
And play it off to her friends
And pretend to her friends
Like it was a heated argument
That we had a big fight
Bad game, it's a bad game, yeah
It's a terrible situation
It's a bad game, yeah, yeah
Life is tough
It's a bad game, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's really bad
To the mother who's watching over
To my deceased mother
You know the game ain't fair
You know life isn't fair
Sometimes you can't change their mind
Sometimes you can't convince people to think differently
So, all you got is prayer
So all you can do is pray
Listen, I ain't got that much time
I don't have much time left
Only four minutes to sing to you
Only four minutes to convey my message
But I hope and pray that you will listen
I hope you will pay attention
While I try to school you
While I try to teach you
Nobody wins
No one comes out on top
Writer(s): Andrea Bordenave, Jonathan A. Chico Debarge Copyright: Multisongs, Joseph'S Dream, Wonderboy Publishing
Contributed by Jeremiah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.