As well as music, Common has worked as an actor, on films such as 'Smokin' Aces' (as Sir Ivy) 'American Gangster' (as Turner Lucas), 'Wanted', and 'John Wick: Chapter 2'. He may also be seen in cameo roles in films such as 'Brown Sugar'.
His debut was the 1992 album Can I Borrow A Dollar, but he achieved little critical or commercial success until 1994's Resurrection, an instant classic. He produced several more albums, notably Like Water For Chocolate and the highly experimental Electric Circus, before releasing the Kanye West and J Dilla-produced Be in 2005, which was his first album to receive widespread mainstream appeal and radio playtime.
Common is considered a "cred" artist, which has lead him to collaborations with the likes of De La Soul, Jadakiss, T.I, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Erykah Badu, and Fort Minor.
The 2007 album Finding Forever was produced mainly by long-time collaborator, Kanye West. Common released his eighth album Universal Mind Control in 2008, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album but lost to the Eminem album Relapse. He released his ninth album The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011. Nobody's Smiling, his tenth album, was released in 2014. The concept of the album was inspired by his troubled hometown of Chicago.
Drivin' Me Wild
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
Love's not a mystery, it's everything
She was the type to watch Oprah and The Today Show
Be on the treadmill, uh, like OK, go
Had a body, a body that you can't pay for
That means she has some D's on her, but they wasn't fake though
Had a drive for a drive for Rodeo
She spent pesos on those labels
Spin class at the gym, striptease on the pole
She was so obsessed with her body and clothes
To every party she goes, trying hard to be chose
They say it's hard for a pimp, but extra hard for these
Reading Us and People mag', tryna get the scoop
Chasing an actor for a Bentley coupe
She recruit a ball player from the Clippers, then came the pumps off
Thinking she number one, when she just a jump off
Doing all she can for a man and a baby
Driving herself crazy like the astronaut lady
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
Love's not a mystery, it's everything
Uh, he had paper since we was in, we was in high school
Pop was a doc, mom taught at my school
Lock with the rocks, in his ears he kept jewels
One of the Diddy types, D-D-Dame Dash dudes
Pushed a Maserati sport, reading the Robb Report
Wanted to be Mike, but he was never live in sports
Since golf was in, he was on the driving course
To live the rap life is what he was striving for
Spending cash at the bar to get credit
Drinking Chandon just because B.I.G. said
They say Ye is, but dude was big-headed
Rock a fur in the summer so somebody'll pet it
He had a fetish for shoes that's athletic
Pathetic on his MySpace page, half naked
It's a shame what they do for fame and to be respected
Joe, you coulda got it if you never woulda stressed it
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
Love's not a mystery, it's everything
Uh, yeah
They was one of them couples, people said they were the it
Unbreakable, like Bobby and Whit'
Or Ryan and Reese, or Kimora and Russ
Relationships can be dead but look live to us
I guess we all been through it where we try too much
Losing yourself and you're lying and stuff
Wishing for the diamond cuffs, in search of a ring
Where love is not a mystery, it's everything, sing
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild (yeah)
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down (sing)
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
Love's not a mystery, it's everything
Gets me down
Gets me down
Gets me down
Gets me down
Gets me down
Gets me
Love's not a mystery, it's everything
The song "Driving Me Wild" by Common featuring Lily Allen delves into the topic of obsession, specifically focusing on society's obsession with materialism, body image, and fame. Common uses the chorus to emphasize how this "thing" is what's driving him wild, and he needs to figure out what it is before it gets him down. He is trying to understand what society's obsession is and why it's causing such havoc in people's lives. He believes that too many people are fixated on things that don't matter, such as acquiring labels, chasing after actors and ball players, and striving for fame at any cost.
Common's verses focus on specific examples of people who are caught up in this culture of obsession. In the first verse, Common describes a woman who is obsessed with her appearance, going to the gym, wearing expensive clothing, and attending parties to be chosen. She is willing to do whatever it takes to gain the attention of a man and will even put her own mental health at risk. The second verse is about a man who is obsessed with fame and fortune, spending money on sports cars, expensive drinks, and clothes to fit in with the rap lifestyle. He is willing to do anything to achieve his dreams and will even compromise his own values to be respected.
Overall, "Driving Me Wild" highlights the detrimental effects of being too fixated on superficial things and losing sight of what truly matters in life, such as love and authentic human connections. Common encourages his listeners to be aware of what they are allowing to drive them wild and to prioritize what is truly important.
Line by Line Meaning
It's this thing now, that's driving me wild
Something is bothering me and I am struggling to cope with it
I gotta see what's up, before it gets me down
I need to find out what the problem is before it negatively affects me
Love's not a mystery, it's everything
Love is not complicated or unknown, it is the most important thing in life
She was the type to watch Oprah and The Today Show
She enjoyed watching daytime talk shows and staying up-to-date on current events
Be on the treadmill, like OK Go
She enjoyed working out and staying healthy
Had the body that you can't pay for
She had a naturally attractive physique that wasn't artificially enhanced
That means she had some D's on her, but they wasn't fake though
She had naturally large breasts that weren't surgically enhanced
Had a drive, a Drive for Rodeo
She had a passion for country rodeo events
She spent pesos on those labels
She spent a lot of money on designer clothing
Spent class at the gym, striptease on the pole
She worked hard at the gym and also tried pole dancing as a form of exercise
She was so obsessed with her body and clothes
She was overly focused on her physical appearance and fashion
To every party she goes, trying hard to be chose
She attended many social events in hopes of being chosen or noticed by men
They say it's hard for a pimp, but extra hard for these hoes
It's difficult for anyone in the sex industry, but especially challenging for women
Reading US or People mag, trying to get these scoops
She read celebrity gossip magazines to learn the latest news
Chasing an actor for a Bentley Coupe
She pursued an actor in the hopes of gaining material possessions such as a Bentley car
She recruit a ball player from the Clippers
She sought out a basketball player from the Los Angeles Clippers team
Then came the pumps off
Her true intentions were revealed and she lost respect from others
Thinking she Number One, when she just a jump off
She thought she was the most important person, when in reality she was just a casual hookup
Doing all she can for a man and a baby
She went to great lengths to try to attract a man and start a family
Driving herself crazy
She became consumed with her goals to the point of harming her mental health
like the astronaut lady
A reference to Lisa Nowak, an astronaut who had a mental breakdown and was arrested for attempted murder
He had paper since we was in, we was in High School
He came from a wealthy family and had money even when he was young
One of the Diddy types, the Dame Dash dudes
He aspired to be like hip hop moguls Sean Combs and Damon Dash
Pushed the Maserati Sport, reading the ROB Report
He drove a luxury car and read a magazine about wealth and success
Wanted to be Mike, but he was never live in sports
He idolized basketball player Michael Jordan, but was never successful in sports himself
Since golf was in, he was in the driving course
Golf became popular and he took up the sport
To live the rap life is what he was striving for
He wanted to live the flashy, luxurious lifestyle often portrayed in hip hop music
Spending cash at the bar to get credit
He spent money at the bar to impress others or show off his wealth
Drinking Chandon just because BIG said
He drank a specific type of champagne because a famous rapper mentioned it
They say Ye is, but dude big-headed
People say that rapper Kanye West is egotistical, but this man was also guilty of being cocky
Rocked the fur in the summer, so, somebody'll pet it
He wore a fur coat in the summer in hopes of gaining attention and admiration
He had a fetish for shoes that's athletic
He had a particular interest in athletic shoes and collected them
Pathetic on his myspace page, half naked
He posted revealing pictures of himself on a social media site
It's a shame what they do for fame, and to be respected
It's unfortunate that some people will go to any lengths to gain fame and validation from others
Joe you could of got it, if you never woulda stressed it
Addressing someone named Joe, saying that he could have been successful if he hadn't been so stressed or obsessed with achieving success
They was one of them couples, people said they was it
They were one of those couples that others admired and thought would last forever
Unbreakable like Bobby and Whit
A reference to Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, who had a tumultuous relationship that ultimately ended in divorce but who were once seen as an unbreakable couple
Or Ryan and Reese, or Kimora and Russ
Other celebrity couples who were seen as strong and unbreakable
Relationships can be dead but look live to us
Sometimes relationships may appear to be thriving, but in reality they are struggling or even failing
I guess we all been through it, where we try too much
We've all experienced times where we try too hard to make a relationship work
Losing yourself and your lying and stuff
In trying too hard to please your partner, you may lose your own identity and even resort to dishonesty
Wishing for the diamond cuffs, searching for the ring
Hoping for commitment and the material possessions that often come with it
Where love is not a mystery, it's everything, sing
Love is the most important thing in life and should be celebrated
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Charles Stepney, Lloyd Webber, Kanye West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@champloo9
People don't understand, some songs are just the soundtrack to life. It's beautiful.
@Janinaneven
15 year old me had good taste in music
@mnymatt
lol going through my old playlists too, this music is timeless
@Nino-bu1cx
Janina Neven No you had G.O.O.D taste in music lol
@Chevyc608.2
Same
@doinzang1
im was 20years old when i was first girlfriend met me ㅠㅠ miss her
@andrejaquino
only 15 ?
@jadaony4145
I was obsessed with this song when I was a kid! It just popped in my head randomly after so many years
@kenyattatucker1279
2023 I know Y'all Still Listening This
@berkahmakmur661
yeah me too@@kenyattatucker1279