Gettin' Down at the Amphitheater
Common Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey give it Boogie like the BX sex regular booger bitches
Get the backseat G bumps'll make you buy tapes
Ex cape the fire tonight switch like Jekyll and Hyde
And shit wreckin' we live and shit
This swamp water style'll keep em dirty and wet
I bet mills on the rhyme skills we walk away set
Rich like topsoil connect coin with currency
Places that I couldn't pronounce, and then bounce
Illegal ain't illegal if it's less than an ounce
Keep it come in T. La Rock amounts, see it's yours
Study scrolls that includes the clause
Get your dirty paws out my bowl, your hustle's too old to deal
With the shuffle, you exhaust me like a muffle
Get zapped and zipped in the duffle
Came to the set splashed, no Roley on the wrist
To Hell with a guest list, we all up in this!
A two dollar somethin' got your eyes on him
But yo she pinchin' my ass so we go, limb for limb
Lights studio dim, it's exact tonight
So we can drop the Rap Delight, on one!

Just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down

Underground under pressure, my style is the child
Of a lesser, God, I Master like Farad
The sign of in between the El Rook'n, and El DeBarge
Metaphorically massage, verbal hajj
I take over breaks and chop loops
Glorifyin', one-eighty hat cats can rock in my troops
Wisdom like a tooth, mock new shits I knock loose
Datin' game Thursday's I spot juice, Plug like Pos'nus
Before you get a style, let's get a style
My style has the crowd back and forth
You were soft as the tracks you rappi'n off, I pop shit
You tried to laugh it off, actin' like you had to cough
And didn't hear it, my spirit sustains in the same pattern
Emcee, familiar sample period, spottin' where you sampled
Your rhyme scheme from, I ain't clearin' it
I drop science and experiment, contractually
Came to terms of endearment with my label
Want to pick out a day to smack wack niggas, I contact niggas
Like P.O.'s, you spit background lyrics, I rip Lee flows
Wipin' your nose like you need blows
Claimin it's a allergy, I react allergic to cats
Or is it how they word it
If you had weight it must have been some pussy you served with
Thoughts for a minute, I rode rhythms and words tenant
Many lip profess, I'm verb sentences

Just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down

It's like rip y'all, add it on to lip
Wonder why's upon this, just to flex my strength
I was the one who killed wackness so I had to do a bid
Of twelve years on the mic, before parole with Tommy Kid
Infinite landscaper, green paper maker
Leap far from home with chrome rims and trims
Man these people still takin rappin' for a joke
The pimp, I rock it one-double-oh percent
Some of you MC's should be called CM's, Carbon Monoxide
On the mic exposin' your polluted bloodtype
Y'all niggas need a visit from the Brain Fairy
Walk around dead, like your physical's buried
Wrote the rhymes durin a earthquake, 'cause your style's
Shaky as shit! Just need to come clean and admit
That yo' quick draw fails the test, and mine was flawless
My DJ gave the scratch, yours was clawless
Your crew couldn't even measure to mine
That's why yo' bitches is busted, and mines is fine
Performin' with an upper design, so back on off the plank
We bringin' this Big and Bad like Hank

Just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down
And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down




And just dance, you know you gots the feelin'
Just dance, ah come on and get down!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Common's song "Gettin' Down at the Amphitheater" have an upbeat and lively tone that encourages listeners to dance and enjoy themselves. The song refers to the elements of hip-hop culture, such as DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and graffiti. The first stanza contains references to drug use and promiscuity, but Common criticizes them by saying "illegal ain't illegal if it's less than an ounce," and he encourages people to focus more on studying and improving their craft instead. He talks about his lyrical prowess and how he takes pride in his unique style. Common also takes a jab at other MCs, whom he believes are lacking in skill and authenticity.


The second stanza contains a myriad of metaphors, and Common's style is described as the "child of a lesser God." He is a master of his craft and knows how to manipulate words and phrases in a way that pleases the ears of his listeners. He is not afraid to call out other MCs for imitating other artists or using repetitive styles. He is unapologetic and assures listeners that he is the real deal. The chorus contains the repeated phrase "just dance," which encourages listeners to not take themselves too seriously and to enjoy life through the universal language of dance.


Overall, "Gettin' Down at the Amphitheater" is a song that celebrates hip-hop culture and encourages listeners to embrace their individuality and have fun. Common's lyrics emphasize the importance of authenticity, skill, and dedication in any craft, and he challenges listeners to strive for excellence and to never settle for mediocrity.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey give it Boogie like the BX sex regular booger bitches
Let's dance with energy like we did back in the Bronx, even if people think we're crazy


get the backseat G bumps'll make you buy tapes
Sit in the backseat and feel the bass because it'll convince you to buy our music


Ex cape the fire tonight switch like Jekyll and Hyde
Escape from the stress tonight and switch personalities like Jekyll and Hyde


and shit wreckin we live and shit
We're wrecking it and we're living life to the fullest


This swamp water style'll keep em dirty and wet
Our unique style will keep our fans feeling dirty and wet, in a good way


I bet mills on the rhyme skills we walk away set
We're so confident in our skills that we'll bet a lot of money that we'll leave the competition in the dust


Rich like topsoil connect coin with currency
We're so wealthy that we can connect actual coins with money


Places that I couldn't pronounce, and then bounce
We travel to so many different places that sometimes we can't even pronounce their names before we move on to the next one


Illegal ain't illegal if it's less than an ounce
If you have less than an ounce of an illegal substance, it's not even considered illegal


Keep it come in T. La Rock amounts, see +It's Yours+
We want our music to become as popular as T. La Rock's song +It's Yours+


Study scrolls that includes the clause
We study the fine print and details in contracts to make sure we get what we deserve


Get your dirty paws out my bowl, your hustle's too old to deal
Stop trying to take advantage of me, your old tricks won't work anymore


with the shuffle, you exhaust me like a muffle
Your attempts to hustle me are getting tiring and ineffective


Get zapped and zipped in the duffle
If you keep pushing, you'll end up in the trunk of a car (metaphorically speaking)


Came to the set splashed, no Roley on the wrist
We arrived at the party looking great, without expensive watches


To Hell with a guest list, we all up in this!
We don't need to be on a guest list, we're already here and having a good time


A two dollar somethin got your eyes on him
You're interested in someone who's not even worth two dollars


But yo she pinchin my ass so we go, limb for limb
But this girl is flirting with me, so let's dance together and have a good time


Lights studio dim, it's EXACT tonight
The lights in the studio are low tonight, setting up the perfect atmosphere for our performance


So we can drop the Rap Delight, on one!
We're going to perform an amazing rap and everyone will love it


Just dance, you know you gots the feelin
Let loose and dance, you know you want to


Underground under pressure, my style is the child
My style is derived from the underground rap scene and it thrives under pressure


of a lesser, God, I Master like Farad
Although I'm not a god, I'm still a master of rap like Farad


The sign of in between the El Rook'n, and El DeBarge
I'm somewhere between hardcore rap and smooth R&B, like El Rook'n and El DeBarge


Metaphorically massage, verbal hajj
I use metaphors to massage listeners' minds and take them on a lyrical journey


I take over breaks and chop loops
I take over beats and chop up samples to create something new and unique


Glorifyin, one-eighty hat cats can rock in my troops
I celebrate and uplift my fellow rappers and anyone who's in my crew


Wisdom like a tooth, mock new shits I knock loose
I have wisdom like a tooth, which allows me to criticize and knock loose any weak attempts at rapping


Datin game Thursday's I spot juice, Plug like Pos'nus
I'm great at finding attractive girls on Thursdays, just like Pos'nus from De La Soul


Before you get a style, let's get a style
Before you try to copy my style, you need to find your own unique one


My style has the crowd back and forth
My style of rapping makes the crowd move back and forth and get hyped


You were soft as the tracks you rappin off, I pop shit
You're weak as the beats you're rapping on, whereas I bring real fire to the track


You tried to laugh it off, actin like you had to cough
You tried to brush off my criticism by faking a cough


and didn't hear it, my spirit sustains in the same pattern
You ignored my criticism, but I remain true to my beliefs and style


emcee, familiar sample period; spottin where you sampled
As an emcee, I'm familiar with different sample periods and can spot when and where someone else has sampled a beat


your rhyme scheme from -- I ain't clearin it
I recognize that your rhyming is derivative and unoriginal


I drop science and experiment -- contractually
I experiment with my raps and push the boundaries, even if I have to deal with contractual limitations


came to terms of endearment with my label
I established a good relationship with my label and agreed on the terms of our partnership


Want to pick out a day to smack wack niggaz, I contact niggaz
I want to set a date to put weak rappers in their place, so I contact fellow rappers who feel the same way


like P.O.'s, you spit background lyrics, I rip Lee flows
Just like probation officers, I'm keeping an eye on you and noticing that you're rapping with weak, background lyrics, whereas I'm ripping rhymes like Lee


Wipin your nose like you need blows
I'm making you look foolish, like you're constantly wiping your nose because you need to blow it


Claimin it's a allergy, I react allergic to cats
You're trying to excuse your poor rapping as an allergy, but I'm allergic to weak rappers like you


or is it how they word it
Or maybe you're just trying to explain it all away with words


If you had weight it must have been some pussy you served with
If you were ever popular or successful, it must have been because you were associated with people who were using you for sex


Thoughts for a minute, I rode rhythms and words tenant
I take a moment to think and then ride the rhythm and words like a tenant staying in a apartment


Many lip profess, I'm verb sentences
To many others just talk, but I use dynamic verbs and craft sentences with purpose


It's like rip why'all, add it on to lip
It's like ripping off a bandaid, I'm taking away the facade that weak rappers put up


Wonder Why's upon this, just to flex my strength
Others are wondering why I'm doing this, but I'm just showing them my strength and talent


I was the one who killed wackness so I had to do a bid
I'm the one who destroyed weak rapping, but I had to pay my dues and prove myself before getting somewhere


of twelve years on the mic, before parole with Tommy 'Kid'
It took me twelve years of hard work and dedication to rap before getting recognition, just like Tommy 'Kid'


Infinite landscaper, green paper maker
I'm always growing and creating with my raps, and my success brings in large quantities of money


Leap far from home with chrome rims and trims
I've made it big and left my hometown behind, driving fancy cars with shiny rims and accessories


Man these people still takin rappin for a joke
Some people still don't take rap seriously and just use it as a joke or a form of entertainment


The pimp, I rock it one-double-oh percent
As a rapper, I'm the real deal and I'm giving it my all, one hundred percent


Some of you MC's should be called CM's, Carbon Monoxide
Some rappers are so weak, they should be called CM's instead of MC's, as they are like the poisonous gas, Carbon Monoxide


on the mic exposin your polluted bloodtype
I'm exposing rappers who have a bad and polluted style of rapping


why'all niggaz need a visit from the Brain Fairy
Some rappers need to have their minds enlightened, like they need a visit from the Brain Fairy


Walk around dead, like your physical's buried
Some rappers walk around dead, like their bodies are already buried, because they have no real passion or energy in their raps


Wrote the rhymes durin a earthquake, cause your style's
I wrote my rhymes even during an earthquake because I was so committed to my craft, while your style is so shaky and weak


shaky as SHIT! Just need to come clean and admit
Your rhyming and style is extremely weak and unstable, and you just need to come clean and admit it


that yo' quick draw fails the test, and mine was flawless
Your attempts at rapping are failing miserably, whereas mine are perfect and flawless


My DJ gave the scratch, yours was clawless
My DJ provided the perfect scratches, whereas your DJ's scratches were weak and flawed


Your crew couldn't even measure to mine
Your crew doesn't even come close to matching mine in terms of talent and skill


That's why yo' bitches is busted, and mines is fine
That's why your female fans are unattractive and undesirable, whereas mine are beautiful and desirable


Performin with an upper design, so back on off the plank
I'm performing at a higher level of skill and design, so back off and leave me alone


We bringin this Big and Bad like Hank
We're bringing our music with power and force, just like Hank from the animated show, King of the Hill


"Just get on down.."
Let's dance and have a good time


Just dance, ah come on and get down!
Let's dance and have a great time


"Just get on down"
Keep dancing and having fun




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ernest Dion Wilson, Kelvin Mercer, David Jolicoeur, Lonnie Rashid Lynn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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