Country Line
Coolio Lyrics


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Seven in the morning, standing in the line
Three fools in front of me, drinking on some wine
Two in the back of me sucking on a joint
And one in back of them ready for a new sport

There's 4-5 suckers way way in the back
Stooped down low with the crowd smokin crack
They looking at me funny coz I got a record out
And a nigga with a record out is supposed to have some proud

A forth of the people in the line be hookers
But the other forth betta ask help themself
A forth of the people having good faith
And all of the rest all fucked up in the head

A bald headed stank bitch is about to make me laugh
And a nigga who need a bath is asking for my autograph
Ain't nothing changed but the time
I got to get mine, so Im standing in the county line

[Chorus]
This aint funny so dont you dare laugh
'Cause its all about money, aint a damn thing funny
This aint funny so dont you dare laugh
You got to have the conned, and letn them looking funny

I walked through the front door to fill out my ap
Here comes another sap asking if I rap
I don't say a word 'cause he know that I do
I'm down with the mad ass u know hoo!

I take a number and a seat
I'm sweating from the heat
Somebody got their shoes off
I smell their feet

My number is 80, its still on 20
I look up at the clock and now is 10:30
Free butter and cheese oh please, oh please
Can I get my food stamps so I can leave

I got money and a car but they dont really know it
Now they asking me a gang of questions coz I told them I was homeless
I'm living in a car drive back in the alley
But I use to shack up with a hooker named sally

Line after line
Ruff is the time
My life is in a bomb so Im standing in the county line

[Chorus]

I'm sittin' at a desk talking to a social worker
She thinks I'm a fool but I know that I can work her

Punk ass ho sittin' behind the window all toe up ass tramp
Rollin that week sheets of mine

You have a penetentry record
I said I know that biatch!

She wants to know what kind a work do I do
I said I haven't worked since 1982
I cant find a job though I looked and I looked
Took one hit of the crack and mistook

She sittin' there wonderin' what did 'cause I did
And the whole time I'm a watchin' like I'm smokin' me a joint
Job search work the projects whackness
And in a few weeks Id get my check

Now I got to wait for them to call me trough the window
So I can get some cash to pay for the hotel and the bathshow
Its 5:13 by the clock on the wall
Motherfuckers move so I can make a phone call

Shit is getting late and the time is 29
That why so many niggas standing in the county line





[Chorus: x2]

Overall Meaning

"Countryside" is a satirical song about the county line, a location where people go to get welfare benefits or food stamps. The opening verse portrays the people standing in the line from the point of view of the singer, who is also in the line. The people in front of him are drinking wine, smoking joints and getting ready to start a new sport, whereas those in the back are smoking crack and giving him a funny look because he has a record out. The second verse describes the life of the people standing in the line, including hookers, people with faith and others who are just messed up in the head. The third verse depicts the scene inside the welfare office where Coolio is trying to fill out a form to receive benefits. He is hot and sweaty, the place stinks of feet, and he has to wait for hours to get his turn. Finally, he talks to a social worker who doubts his ability to work, and he makes it clear that he hasn't worked in a long time.


"Countryside" was designed to be being humorous and satirical, but it also acts as a social commentary on the struggles and hardships of poverty. The people in line are facing hard times, and the bureaucracy only makes it worse. The song ends with the chorus being repeated twice with more emotion and force, underscoring the desperation of these people.


Line by Line Meaning

Seven in the morning, standing in the line
Coolio is waiting early in the morning at the county office line


Three fools in front of me, drinking on some wine
There are three people in front of him drinking wine


Two in the back of me sucking on a joint
Two people behind him smoking a joint


And one in back of them ready for a new sport
Someone behind them is ready to start something


There's 4-5 suckers way way in the back
Four or five people are in the back smoking crack


Stooped down low with the crowd smokin crack
The people are stooped down low and smoking crack


They looking at me funny coz I got a record out
People are looking at him funny because he has a criminal record


And a nigga with a record out is supposed to have some proud
People think someone with a record should have some pride and not be in line for assistance


A forth of the people in the line be hookers
25% of people in the line are hookers


But the other forth betta ask help themself
Another 25% of people need help themselves


A forth of the people having good faith
25% of the people have good faith in the system


And all of the rest all fucked up in the head
The rest of the people in line are mentally unstable


A bald headed stank bitch is about to make me laugh
A woman with a bald head is being funny and about to make him laugh


And a nigga who need a bath is asking for my autograph
A dirty man is asking for his autograph


I got to get mine, so Im standing in the county line
Coolio needs to get his assistance, so he needs to wait in line


I'm down with the mad ass u know hoo!
Coolio supports the person who authorized assistance to people in lines like this one


Somebody got their shoes off, I smell their feet
Someone has taken their shoes off and their feet smell


My number is 80, its still on 20
Even though his number is 80, they are still on 20


Free butter and cheese oh please, oh please
He is hoping to get the free butter and cheese food stamps


Can I get my food stamps so I can leave
Coolio needs the food stamps to leave


I got money and a car but they dont really know it
He has a car and some money, but people in line wouldn't know that


Punk ass ho sittin' behind the window all toe up ass tramp
He is angry at the social worker who thinks he is a fool


Rollin that week sheets of mine
The social worker is reviewing his file


You have a penetentry record
The social worker tells him he has a criminal record


I cant find a job though I looked and I looked
Coolio cannot find a job


She sittin' there wonderin' what did 'cause I did
The social worker is wondering why he had a criminal record


And in a few weeks Id get my check
He will receive his assistance check in a few weeks


Shit is getting late and the time is 29
It's getting late and his number is 29


That why so many niggas standing in the county line
This is why so many people are waiting in line for assistance at the county office




Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

1trx2

Rest peacefully legend, one of my favorite joints!๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ•Š

arios1977

RIP Coolio. Still my favorite song from your collection. Still bumpin

Undead Holy Undead !!!

This has always been banging !!!

Ryan Regan

RIP Coolio. The beat is on point. The samples of Slick Rick, The Message, Bar-Kays, and Zapp are amazing put together. Crazy Toones is super underrated as a producer. Also RIP Crazy Toones. Damn how many of the Maad Circle left? WC the only one left I guess.

Giovanni Lopiano

Sir Jinx is still alive too

John Braucher

One of the best rap albums that nobody REALLY knows about, that ever existed!! Loved this album back around 94'. So many memories. I was obsessed with coolio for a while. Tried meeting him a few times even. Wrote fan mail all the time too. Lol.

The Revolution, got kinda high got kinda drunk, and bright as the sun are some suggestions for gangstas paradise album for everyone, and then as far as it takes a third album listen to the whole thing it's all just so different and all the songs have something to offer. I suppose the title song "it takes a thief" is probably one of the best songs on it. The cartoon song is good, and hand on my nutsack. Lol

Fabian Gonzales

RIP ๐Ÿ™ ๐Ÿ˜” A true underrated legend to the game

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT, RTD.

"A dude that needs a bath asks for my autograph." Vintage Coolio. RIP to one of the best lyricists who ever lived.

mee gee

RIP COOLIO I USED TO BUMP THIS SONG IN MY 83 CUTLASS BACK IN THE DAY โค๏ธ

BeastBoy707

1 of my favorite tracks from the Album.... R.I.P Coolio ๐Ÿ™

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