The Revolution
Coolio Lyrics
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From the shores of Maine all the way to Compton Cali
I'm callin' rally to the homies in the street light
Take a real close at what it look like
A young nigga in the ghetto raised up on whit
The first thing momma told him was don't take no shit
Playin' tag with body bag
Bullets
And did you put the dodge on the toe tag?
Whoever the man today, might not be the man tomorrow
'Cause life is full of hardships, pimp slaps, and sorrow
Ya gotta believe in something, but whatever ya do
Make sure what you believe is real and true
Fuck the lies an' alibies an' come to realize
My vision won't assault of wasted on blind lil' eyes
Like A T an' T ya gotta make a switch
O' get pushed to the side like a lil' ol' bitch
When the revolution come I'm gonna be up front
With my finger on the trigga of a Mossberg pump
When the revolution come I'm gonna be right there
With my nine in my hand and braids in my hair
I've been hollerin' and hoopin' yeah
Lootin' an' shootin'
I'm doin' some recruitin' to bring mo' troops in
Niggas don't be doin' what they 'posed to do
They betta post on the corna with the busta crew
Playin' games I used to play back in '79
With the same bullshit an' the same ol' lie
If you want some respect ya won't be individual
On the nigga nuts 'cause he rollin' in the Sixty-fo'
Yo favorite line is fuck all a y'all
But one day there's gonna be a final call
That's why I'm rollin' deep in the motherfuckin' Jeep
Always on the peep an' my crew don't fall asleep
So pull your money outa your pocket an' put it in the middle
This ain't no rooster ass Chicken George nigga on a fiddle, huh
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
In my mothafuckin' self I trust
When the revolution come I'm gonna be up front
With my finger on the trigga of a Mossberg pump
When the revolution come I'm gonna be right there
With my nine in my hand and braids in my hair
Way back in the days we used to sling 'em in the street
But now when niggas get beat
They want to go an' get their heat
Everybody know that you know how to kill
But tell me do you how to let a nigga live
I gotta dream that maybe one day
Niggas can't fight then walk away
I'm talkin' fist to cuff with them pistols up, an'
Shoot 'em from the shoulders
To show them you can hold your
I sing the song of the fight of the black man
In America
In a state of hysteria
No longa will I accept the second rate
I plan to set the record straight be 'fore I disobey
Its the one - two combination punch to the throat
There's a hole in ya boat bitch
That's all she wrote
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
In my mothafuckin' self I trust
When the revolution come I'm gonna be up front
With my finger on the trigga of a Mossberg pump
When the revolution come I'm gonna be right there
With my nine in my hand and braids in my hair
In "The Revolution," Coolio is speaking about violent struggles in the streets and how they need to come to an end. He sees bloodshed and death all around him, from Compton to Maine. He recalls growing up in the ghetto, being told not to take any crap, and fighting to survive. Coolio urges the youth in the street to take a good look at themselves and their lifestyles, warning them to make sure what they believe is true and legitimate. He encourages them to switch up their beliefs if they lack authenticity, or otherwise face the consequences. The revolution, when it arrives, will see Coolio at the forefront with his finger on the shotgun's trigger, ready to fight against police brutality.
Coolio then expresses his disappointment with some of the folks in his group. He accuses some folks of not taking their responsibilities seriously and letting their entire gang down. Instead of playing tag, life's like playing with body bags, guns, and bloody hands. Individuals in the street have to be conscious of the reality that they may not be the man they think they are today, and that life is full of uncertainty. In the end, it appears that he dreams of living in a world where black men don't need to resort to violence, struggle to survive, and face obstacles one day.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm seein' bodies in the alley and blood in the valley
I'm witnessing violence and bloodshed, from one end of the country to the other.
I'm callin' rally to the homies in the street light
I'm rallying my friends who are most affected by violence and discrimination.
Take a real close at what it look like
Pay close attention to the reality of the situation.
A young nigga in the ghetto raised up on whit
A young black person growing up in poverty often has to rely on illegal means to survive.
The first thing momma told him was don't take no shit
The first lesson a young person learns in poverty is to fight back and defend oneself.
Playin' tag with body bag
Living in an area with constant violence is like playing a deadly game.
Bullets
And bloody rag
And did you put the dodge on the toe tag?
The dangers of living in places where violence is common can lead to serious injury or death.
Whoever the man today, might not be the man tomorrow
'Cause life is full of hardships, pimp slaps, and sorrow
People's social status and circumstances can change quickly and unexpectedly.
Ya gotta believe in something, but whatever ya do
Make sure what you believe is real and true
Believe in something beyond your current situation, but always be truthful.
Fuck the lies an' alibies an' come to realize
My vision won't assault of wasted on blind lil' eyes
Reject falsehoods and excuses and open your eyes to see the world for what it is.
Like A T an' T ya gotta make a switch
O' get pushed to the side like a lil' ol' bitch
Change your perspective and your actions or be left behind and insignificant.
When the revolution come I'm gonna be up front
With my finger on the trigga of a Mossberg pump
When the necessary change comes, I'll be ready to fight for it with full force.
I've been hollerin' and hoopin' yeah
Lootin' an' shootin'
I'm doin' some recruitin' to bring mo' troops in
I've been speaking out and organizing for change, actively seeking support from others who share my goals.
Niggas don't be doin' what they 'posed to do
They betta post on the corna with the busta crew
People aren't doing what they should, so they need to be put in their place and stop wasting time.
Playin' games I used to play back in '79
With the same bullshit an' the same ol' lie
People are still stuck in the same patterns of behavior and thought from decades ago, without progress or improvement.
If you want some respect ya won't be individual
On the nigga nuts 'cause he rollin' in the Sixty-fo'
Don't idolize and follow someone just because of their material possessions, respect should be earned based on actions.
Yo favorite line is fuck all a y'all
But one day there's gonna be a final call
You can't treat people with disrespect forever, eventually you'll have to answer for your actions.
That's why I'm rollin' deep in the motherfuckin' Jeep
Always on the peep an' my crew don't fall asleep
I'm always ready and watching for any changes or dangers, with a trusted group of allies by my side.
So pull your money outa your pocket an' put it in the middle
This ain't no rooster ass Chicken George nigga on a fiddle, huh
Put your resources together to become stronger and more effective, we can't be lazy and ineffective like the Chicken George character (from the novel Roots) who was content with playing the fiddle.
Way back in the days we used to sling 'em in the street
But now when niggas get beat
They want to go an' get their heat
In the past we used to fight with fists and words, but now people resort to guns and violence.
Everybody know that you know how to kill
But tell me do you how to let a nigga live
It's easy to cause harm, but can you show mercy and respect for others?
I gotta dream that maybe one day
Niggas can't fight then walk away
My dream is that we can resolve conflicts peacefully and walk away without resorting to violence.
I'm talkin' fist to cuff with them pistols up, an'
Shoot 'em from the shoulders
To show them you can hold your
If we must fight, let it be a fair fight with fists and guns held high, to show our strength and determination.
I sing the song of the fight of the black man
In America
In a state of hysteria
I'm singing about the ongoing struggle and suffering of black Americans in a country that is chaotic and unstable.
No longa will I accept the second rate
I plan to set the record straight be 'fore I disobey
I won't accept being considered inferior, I'll take action to correct this before I resort to disobedience and rebellion.
Its the one - two combination punch to the throat
There's a hole in ya boat bitch
That's all she wrote
I'm coming at the problem with a strong, decisive attack, and I'll leave you broken and defeated.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
In my mothafuckin' self I trust
I trust only in myself and the power I have to affect change and succeed.
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aalon William Butler, Artis L. Ivey Jr., Bryan Keith Dobbs, Jerry Goldstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@repdale
I think the lyrics in the description are a little off. Here's my transcription...
I'm seeing bodies in the alley and blood in the valley
From the shores of Maine all the way to Compton, Cali
I'm calling rally to the homies in the street light!
Take a real close look at what it look like
A young nigga in the ghetto raised up on grits
The first thing momma taught him was, "Don't take no shit!"
Playing tag with body bags, bullets and bloody rags
-And did ya put the dodge on the toe tag?
Whoever the man today might not be the man tomorrow
'Cause life is full of hardships, pimp slaps and sorrow
Ya gotta believe in somethin', but whatever ya do
Make sure what you believe is real and true!
Fuck the lies and alibis, I've come to realize
My visual assaults are wasted on blind eyes!
Like AT&T ya gotta make a switch
Or get pushed to the side like a little ol' bitch....
When the Revolution come, I'ma be up front
With my finger on the trigger of a Mossberg Pump!
When the Revolution come, I'ma be right there
With my nine in the air and braids in my hair!
I've been hollerin' and hootin' - yeah!
Lootin' and shootin'
I'm doin' some recruitin' to bring more troops in!
Nigga's don't be doin' what they 'posed to do
They'd rather post on the corner with a busta crew
Playin' games I used to play back in '79
With the same bullshit and the same old lie
If you want some residual, be individual
On a nigga nuts 'cause he rollin' in a '64?
Ya favorite line is, "Fuck ALL a y'all!"
But one day, there's gonna be a final call!
That's why I'm rollin' deep in the mother fucking Jeep
Always on the creep and my crew don't fall asleep
So pull your money out ya pocket and put it in the middle
This ain't no rooster ass Chicken George nigga on the fiddle, huh!
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
In my motha fuckin' self I trust...
When the Revolution come, I'ma be up front
With my finger on the trigger of a Mossberg Pump!
When the Revolution come, I'ma be right there
With my nine in the air and braids in my hair!
Way back in the days we used to sling 'em in the street
But now when nigga's get beat
They want to go and get they heat
Everybody know that you know how to kill, but
Tell me do you know how to let a nigga live?
I got a dream that maybe one day
Nigga's can fight, then walk away
I'm talkin' fisticuffs, put them pistols up, and
Shoot 'em from ya shoulders!
And show that you can hold yours!
I sing the song of the fight of the black man
In America, in a state of hysteria
No longer will I accept the second-rate
I plan to set the record straight, before I dissipate
It's the one-two combination punch to the throat
There's a hole in ya boat, bitch!
That's all she wrote!
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
In my motha fuckin' self I trust...
When the Revolution come, I'ma be up front
With my finger on the trigger of a Mossberg Pump!
When the Revolution come, I'ma be right there
With my nine in the air and braids in my hair!
When the Revolution come, I'ma be straight loc!
Going on in the gutter, pistol smoke!
The Revolution comes!
When The Revolution comes!
@MrBgood84
Hardest track on the album
@adilsondepina139
Strong music.
@michaeltorres4823
That beat is a slammer 90's sound π π
@DopeTVizionz
Most Underrated Track On This Masterpiece... No?
@johnnyb5412
Yes! Bright as the sun too
@michaelstafford5069
real talk. this county line and bright as the sun all bangers
@maryharris8723
Rest In Peace Coolio. Love You O.G.
@curtleyollivierre7671
one his best track...rip
@maryharris8723
@@curtleyollivierre7671 True
@Sidewinder2309
Rip