Don't
D-iolax Lyrics
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Up and ups just fine
Gonna up and up this life
Til' we're go down on our luck
It makes no difference in this life
Up and ups just fine
Gonna up and up this life
Lifting up, lifting up
Lifting up
Coming down, coming down
Coming down
Wake them up, wake them up
To the sound, yeah
They tell you pullover, tell you get out the car (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it
They wanna see your hands, tell you hold up your arms (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Right when you're alone
Waiting for your kid's
School bus to arrive (but you know)
They're gonna do it anyway
Reaching for your keys
Wait, is that your phone?
Got a TBI
Wait, is that police?
Get out for what?
I'm not your guy (but you know)
They're gonna do it anyway
Wife behind the trees
Tryna to tell you don't
They're about to fire
They're gonna do it anyway
They're gonna do it anyway
They're gonna do it anyway
They're gonna do it anyway
They tell you pullover, tell you get out the car (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it
They wanna see your hands, tell you hold up your arms (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it (Simon says)
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Whoa Ferguson, Oh Baltimore
Raleigh, North Carolina (but you know)
They're gonna do it anyway
Wisconsin, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Cleveland, Ohio
Montgomery, Baton Rouge, Cincinnati car
Dayton, Ohio (but you know)
They're gonna do it anyway
New York, New Jersey, Phoenix, Minnesota
South Carolina
They gonna do it anyway
They are gonna do it anyway
They are gonna do it anyway
They are gonna do it anyway
They are gonna do it anyway
You better duck, run fast from the mania
Don't stare, don't laugh at the media
Brake free, press gas when it enter ya'
Don't let it go bad when he ante up
Highway, get out the way
Black man do your great escape
Pac-man wanna prosecute you, raise your hand up, and they'll shoot ya'
Face off, face off Adolf Hitler
Grandkids slayed off
Niggas, same rules, same chalk
Different decade, same law
Keep focus, you wanna get caught with your eyes open
You wanna stay clear of the prognosis
Pride provoked him, watch demotion
Watch em' close enough
Don't let the holster bake or roast ya'
Rollercoaster ride that bitch
Soon the lady's eyes gon' switch
You know Johnny got that itch
How many more of us gotta see the coroner?
Slain by the same badge, stop, wait, brake, fast!
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Don't do it, don't don't do it
In DON'T, D-iolax explores themes of police brutality and racial profiling. The song starts with the lyrics "It makes no difference in this life, up and ups just fine" indicating that this world can be unfair and cruel, but people continue to strive for better things. The lyrics then shift to a commentary on the injustices faced by black people in America who are often targeted and harassed by the police. The first verse highlights the fear that accompanies routine traffic stops and how even following police instructions does not always guarantee safety. The second verse highlights the nationwide trend of police brutality against people of color in several states including Ferguson, Baltimore, and Milwaukee.
The chorus resounds the phrase, "They're gonna do it anyway" underlying the point that irrespective of following the rules or not, people of color are often unjustly treated and oppressed. The verses symbolically evoke the image of a rollercoaster ride, representing the ups and downs of life, but this is cut short by the fear of police brutality, symbolizing the fear of safety in a society supposedly built upon freedom.
The song is a reflective expression of the artist's personal experiences of a world corroded by oppression, discrimination, and injustice. It serves as a reminder of the systemic racism that persists in the world, and a call to action to dismantle this inherently uneven system.
Line by Line Meaning
It makes no difference in this life
The ups and downs of life are not important
Up and ups just fine
Being happy in life is like being on an upward trajectory
Gonna up and up this life
I will continue to strive for happiness in life
Til' the lift gets stuck
Until I can no longer continue to rise
They tell you pullover, tell you get out the car
Police officers may pull you over and ask you to exit your vehicle
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Don't comply with the police officer's demands
Right when you're alone
It can happen at any time, even when you're by yourself
They're gonna do it anyway
The police will still act even if you resist
They tell you pullover, tell you get out the car
The police can pull you over and ask you to step out of your vehicle
Whoa Ferguson, Oh Baltimore
Multiple cities have been affected by police brutality
They are gonna do it anyway
Police will continue to act even if it causes harm
You better duck, run fast from the mania
You need to protect yourself from the chaos of police brutality
Don't stare, don't laugh at the media
Don't believe everything you see or hear in the media
Different decade, same law
Police brutality has been happening for decades and nothing has changed
Don't let the holster bake or roast ya'
Don't let a police officer's gun cause harm to you
Rollercoaster ride that bitch
Life is like a rollercoaster
You know Johnny got that itch
Police officers are eager to use their weapons
How many more of us gotta see the coroner?
How many more black individuals must die from police brutality?
Don't do it, don't don't do it
Do not comply with the police's commands
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER BREAUX, KENDRICK LAMAR, PHARRELL L. WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind