The Gates
Da Vinci’s Notebook Lyrics


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Workin' on a laptop, close to the end
Of a job I've been doing since half past ten
I don't believe that it's frozen again
The system has gone down-o, down-o, down-o
I don't believe that it's frozen again
The system has gone down-o

So I took it down to the help desk guy
And I said "make it better or I'm gonna cry"
He said, "I'm sorry, your computer has died,
And the data can no longer be found-o, found-o, found-o"
He said, "I'm sorry your computer has died
The data can no longer be found-o"

To the roof with the laptop I did go
Over to the edge and I gave it a throw
And when it arrived seven stories below
It really made a mighty fine sound-o, sound-o, sound-o
And when it arrived seven stories below
It really made a mighty fine sound-o

Well, that didn't do enough to ease my pain
So I went down to dulles and I got on a plane
Sayin' "this is all billy gates's fault
And I'm gonna be trackin' him down-o, down-o, down-o"
Sayin' "this is all billy gates's fault
And I'm gonna be trackin' him down-o."


Touched down in seattle and got off the plane
Hit starbucks to get out of the rain
Paid all of my dough for a thimble of joe
Full o' foam and the cinnamon brown-o, brown-o, brown-o
Paid all of my dough for a thimble of joe
Full o' foam and the cinnamon brown-o

When the gates found out about my plan
He packed up his bag, turned tail and ran
Megalo-man took it out on the lam
And hid way underground-o, ground-o, ground-o
Megalo-man took it out on the lam
And hid way underground-o

Well the gates been a-runnin' ever since that day
He thinks he can hide but he can't get away
When I finally find his little skinny behind
Gonna kick it all over this town-o, town-o, town-o




When I finally find his little skinny behind
Gonna kick it all over this town

Overall Meaning

The Gates, by Da Vinci's Notebook, is a humorous song about a frustrating experience with a computer. The singer is working on his laptop when it freezes up for a second time. Infuriated, he takes it to the help desk, only to be told that his computer is dead and that his data can't be recovered. In a fit of rage, the singer throws his laptop off the roof of the building, enjoying the sound it makes when it hits the ground. This doesn't fully alleviate his frustration, so he decides to travel to Seattle to confront Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft. When Gates learns of the singer's plan, he goes into hiding, leading the singer to vow to "kick his little skinny behind" when he finds him.


The song is a satirical take on the frustrations of dealing with computers and technology. It is a lighthearted and funny way to explore the issues of technology, computing and their impact on daily life. Additionally, it showcases the desire for accountability when it comes to technology issues.


Line by Line Meaning

Workin' on a laptop, close to the end
I'm near the end of my work on the computer


Of a job I've been doing since half past ten
I've been working on this task for a while, since half past ten


I don't believe that it's frozen again
I can't imagine that the computer has frozen yet again


The system has gone down-o, down-o, down-o
The computer has crashed and is no longer working


So I took it down to the help desk guy
I brought the computer to the technician at the help desk


And I said "make it better or I'm gonna cry"
I pleaded with the technician to fix the computer or else I would cry


He said, "I'm sorry, your computer has died,
The technician apologized and informed me that the computer has died


And the data can no longer be found-o, found-o, found-o"
The data on the computer cannot be recovered


To the roof with the laptop I did go
I went up to the roof with the laptop in hand


Over to the edge and I gave it a throw
I threw the laptop off the edge of the roof


And when it arrived seven stories below
When the laptop hit the ground seven stories below


It really made a mighty fine sound-o, sound-o, sound-o
It made a loud and satisfying sound


Well, that didn't do enough to ease my pain
Throwing the computer off the roof did not relieve my frustration


So I went down to dulles and I got on a plane
I went to Dulles airport and boarded a plane


Sayin' "this is all billy gates's fault
Blaming Bill Gates for my computer problems


And I'm gonna be trackin' him down-o, down-o, down-o"
Determined to track him down


Touched down in seattle and got off the plane
Landed in Seattle and disembarked from the plane


Hit starbucks to get out of the rain
Went to Starbucks to avoid the rain


Paid all of my dough for a thimble of joe
Spent all my money on a tiny cup of coffee


Full o' foam and the cinnamon brown-o, brown-o, brown-o
The coffee was full of foam and cinnamon


When the gates found out about my plan
When Bill Gates heard about my intention to track him down


He packed up his bag, turned tail and ran
He fled in a hurry and left his belongings behind


Megalo-man took it out on the lam
The megalomaniac went into hiding


And hid way underground-o, ground-o, ground-o
And went into hiding underground


Well the gates been a-runnin' ever since that day
Bill Gates has been on the run ever since


He thinks he can hide but he can't get away
He believes he can escape, but he cannot


When I finally find his little skinny behind
Once I finally catch him


Gonna kick it all over this town-o, town-o, town-o
I'm going to teach him a lesson all over town




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE ROTHERAY, PAUL HEATON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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