Edward Fletcher, aka Duke Bootee, could have justifiably received top billing for "The Message" (1982), a Top Five Hot Black Singles hit -- credited to Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five -- that manifested hip-hop's potential as a medium for sociopolitical commentary. Fletcher wasn't merely the featured MC beside Melle Mel, as the label on the Sugar Hill 12" single noted. He came up with the idea for the track, co-wrote and co-produced it, and performed most of its funk instrumentation, almost single-handedly illuminating the link between rap music and visionary street reporters such as the Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron. Fletcher went on to release an album as Duke Bootee, Bust Me Out (1984), but was soon out of the music industry. By the time "The Message" had been sampled on dozens of tracks including Ice Cube's "Check Yo Self [Remix]" and Puff Daddy's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," he was deeply invested in what proved to be a long career as an educator.
8th WonderBorn and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Edward Gernel Fletcher -- the musician who became known as Duke Bootee -- learned to play drums and xylophone as a youngster. He was in bands while attending Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, and continued with other groups after he returned to his birth state with a degree in English. After he picked up his first credits as a percussionist on recordings by Edwin Starr and Crown Heights Affair, Fletcher linked with pioneering hip-hop label Sugar Hill Records and started recording and performing with some of their acts. His first co-writing credit appeared beneath "Funk Box," the first song on Sugarhill Gang's 1981 album 8th Wonder. Shortly thereafter, Sugar Hill issued "The Message," a single credited to Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five that listed Melle Mel and Fletcher's new alias, Duke Bootee, as the featured artists. Despite the secondary designation, Fletcher devised the concept for the song, wrote it -- with friend Jiggs Chase, Melle Mel, and Sugar Hill boss Sylvia Robinson all credited after him -- and played everything on it but guitar. "The Message" entered Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart in July 1982 and eventually peaked at number four. It crossed into the Hot 100 and reached number 62. The sequel "Message II (Survival)," credited to Melle Mel & Duke Bootee, was out by the end of the year and topped out at number 32 on Hot Black Singles. In early 1983, Mel and Duke took Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five to number 17 on the same chart with "New York New York."
The MessageContent to stay out of the picture -- he didn't appear on the sleeve of The Message, and the Furious Five's Rahiem lip synced his vocals in clips for "The Message," "Message II (Survival)," and "New York New York" -- Fletcher nonetheless signed with Mercury, home to Kurtis Blow, to proceed with proper Duke Bootee solo recordings. Joined by Jiggs Chase, Sugar Hill associates such as Dennis Chambers, Doug Wimbish, Skip McDonald, and Keith LeBlanc, as well as Vernon Reid and many others, Fletcher cut the album Bust Me Out. The LP was released in 1984 and featured the charting electro-funk single "Live Wire (I Want a Girl That Sweats)." Fletcher then took part in Steven Van Zandt and Arthur Baker's protest group Artists United Against Apartheid, with whom he recorded "Sun City," and in 1986 released the Duke Bootee single "Broadway" on his own label, Beauty and the Beat (which had issued Word of Mouth's "King Kut," among other 12" singles). That was it for Duke. Fletcher bailed from the business, earned master's degrees in media studies and education, and went into teaching. His work culminated in lecturing at Savannah State College in Georgia, where he remained for a decade. He died of heart failure in 2021.
The Message
Duke Bootee Lyrics
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It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Broken glass everywhere
People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care
I can't take the smell, can't take the noise
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
I tried to get away but I couldn't get far
'Cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Standin' on the front stoop, hangin' out the window
Watchin' all the cars go by, roarin' as the breezes blow
Crazy lady, livin' in a bag
Eatin' outta garbage pails, used to be a fag hag
Said she'll dance the tango, skip the light fandango
A Zircon princess seemed to lost her senses
Down at the peep show watchin' all the creeps
So she can tell her stories to the girls back home
She went to the city and got so-so siditty
She had to get a pimp, she couldn't make it on her own
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
My brother's doin' bad, stole my mother's TV
Says she watches too much, it's just not healthy
All My Children in the daytime, Dallas at night
Can't even see the game or the Sugar Ray fight
The bill collectors, they ring my phone
And scare my wife when I'm not home
Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
Can't take the train to the job, there's a strike at the station
Neon King Kong standin' on my back
Can't stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
A mid-range migraine, cancered membrane
Sometimes I think I'm goin' insane
I swear I might hijack a plane
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
A child is born with no state of mind
Blind to the ways of mankind
God is smilin' on you but he's frownin' too
Because only God knows what you'll go through
You'll grow in the ghetto livin' second-rate
And your eyes will sing a song called deep hate
The places you play and where you stay
Looks like one great big alleyway
You'll admire all the number-book takers
Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money-makers
Drivin' big cars, spendin' twenties and tens
And you'll wanna grow up to be just like them
Huh, smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers
Pickpocket peddlers, even panhandlers
You say I'm cool, huh, I'm no fool
But then you wind up droppin' outta high school
Now you're unemployed, all non-void
Walkin' round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd
Turned stick-up kid, but look what you done did
Got sent up for a eight-year bid
Now your manhood is took and you're a Maytag
Spend the next two years as a undercover fag
Bein' used and abused to serve like hell
'Til one day, you was found hung dead in the cell
It was plain to see that your life was lost
You was cold and your body swung back and forth
But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Duke Bootee's "The Message" is a commentary on the struggles that people in poverty-stricken and crime-infested areas face in their daily lives. The first verse depicts the terrible living conditions, with broken glass and undesirable smells, as well as the danger posed by junkies with a baseball bat. The singer in the song finds himself in a situation where he has no choice but to stay in a bad situation because he doesn't have enough money to move. He feels overwhelmed and at the brink of a breakdown because of all the negative stimuli around him that threaten his well-being. The famous refrain, "Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge," is a warning to anyone who would dare to threaten his fragile state.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like a jungle sometimes
Living in this environment is so chaotic and difficult
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's overwhelming and makes me question my ability to survive
Broken glass everywhere
Dangerous and broken environment
People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care
Lack of decency and respect for the living space
I can't take the smell, can't take the noise
The environment is unbearable
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
No means of escaping the situation
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
Infestation of vermin in the living space
Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
Drug use and violence present in the area
I tried to get away but I couldn't get far
Failed attempt to leave the area
'Cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car
Lost transportation, making it difficult to leave
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm emotionally fragile and can't handle any additional stress
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
I'm trying to stay sane in this crazy environment
Standin' on the front stoop, hangin' out the window
Trying to escape the four walls of the living space
Watchin' all the cars go by, roarin' as the breezes blow
Finding solace in observing the outside world
Crazy lady, livin' in a bag
Mentally ill and homeless individual
Eatin' outta garbage pails, used to be a fag hag
Resorting to eating from trash and used to have connections with the LGBTQ+ community at one point
Said she'll dance the tango, skip the light fandango
She has delusional aspirations despite her living situation
A Zircon princess seemed to lost her senses
Someone of low status who believes they are royalty and has lost touch with reality
Down at the peep show watchin' all the creeps
Participating in degrading activities to make a living
So she can tell her stories to the girls back home
Trying to make her living situation seem better to those who she used to know
She went to the city and got so-so siditty
Moved to the city with hopes of doing better but ended up disappointed
She had to get a pimp, she couldn't make it on her own
She resorted to prostitution for financial survival
My brother's doin' bad, stole my mother's TV
Family members are resorting to illegal activities due to financial struggles
Says she watches too much, it's just not healthy
Another family member expressing concern about the living situation
All My Children in the daytime, Dallas at night
Watching television is the only source of entertainment
Can't even see the game or the Sugar Ray fight
Lack of access to even basic entertainment
The bill collectors, they ring my phone
Debt collectors adding to the stress of the living situation
And scare my wife when I'm not home
Negative impact of the living situation on personal relationships
Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
Lack of opportunity due to poor education and economic struggles
Can't take the train to the job, there's a strike at the station
Even simple things like commuting to work are impossible due to external factors
Neon King Kong standin' on my back
The pressure of the living situation is overwhelming
Can't stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
Physical injuries as a result of living in a dangerous environment
A mid-range migraine, cancered membrane
Physical and mental health issues due to the living situation
Sometimes I think I'm goin' insane
The mental toll of living in such a difficult environment
I swear I might hijack a plane
Desperate measures may be taken to escape the situation
A child is born with no state of mind
A child is born with no preconceived notions about the world
Blind to the ways of mankind
Naive and ignorant to the harsh realities of the world
God is smilin' on you but he's frownin' too
Conflicting feelings about what the future holds for the child
Because only God knows what you'll go through
No one knows what the future holds, and it could be difficult
You'll grow in the ghetto livin' second-rate
Growing up in a difficult environment with limited opportunities
And your eyes will sing a song called deep hate
Growing up with anger and resentment towards the world
The places you play and where you stay
Living space and recreational areas are one and the same
Looks like one great big alleyway
The environment is run-down and looks like a dangerous alley
You'll admire all the number-book takers
Looking up to those who have found success in illegal activities
Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money-makers
People who have found success through illegal means
Drivin' big cars, spendin' twenties and tens
Showing off wealth through material possessions
And you'll wanna grow up to be just like them
Aspiring to gain success and wealth through illegal means
Huh, smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers
Describing various illegal activities that people aspire to participate in for success
Pickpocket peddlers, even panhandlers
Describing various levels of poverty and crime that people will go through to survive
You say I'm cool, huh, I'm no fool
Desperately trying to fit in with those who have found success
But then you wind up droppin' outta high school
Despite aspirations, lacking the means to gain an education
Now you're unemployed, all non-void
Unable to find work despite trying
Walkin' round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd
Falsely thinking you are better than those around you
Turned stick-up kid, but look what you done did
Resorting to illegal activities as a means of survival
Got sent up for a eight-year bid
Facing the consequences of illegal actions
Now your manhood is took and you're a Maytag
Losing respect and dignity as a result of being incarcerated
Spend the next two years as a undercover fag
Participating in dangerous and harmful activities as a means of survival in prison
Bein' used and abused to serve like hell
Being taken advantage of and mistreated in prison
'Til one day, you was found hung dead in the cell
The harsh reality of the consequences of illegal activities and living in a dangerous environment
It was plain to see that your life was lost
A tragic ending to a difficult life
You was cold and your body swung back and forth
A tragic and violent ending
But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song
Reflecting on a life filled with hardship and difficulties
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
A life lived with desperation and hardships, leading to an early death
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Clifton Nathaniel Chase, Edward G. Fletcher, Melvin Glover, Sylvia Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind