Son of a Gun
Dumbfoundead Lyrics
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And they don′t come to play, they come to take your life away, yeah
Watch what you're saying, watch what you're doing
The who′s in front of you, when you don′t have a clue you better check it
Cause you don't know who′s ready to press it
I said you just don't know
What you see in your lifetime
Blood dripping down to the gutters of your drains
Screaming yelling a women utterly in pain
A boy and a girl just watching a boxing match
The boy had to let the cops in to lock his ass up
Cuffed in the back seat looking at his drunken ass
I wanted to sock his ass up
Momma went crazy and lost her mind
Lady that you never thought would pop a nine
Revenge on her mind all our poppa′s crimes
The drunken abuse and his concubines
Make a housewife go columbine
The gun was my uncle's, saw him all the time
Smith and Wesson like distant relatives
Came and visited put us all in line
Tired of shit
Momma′s conscience saying fire that shit
Devil on her shoulder like "I insist"
All them times of flying fists
Nights filled with tears of them crying kids
Fighting inside of the lions den
Go ahead and pull the trigger on the count of ten
9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, never again
Hot shells falling down on the floor
Like little rose petals, she loves me or loves me not
Memories of my own war
Bang bang and the think tank go bye bye
You think you're thunder but this is black rain
When it rains it pours let it drop drop drop drop
These are the stories that I take to my grave
Shoot a few rounds in the sky when I die
When the guns come running out, they don't care if it′s a sunny day, yeah
And they don′t come to play, they come to take your life away, yeah
Watch what you're saying, watch what you′re doing
The who's in front of you, when you don′t have a clue you better check it
Cause you don't know who′s ready to press it
I said you just don't know
What you see in your lifetime
Ever seen your homie rob a store and shoot the damn owner in the face
Fifty bucks in the register, damn what a waste
Caught up in the crossfire while po-po's chase
Turn four fours until you can′t go no place
Gotta give it up now, man you lost this race
Caught a big fat case, twenty-five to a lifer
Now he′s in a cell where it ain't that safe
Twenty years pass, he′s a lot older, whole lot colder
Can't stop won′t stop, code of the streets
All he knows is, holding the heat
On parole he's released, and the first thing he does is
Go to his peeps, and he sold him a peace
A nine millimeter that′ll blow you to pieces
Bring you closer to Jesus
Now he's close to losing his freedom
Oh no, he rolls to the same store
Where he gave that old man a halo
Same ol' like the job before
But he had no idea who he was robbing though
The son of the man that he shot before
When he told him to go ahead and pop the drawer
He reached for the shotgun and shot a hole
Into the head of the gunman, he lost his soul
When the guns come running out, they don′t care if it′s a sunny day, yeah
And they don't come to play, they come to take your life away, yeah
Watch what you′re saying, watch what you're doing
The who′s in front of you, when you don't have a clue you better check it
Cause you don′t know who's ready to press it
I said you just don't know
In this song, Dumbfoundead paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of gun violence. He warns the listener to be cautious of their surroundings and those in front of them because they never know who might be ready to pull the trigger. The first verse discusses the indiscriminate nature of guns - they don't care if it's a sunny day or who they harm, they come to take lives without hesitation. Dumbfoundead advises people to be careful about what they say and do because they might unknowingly provoke someone who is armed. He emphasizes that it's important to be aware of who is in front of you because anyone could be ready to press the trigger.
The second verse shares a personal experience of witnessing domestic violence between his parents. He also recounts a story of a mother seeking revenge for her husband's abuse and infidelity. The gun used in her act of revenge belonged to Dumbfoundead's uncle, and the lyrics illustrate how guns can tear families apart and lead to devastating consequences. The final verse tells the story of a man who commits a robbery and ends up killing an innocent man. He is sentenced to prison and upon release, seeks out his old gang connections and ends up getting killed by the son of the man he killed during the robbery.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the dangers and destructive power of guns. It calls for greater awareness and understanding of the consequences of gun violence.
Line by Line Meaning
When the guns come running out, they don′t care if it's a sunny day, yeah
Guns are indiscriminate and don't care about the weather or any other factor when they're used.
And they don′t come to play, they come to take your life away, yeah
Guns are not toys and their sole purpose is to end human life.
Watch what you're saying, watch what you're doing
Be aware of your surroundings and your behavior, as it may inadvertently lead to violence.
The who′s in front of you, when you don′t have a clue you better check it
Be vigilant about who is around you, especially when you're not sure of their intentions.
Cause you don't know who′s ready to press it
There may be someone around you who is ready and willing to pull the trigger at any moment.
What you see in your lifetime
The things we witness throughout our lives can have a lasting effect on our thoughts and actions.
Ever see your pops strike down, your mother on the face
Witnessing domestic violence between parents can be traumatic and leave lasting emotional scars.
Blood dripping down to the gutters of your drains
The aftermath of violent incidents can be gruesome and leave a lasting impression on the witnesses.
Screaming yelling a women utterly in pain
The sounds of someone in excruciating pain can be haunting and cause lasting emotional distress.
A boy and a girl just watching a boxing match
Children who witness violent acts, even if it's in a controlled setting like a boxing match, can be negatively impacted.
The boy had to let the cops in to lock his ass up
When someone you know commits a crime, it can put you in a difficult position and force you to make tough decisions.
Tired of shit
Being constantly exposed to violence can leave you feeling drained and emotionally exhausted.
Momma’s conscience saying fire that shit
A mother's instinct to protect her family can sometimes lead to dangerous decisions.
Devil on her shoulder like “I insist”
The temptation to seek revenge and resort to violence can be a constant struggle.
Nights filled with tears of them crying kids
Children who are exposed to violence can be deeply affected and suffer from emotional trauma.
Fighting inside of the lions den
Living in a violent household can feel like being trapped in a dangerous environment.
Go ahead and pull the trigger on the count of ten
The violence and trauma can make someone feel like taking their own life is the only way out.
9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, never again
Counting down to try and find the strength to overcome the cycle of violence and never allow it to happen again.
Hot shells falling down on the floor
The physical remnants of gun violence can be seen in spent shell casings on the ground.
Like little rose petals, she loves me or loves me not
The romanticized idea of plucking flower petals to determine if someone loves you is juxtaposed against the violent reality of spent shell casings.
Memories of my own war
The singer has personal experience with the traumatic effects of violence and gun culture.
Bang bang and the think tank go bye bye
The idea of rational thought goes out the window in a violent situation where guns are involved.
You think you're thunder but this is black rain
The glamourization of violence and gun culture is contrasted with the harsh reality and aftermath of violent incidents.
When it rains it pours let it drop drop drop drop
The use of guns and the resulting violence can have a ripple effect and impact many people.
These are the stories that I take to my grave
The trauma and memories associated with violence and gun culture can stay with someone for their entire life.
Shoot a few rounds in the sky when I die
The violent culture and love of guns is so deeply ingrained that even after death, it is still part of the narrative.
Ever seen your homie rob a store and shoot the damn owner in the face
The glorification of gun culture and violence can lead to criminal activity and tragic outcomes.
Fifty bucks in the register, damn what a waste
The disregard for human life and the consequences of violent actions are highlighted in the trivialization of taking only fifty dollars from a store robbery.
Caught up in the crossfire while po-po's chase
Innocent bystanders can find themselves in danger and become victims of violence as a result of criminal activity.
Gotta give it up now, man you lost this race
The consequences of criminal activity and violence can be severe and result in long prison sentences.
Caught a big fat case, twenty-five to a lifer
The harsh reality of the justice system and the consequences of violent criminal activity are highlighted.
Can't stop won't stop, code of the streets
Even after being incarcerated, the violent culture of the streets and the glorification of guns and violence continues to have a hold on some individuals.
All he knows is, holding the heat
The glorification of gun culture and violence can lead to an individual feeling it's the only way of life they know or understand.
On parole he's released, and the first thing he does is
The cycle of violent behavior can be perpetuated even after being released from prison.
Go to his peeps, and he sold him a peace
The culture of guns and violence can provide a source of income and a way to establish oneself as a powerful figure.
A nine millimeter that′ll blow you to pieces
The destructive power of guns is highlighted and the fact that they can cause irreparable damage.
Bring you closer to Jesus
The reality of gun violence- that it can be deadly and cause someone to face their own mortality- is starkly contrasted with the romanticization and glorification of gun culture.
Now he's close to losing his freedom
The consequences of violent criminal activity can result in losing one's freedom and facing long prison sentences.
Oh no, he rolls to the same store
The idea of returning to the scene of a previous violent act is highlighted and sets up for the conclusion of the story.
Where he gave that old man a halo
The previous violent crime that took place at the store is now shown to have tragic consequences.
Same ol′ like the job before
The cycle of violence and criminal activity continues for some individuals, becoming a way of life that seems impossible to escape.
But he had no idea who he was robbing though
The consequences of violent actions can have unexpected outcomes and cause severe harm to innocent people.
The son of the man that he shot before
The shocking realization that the person he is robbing is related to the person he previously shot adds tragedy and irony to the story.
When he told him to go ahead and pop the drawer
The singer illustrates how the glorification of violence and gun culture can be perpetuated and repeated by those caught up in the cycle.
He reached for the shotgun and shot a hole
The violent and tragic conclusion to the story shows how the culture of violence and gun culture can lead to deadly outcomes.
Into the head of the gunman, he lost his soul
The devastating and irreversible impact of gun violence is shown, leaving both the shooter and their victim with lasting damage.
Writer(s): Jonathan Edgar Park
Contributed by Gabriella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.