What It's Like
Everlast Lyrics

We've all seen a man at the liquor store beggin' for your change
We have witnessed a man at the alcohol shop, pleading for us to offer him some money.

The hair on his face is dirty, dread-locked, and full of mange
His facial hair is dirty, twisted into dreadlocks, and filled with mangy patches.

He asks a man for what he could spare, with shame in his eyes
He requests some spare change from a man, while feeling guilty.

"Get a job you fucking slob," is all he replies
The man responds with a rude remark, asking him to find a job.

God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
It is a terrible thing if you were ever to experience the same situation as him or be in his shoes, as it is truly difficult.

'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues
Then, you would understand what it feels like to suffer and feel hopeless.

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom that said he was in love
Mary became pregnant after Tom, whom she trusted and loved, claimed he was in love with her.

He said, "Don't worry about a thing, baby doll, I'm the man you've been dreaming of"
He reassured her, saying she should not worry and that he was the man of her dreams.

Three months later he say he won't date her or return her calls
After three months passed, he refused to date her or call her back, leaving her feeling hurt and betrayed.

And she swear, "Goddamn, if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls"
She fiercely swore that if she ever found him, she would castrate him in anger.

And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walking through the door
She went to the clinic to abort the baby but faced criticism and judgement from others as she walked in.

They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner and they call her a whore
They denounced her as a murderer, a sinner, and a prostitute.

God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
It is a terrible thing if you ever have to experience the same situation as her, because it is a difficult decision.

'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
Then, you would understand what it feels like to make a hard decision, and be judged for it.

I've seen a rich man beg
The singer has witnessed a wealthy person humbly ask for money.

I've seen a good man sin
The artist has observed a virtuous person commit a sin.

I've seen a tough man cry
The artist has witnessed a strong person weep in sadness.

I've seen a loser win
The singer has seen someone who appeared to be a failure become successful.

And a sad man grin
The singer has observed a depressed person smiling.

I heard an honest man lie (uh)
The artist has heard an ethical person tell a lie.

I've seen the good side of bad
The artist has noticed positivity in adverse situations.

And the downside of up
The artist has experienced negativity in typically positive circumstances.

And everything between
The singer has encountered various situations and emotions, both good and bad.

I licked the silver spoon
The artist has experienced a privileged upbringing and lifestyle.

Drank from the golden cup and smoked the finest green
The singer has indulged in extravagance, such as consuming expensive alcohol and drugs.

Stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times
The singer has had some success with attractive women.

Before I broke their heart
However, the singer has hurt these women's emotions.

You know where it ends, yo, it usually depends on where you start
The outcome of situations depends on the beginning, the starting point.

(I knew) this kid named Max
The artist knew a young person named Max.

Who used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
Max used to earn significant amounts of money by selling drugs on the street corner.

He liked to hang out late
He enjoyed staying out late.

He liked to get shit-faced and keep the pace with thugs
He enjoyed drinking alcohol and trying to keep up with dangerous people.

Until late one night, there was a big gunfight and Max lost his head
One late evening, a violent gunfight erupted, and Max was tragically killed.

He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit, and wound up dead
Max tried to defend himself using his gun, but he ended up getting killed.

Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of this pain
Max's family is now suffering through immense heartbreak and agony in the aftermath of his death.

You know it comes that way, at least that's what they say when you play the game
People often say that unfortunate events are a likely outcome when you try to make it big.

God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
It is a horrible thing if one day you wake up to receive some terrible news.

'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
Then, you would understand what it truly feels like to suffer a loss.