My Mind Playin Tricks On Me
Geto Boys Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I sit alone in my four-cornered room staring at candles
"Cool out man, we in the Radio dukes"
We're in the Radio dukes
"yeah"
Ooh, alright, check this here

At night I can't sleep, I toss and turn
Candlesticks in the dark, visions of bodies bein' burned
Four walls closin' in gettin' bigger
I'm paranoid, sleepin' with my finger on the trigger
My mother's always stressin' I ain't livin' right
But I ain't going out without a fight
See, everytime my eyes close
I start sweatin' and blood starts comin' out my nose
There's somebody watchin' the Ack'
But I don't know who it is, so I'm watchin' my back
I can see him when I'm deep in the covers
When I awake I hear a call burnin' rubber
He owns a black hat like I own
A black suit and a cane like my own
Some might say, "Take a chill, B"
But I can't G, cause there's somebody trying to kill me
I'm poppin' in the clip when the wind blows
Every twenty seconds got me peepin' out my window
Investigatin' the joint for traps
Checkin' my telephone for taps
I'm starin' at the woman on the corner
It's messed up, when your mind is playin' tricks on you

I make big money, I drive big cars
Everybody know me, it's like I'm a movie star
But late at night, somethin' ain't right
I feel I'm being tailed by the same sucker's head lights
Is it that fool that I ran off the block?
Or is it that clown last week that I shot?
Or is it the one I beat for five thousand dollars
Thought he had caine but it was Gold Medal Flour
Reach under my seat, grabbed my popper for the suckers
Ain't no use to me lyin, I was scareder than a mother*****
Hooked a left into Pop eye's and bailed out quick
If it's goin' down, let's get this shit over with
Here they come, just like I figured
I got my hand on the chrome play the trigger
What I saw'll make your ass start gigglin'
Three black crippled and crazy senior citizens
I live by the sword
I take my boys everywhere I go, because I'm paranoid
I keep lookin' over my shoulder and peepin' around corners
My mind is playin' tricks on me

Day by day it's more impossible to cope
I feel like I'm the one that's doing dope
Can't keep a steady hand because I'm nervous
Every Sunday mornin' I'm in service
Prayin' for forgiveness
And tryin' to find an exit out the business
I know the Lord is lookin' at me
But yet and still it's hard for me to feel happy
I often drift while I drive
Havin' fatal thoughts of suicide
BANG and get it over with
And then I'm worry-free, but that's nonsense
I got a little boy to look after
And if I died then my child would be a bastard
I had a woman down with me
But to me it seems like she was down to get me
She helped me out in this
But to me she was just another chick
Now she's back with her mother
Now I'm realizing that I love her
Now I'm feelin' lonely
My mind is playin' tricks on me

This year Halloween fell on a weekend
Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin'
Robbin' little kids for bags
Till an old man got behind our rags
So we speeded up the pace
Took a look back, and he was right before our face
He'd be in for a squabble no doubt
So I swung and and tried to take him out
He was goin' down, we planned
But this wasn't no ordinary man
He stood about six or seven feet
Now, that's the creep I'd be seein' in my sleep
So we triple-teamed on him
Droppin' them 5th ward B's on him
The more I swung the more blood flew
Then he disappeared and my boys disappeared too
Then I felt just like a fiend
It wasn't even close to Halloween
It was dark as death on the streets
My hands were all bloody from punchings on the concrete




God damn, homie
My mind is playin' tricks on me

Overall Meaning

The Geto Boys' "My Mind Playin Tricks on Me" is a narrative about the anxiety, paranoia, and delusions of a man living in the ghetto of Houston. The song reference motifs of horror movies – candles in the dark, visions of bodies being burned, and the appearance of someone who could only be a monster – that create a particularly eerie, visceral effect. The lyrics masterfully play with a sense of being perpetually watched and attacked. The singer is seemingly all alone and drowning in these feelings.


With his fingers on the trigger, he lives in a hyper-vigilant state, assuring himself that everyone he sees outside is out to kill him, the sunburned woman on the corner, the old guy at the candy shop, and even his girlfriend. He oscillates between self-awareness - he knows some of his fears are irrational- and complete madness. The refrain "my mind is playing tricks on me" suggests that, as the title implies, the singer knows that his perceptions are distorted and are affecting his psyche, but he cannot find a way out. As paranoia takes control, the singer realizes that no matter how cautious he might be, danger still surrounds him.


While "My Mind Playin Tricks on Me" does not paint a rosy picture of the inner workings of someone's mind, it's a poignant depiction of adversity in Black America. The lyrics resonated with a lot of people and are still regarded as a classic rap song today.


Line by Line Meaning

I sit alone in my four-cornered room staring at candles
The singer is alone in their room with only candles for light and they are contemplating their thoughts.


"Cool out man, we in the Radio dukes" We're in the Radio dukes "yeah" Ooh, alright, check this here
The singer is calming down and getting ready to start the song.


At night I can't sleep, I toss and turn
The singer has trouble sleeping and is restless when they try to sleep.


Candlesticks in the dark, visions of bodies bein' burned
The artist can see disturbing images in the dark, such as bodies being burnt.


Four walls closin' in gettin' bigger
The walls in the room appear to be getting closer and the artist is feeling trapped.


I'm paranoid, sleepin' with my finger on the trigger
The singer is so paranoid that they sleep with their finger on the trigger of a gun.


My mother's always stressin' I ain't livin' right
The singer's mother is constantly nagging them about their lifestyle choices.


But I ain't going out without a fight
The artist refuses to let anyone take them down without a fight.


See, everytime my eyes close I start sweatin' and blood starts comin' out my nose
The artist has hallucinations and physical reactions when they close their eyes, indicating severe paranoia and stress.


There's somebody watchin' the Ack' But I don't know who it is, so I'm watchin' my back
The artist feels like they're being followed or watched, which is causing them to be hyper-vigilant.


I can see him when I'm deep in the covers When I awake I hear a call burnin' rubber
The singer sees their stalker in their dreams and hears them leaving quickly when they wake up.


He owns a black hat like I own A black suit and a cane like my own
The stalker has similar clothing to the artist, which makes it hard to identify them.


Some might say, "Take a chill, B" But I can't G, cause there's somebody trying to kill me
People may tell the singer to calm down, but they can't because they believe someone is trying to kill them.


I'm poppin' in the clip when the wind blows Every twenty seconds got me peepin' out my window
The singer has a gun ready and keeps checking the windows every twenty seconds in case someone is coming to get them.


Investigatin' the joint for traps Checkin' my telephone for taps
The singer is searching for any traps or taps that may have been set up by their stalker.


I'm starin' at the woman on the corner It's messed up, when your mind is playin' tricks on you
The artist is paranoid to such an extent that they are even suspicious of people who aren't related to them.


I make big money, I drive big cars Everybody know me, it's like I'm a movie star
Despite the artist's money and status, they still feel threatened and insecure.


But late at night, somethin' ain't right I feel I'm being tailed by the same sucker's head lights
Even though everything seems fine during the day, the singer feels like someone is following them at night.


Is it that fool that I ran off the block? Or is it that clown last week that I shot?
The singer wonders if people they crossed in the past may be the ones following them now.


Or is it the one I beat for five thousand dollars Thought he had caine but it was Gold Medal Flour
The artist thinks that someone they cheated may be the one following them, but they realize that it may be someone else entirely.


Reach under my seat, grabbed my popper for the suckers Ain't no use to me lyin, I was scareder than a mother*****
The artist grabs their gun for protection and admits to being scared.


Hooked a left into Pop eye's and bailed out quick If it's goin' down, let's get this shit over with
The artist takes a sharp turn and bails out quickly, hoping to confront their stalker.


Here they come, just like I figured I got my hand on the chrome play the trigger
The stalker(s) finally confront the singer and they prepare to use their gun.


What I saw'll make your ass start gigglin' Three black crippled and crazy senior citizens
The artist realizes that their stalker(s) were actually innocent, helpless seniors, which is a comical realization.


I live by the sword I take my boys everywhere I go, because I'm paranoid
The singer is always prepared for danger and often has their friends with them for protection.


I keep lookin' over my shoulder and peepin' around corners My mind is playin' tricks on me
The singer can't shake off the feeling of being watched and is always looking out for danger, but they know that their paranoia is causing them to see things that aren't really there.


Day by day it's more impossible to cope I feel like I'm the one that's doing dope
The singer is struggling to deal with their paranoia and feels like it's consuming them, making them feel like they're on drugs.


Can't keep a steady hand because I'm nervous Every Sunday mornin' I'm in service
The artist is so nervous that they can't keep their hand steady and they attend church on Sundays to seek comfort.


Prayin' for forgiveness And tryin' to find an exit out the business
The artist is seeking forgiveness and looking for a way out of their dangerous lifestyle.


I know the Lord is lookin' at me But yet and still it's hard for me to feel happy
The singer feels guilty about their actions and lifestyle, but they still can't find happiness.


I often drift while I drive Havin' fatal thoughts of suicide
The singer has thoughts of suicide while driving and often loses focus while doing so.


BANG and get it over with And then I'm worry-free, but that's nonsense
The artist considers ending their life to free themselves from their paranoia, but they realize that it's not the answer.


I got a little boy to look after And if I died then my child would be a bastard
The artist feels a sense of responsibility towards their child and doesn't want to leave them alone in the world.


I had a woman down with me But to me it seems like she was down to get me
The artist used to have a partner who they thought was supportive, but now they feel like they were only using them for their own gain.


She helped me out in this But to me she was just another chick
Although the woman helped the singer, they don't see her as anything more than a random woman.


Now she's back with her mother Now I'm realizing that I love her
The woman is now gone and the artist is realizing that they actually loved her all along.


Now I'm feelin' lonely My mind is playin' tricks on me
Even though the singer has realized their feelings, the woman is gone and they still feel lonely and paranoid.


This year Halloween fell on a weekend Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin'
The singer and their friends, Geto Boys, went trick-or-treating on Halloween, which was on a weekend that year.


Robbin' little kids for bags Till an old man got behind our rags
The singer and their friends were stealing candy from kids until an old man caught them.


So we speeded up the pace Took a look back, and he was right before our face
The artist and their friends tried to run away from the old man, but he caught up to them quickly.


He'd be in for a squabble no doubt So I swung and and tried to take him out
The artist was ready to fight the old man and tried to attack him.


He was goin' down, we planned But this wasn't no ordinary man
The singer thought they would easily win the fight, but the old man was tougher than they expected.


He stood about six or seven feet Now, that's the creep I'd be seein' in my sleep
The old man was unnaturally tall and appeared to be the same person the singer had been dreaming about.


So we triple-teamed on him Droppin' them 5th ward B's on him
The artist and their friends, the 5th Ward Boys, attacked the old man together.


The more I swung the more blood flew Then he disappeared and my boys disappeared too
The artist kept hitting the old man, but he kept fighting back, and eventually, everyone disappeared, indicating that the scene was a hallucination.


Then I felt just like a fiend It wasn't even close to Halloween
The artist realizes that they were in a paranoid state and were hallucinating, and it wasn't even Halloween anymore.


It was dark as death on the streets My hands were all bloody from punchings on the concrete
The singer was so paranoid that they were on the streets at night and attacking people, which left their hands bloody.


God damn, homie My mind is playin' tricks on me
The artist curses and realizes that their paranoia is causing them to have vivid hallucinations and lose touch with reality.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ISAAC HAYES, BRAD JORDAN, WILLIE DENNIS, DOUG KING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@chrissyjo420

@@chiefkeef6405 hey man, I really don't mean to diss you but you got it all wrong. If you count out modern rap you're missing out on some amazing storytelling and poetry. Here are some of my favorite songs in that respect, please check some out you'll love it man
Story 2 - clipping. (or any of their shit, they have an entire fucking album about a runaway slave on a slave spaceship, and the ship falling in love with him. one of their latest singles actually samples Mind Playing Tricks on Me)
Up My Sleeves- Death Grips
Wesley's Theory- Kendrick
God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It- Backxwash
Shattered Dreams- Earl Sweatshirt
When it Rain- Danny Brown
Thursday in the Danger Room- Run the Jewels
Reborn- Kanye West & Kid Cudi
Queer- Brockhampton
Casket Pretry- noname



All comments from YouTube:

@BDeity

1st verse: Delusion
2nd verse: Paranoia
3rd verse: Regret
4th verse: Blackout
The true stages of grief.

@raleighwashington601

True

@optimaprime8970

Facts

@hassancruz3513

You sums it all 👌🏾

@ToneSupreme

Bro Grief is Denial,Anger,Bargaining,Depression, Acceptance 😂😂😂😂

@optimaprime8970

@@ToneSupreme everyone interprets the process differently. Especially through song. Not everything fits clinical description. Obviously 250 plus people agree so he can't be that far off the mark.

96 More Replies...

@isaacpeachey8609

This song is really ahead of it’s time lyrically. When most rappers would laugh at the flaws and weaknesses of others, these guys were talking about real mental health problems.

@Super000x000

It is also because is one of the first songs about something that rappers started to talked about way later.

@jy5254

This a classic tweaker song

@russellgordon6716

Fuu

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