Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced flow, and his stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs.
Ghostface Killah was raised in the Stapleton housing projects in Staten Island, New York. In his autobiographical song "All That I Got Is You", Ghost tells the story of his childhood. He raps about how he grew up in a three bedroom apartment without his father, who left him at the age of six. Apparently, his mother had nine children.
His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film Mystery of Chessboxing.
He was also a close friend of the three founding members of Wu-tang clan
On My Knees
Ghostface Killah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And apologize to you (if you really loved me you would've stayed with me)
(And apologized to me, that's all I asked for) 'cause that ain't my style
(Well let me hear what you had to say earlier)
I remember how we met it was on the train
How could I forget you smiled and looked at me
The soft of your lips, they captured me
And then we sat, down together
You gave me your number, said give me a call
I thought I wouldn't call at all
Here we are fell in love like hand to glove
Pure bliss from above
Now all we seem to do is fuss and fight
We never seem to get it right
See, there's too much fire, so much desire
So it took a little time to take me higher
I'm sorry if I hurt you and I went astray
I guess we gotta call it a day
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I remember one night when we were home alone
You were on the sofa, I was on the phone
You overheard me call out my best friend's name
That's when you went crazy, started going insane
Grabbed the phone from my hand
Backed me against the wall
Shouting and asking who was on the call
You wouldn't believe me when I said it's just a friend
That's when all the madness began
You kept yelling wild, I fell to the floor
Crying in hysteria can't try w'you no more
I knew you had a temper, I wish I didn't see it
You wanted me to be faithful, I told you I could be it
But that didn't stop you from putting your hands on my face
You simply said you had to put me in my place
At the end of every tunnel there's always a light
And the door, it sure looks right
That's why
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
He's got you begging on your knees
Crying in your sleep, making you believe him
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
He's got you begging on your knees
Crying in your sleep, making you believe him
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
Yo, heh, yo I asked you to calm down
Asked you who was on the phone, put the horn down
You had a glass of wine, a Versace nightgown, a lime-green one
That I bought you for your trip from the cruise you won
I don't want to fool with those male friends
I told you back then when we first got together
I don't trust those men and you did it again
I lost my temper, laid down and wrecked the house boo
That's all I can remember, I'm sorry
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees
And apologize to you
'Cause that ain't my style
In "On My Knees", Ghostface Killah is recounting a tumultuous relationship that had its ups and downs. The song is a duet with The 411, and their vocals beautifully complement each other. Ghostface Killah's rap verses provide a visceral portrayal of the couple's arguments and the underlying issues in their relationship. Meanwhile, The 411's chorus adds a layer of softness and vulnerability to the song.
The opening lines of the song show Ghostface Killah's reluctance to apologize to his partner. He believes that it is not his style, and he thinks that his partner should also apologize to him. However, as the song unfolds, he admits his mistakes and apologizes for his behavior, especially the incident where he lost his temper and wrecked the house. The song's message is that relationships are complicated and often challenging, but communication and understanding are vital to make them work.
Overall, "On My Knees" is a gripping song that showcases Ghostface Killah's storytelling gift and The 411's vocal talents. The song's themes of love, betrayal, and forgiveness are universal and relatable to anyone who has been in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't fall down on my knees
I refuse to submit myself to you
And apologize to you
I won't say sorry for things I didn't do
('Cause) that ain't my style
It's not who I am to act so docile
I remember how we met it was on the train
I recall vividly the day we met, while aboard a train
How could I forget you smiled and looked at me
Your lovely smile caught me off guard so easily
The soft of your lips, they captured me
The thought of your lips enthralled me irresistibly
Here we are fell in love like hand to glove
We were inseparable like a hand in a glove
See, there's too much fire, so much desire
Our passion was overwhelming, a burning fire
So it took a little time to take me higher
It took some effort, but you kindled my desire
You kept yelling wild, I fell to the floor
In your rage, you made me feel small and ignored
Crying in hysteria can't try w'you no more
I can't keep putting up with your abusive outbursts, it's a chore
But that didn't stop you from putting your hands on my face
You still laid your hands on me despite my want for space
He's got you begging on your knees
He has you in tears, pleading and begging, oh please
Yo, heh, yo I asked you to calm down
I implored you to settle down and cease your dramatic sounds
I don't trust those men and you did it again
I have a distrust of male friends, and once again you let me down
I lost my temper, laid down and wrecked the house boo
My rage consumed me and I damaged our living quarters, it's true
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You have strength within you that you have yet to unfurl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
You have the power to take control and not deal with it anymore
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TANYA ELIZABETH BONIFACE, SCOTT FITZGERALD, SUSAN HELEN FURLONGER, KIM ERIKSEN HOGLUND, TISHA MONIQUE MARTIN, CAROLYN JULIA OWLETT, EDWARD B TOWNSEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Franziska Klein
I can't fall down on my knees (I thought you loved me)
And apologize to you (if you really loved me you would've stayed with me)
(And apologized to me, that's all I asked for) 'cause that ain't my style
(Well let me hear what you had to say earlier)
I remember how we met it was on the train
How could I forget you smiled and looked at me
The soft of your lips, they captured me
The whole ride down we kept our eyes on each other
And then we sat, down together
You gave me your number, said give me a call
I thought I wouldn't call at all
Here we are fell in love like hand to glove
Pure bliss from above
Now all we seem to do is fuss and fight
We never seem to get it right
See, there's too much fire, so much desire
So it took a little time to take me higher
I'm sorry if I hurt you and I went astray
I guess we gotta call it a day
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I remember one night when we were home alone
You were on the sofa, I was on the phone
You overheard me call out my best friend's name
That's when you went crazy, started going insane
Grabbed the phone from my hand
Backed me against the wall
Shouting and asking who was on the call
You wouldn't believe me when I said it's just a friend
That's when all the madness began
You kept yelling wild, I fell to the floor
Crying in hysteria can't try w'you no more
I knew you had a temper, I wish I didn't see it
You wanted me to be faithful, I told you I could be it
But that didn't stop you from putting your hands on my face
You simply said you had to put me in my place
At the end of every tunnel there's always a light
And the door, it sure looks right
That's why
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
He's got you begging on your knees
Crying in your sleep, making you believe him
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
He's got you begging on your knees
Crying in your sleep, making you believe him
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
Yo, heh, yo I asked you to calm down
Asked you who was on the phone, put the horn down
You had a glass of wine, a Versace nightgown, a lime-green one
That I bought you for your trip from the cruise you won
I don't want to fool with those male friends
I told you back then when we first got together
I don't trust those men and you did it again
I lost my temper, laid down and wrecked the house boo
That's all I can remember, I'm sorry
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees
And apologize to you
'Cause that ain't my style
Mariam Gul
This one has extended monologues. I wonder why the additional lines are in no other version, not even in the official music video. Love it even better! <3
XTIN0
It's the album version. They cut off some of the lines for the single edit, probably the verses were just slightly too long.
MARCY P
Probably because the extended parts were too strong/disturbing for commercial radio
Chisel Marr
Mariam Gul it's because it's the album version and the single/video versión cut those bits out. The album pages also include the lyrics of this version in the booklet
Atty Huss
Love this I had it on cd lol 😂
autistic tech girl 1990
Love this song
Sharila Fofana
Me Too.
Calit16
Une tuerie ce son
michelle taaffe
2022 and got this blaring out my speaker
Franziska Klein
I can't fall down on my knees (I thought you loved me)
And apologize to you (if you really loved me you would've stayed with me)
(And apologized to me, that's all I asked for) 'cause that ain't my style
(Well let me hear what you had to say earlier)
I remember how we met it was on the train
How could I forget you smiled and looked at me
The soft of your lips, they captured me
The whole ride down we kept our eyes on each other
And then we sat, down together
You gave me your number, said give me a call
I thought I wouldn't call at all
Here we are fell in love like hand to glove
Pure bliss from above
Now all we seem to do is fuss and fight
We never seem to get it right
See, there's too much fire, so much desire
So it took a little time to take me higher
I'm sorry if I hurt you and I went astray
I guess we gotta call it a day
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I remember one night when we were home alone
You were on the sofa, I was on the phone
You overheard me call out my best friend's name
That's when you went crazy, started going insane
Grabbed the phone from my hand
Backed me against the wall
Shouting and asking who was on the call
You wouldn't believe me when I said it's just a friend
That's when all the madness began
You kept yelling wild, I fell to the floor
Crying in hysteria can't try w'you no more
I knew you had a temper, I wish I didn't see it
You wanted me to be faithful, I told you I could be it
But that didn't stop you from putting your hands on my face
You simply said you had to put me in my place
At the end of every tunnel there's always a light
And the door, it sure looks right
That's why
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
He's got you begging on your knees
Crying in your sleep, making you believe him
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
He's got you begging on your knees
Crying in your sleep, making you believe him
But you're stronger than you'll ever know girl
You control your own world, no need to take no more
Yo, heh, yo I asked you to calm down
Asked you who was on the phone, put the horn down
You had a glass of wine, a Versace nightgown, a lime-green one
That I bought you for your trip from the cruise you won
I don't want to fool with those male friends
I told you back then when we first got together
I don't trust those men and you did it again
I lost my temper, laid down and wrecked the house boo
That's all I can remember, I'm sorry
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees (on my knees)
And apologize to you (to you)
'Cause that ain't my style (that ain't my style)
I can't fall down on my knees
And apologize to you
'Cause that ain't my style