You Know I'm No Good
Ghostface Killah Lyrics


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Meet you downstairs in the bar and heard
Your rolled up sleeves and your skull t-shirt
You say, "why did you do it with him today?"
And sniff me out like I was Tanqueray (yeah, yo)

Why you actin' like you're more trouble than Toney Starks?
You need to just walk away like Kelly Clarkson
I know we were free to sleep around town
But I figured you said that 'cause how I get down
Now, of course, you were out there messin' around
I would've told you
Once you ghost, you never go back
Try geein' me like I don't know how to mack
I'm a don, and
Top of the line I stay fly, and
Stop tryin'
To keep coverin' the lies, and
Using my credit cards to buy diamonds
We need to straighten this out
Get to the bottom of it all
Let's go before we start the war
Begin with two reasons why we need to talk
And stop poppin' up in my cribs all over New York, and
Death stalkin'
You such trouble and no good
Them fightin' words in my block, and we in the hood

I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good

You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Play me, play me, play me (nasty girl, nasty girl, nasty girl)
Try to play me (yeah)
Yo
A-yo, I knew you was trouble when I first laid eyes on you
Temperature so hot, the heat just rise with you
Lemme ride with you, talk about your mistakes
You cheated yourself, but these are the breaks
And it'll never be the same again 'cause of old boy
But, oh boy
Together we make so much joy
In the sands, and, oh, what a web we weave
But you played me so I had to roll up my sleeves
And hunt you down, holding the next man's stacks
Now you sorry and trying to bring that old thing back
Act like we can rekindle that flame
It's a shame
How you can't get me off the brain
He that lame
You love how I bring the pain
Got them rug burns stinging, and you saying my name
Say my name, uh
That's right, I'm high post
Get the champagne love, word up, we gonna toast

I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good

Yeah, yo you had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Nasty girl, girl
You can't leave the kid
You can't leave the kid
Don't worry, I'm gonna be around forever
Nasty girl
Don't forget it I'm a be around forever
Don't forget it I'm a be around forever

Sweet reunion, Jamaica and Spain
We're like how we were again
I'm in the tub, you're on the seat
Lick your lips as I soak my feet

Yo, get to bath and bodyworks pumpin' the spice cream
Together like Cheech and Chong we make nice dreams
These fight scenes
I take the good with the bad
'Cause you give the best brains that I've ever had
Anything worth having is hard to keep
I love you like my coffee, so hot and so sweet
So let's stick it out so we never regret it
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it

I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
Yeah, ya know that I'm no good

I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
Nasty girl, nasty girl
Try to play me
Nasty girl
You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Nasty girl
Try to play me, try to play me




Nasty girl
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it

Overall Meaning

The song "You Know I'm No Good" is a collaboration between two iconic artists, Ghostface Killah and Amy Winehouse. The lyrics are essentially a conversation between two individuals who have been involved in a romantic relationship. At the start of the song, Ghostface Killah and Amy Winehouse meet at a bar. Ghostface Killah sees Amy's rolled-up sleeves and skull t-shirt, and immediately questions why she cheated on him. He compares her to Tanqueray, a type of gin that he believes she can sniff out. As the conversation continues, Ghostface Killah talks about how he knows Amy is trouble and that they need to talk to sort things out. He emphasizes that he's a don and that he's aware of her infidelity. Amy, on the other hand, admits that she cheated on him and that she's troubled, but she still loves him.


The lyrics to this song are a perfect blend of Ghostface Killah's rap and Amy Winehouse's soulful vocals. The song captures the essence of a complicated, tumultuous relationship. The lyrics showcase the dark and edgy side of love. It carries the theme of infidelity and betrayal, and how challenging it is to forgive and forget. The words "I cheated myself like I knew I would" are a powerful line that conveys that although someone may know that they're going to hurt themselves, they still go ahead and make the mistake.


Line by Line Meaning

Meet you downstairs in the bar and heard
Let's meet at the bar and talk


Your rolled up sleeves and your skull t-shirt
I notice your attire


You say, 'why did you do it with him today?'
You ask me about my infidelity


And sniff me out like I was Tanqueray
You interrogate me aggressively


I cheated myself
I made the mistake


Like I knew I would
Knowing myself well enough to know I'd make the same error again


I told ya I was troubled
I warned you I had issues


You know that I'm no good
You now see that I'm not trustworthy


You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
You attempted to deceive me


Try to play me, play me, play me
You kept trying to deceive me


You can't leave the kid
You can't abandon me


Don't worry, I'm gonna be around forever
I'm not going anywhere


Sweet reunion, Jamaica and Spain
We reminisce about our past travels


We're like how we were again
We reconnect like old times


I'm in the tub, you're on the seat
We bathe and chat


Lick your lips as I soak my feet
You show your desire for me


I knew you was trouble when I first laid eyes on you
I sensed danger with you


Temperature so hot, the heat just rise with you
Our chemistry is intense


Now you sorry and trying to bring that old thing back
You regret your actions and want to reconcile


It's a shame, how you can't get me off the brain
You can't stop thinking about me


Got them rug burns stinging, and you saying my name
You're nostalgic about our intimate moments


Anything worth having is hard to keep
A valuable relationship requires effort to maintain


I love you like my coffee, so hot and so sweet
I have strong feelings for you


So let's stick it out so we never regret it
Let's work on our relationship so we don't have any regrets


I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
I'm willing to forgive, but I won't forget the past


Nasty girl, nasty girl
You were deceptive


Them fighting words in my block, and we in the hood
Your behavior is disrespectful in our neighborhood




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Amy Winehouse

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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