The Message
Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five f/ Melle Mel & Duke Bootee Lyrics

It's like a jungle sometimes
Living in the city can be tough and chaotic, like a jungle.

It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Despite the hardships, the singer keeps going and doesn't give up.

Broken glass everywhere
The streets are littered with broken glass.

People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care
People urinating in public places shows a lack of concern for the community.

I can't take the smell, can't take the noise
The city's unpleasant smells and noise can be overwhelming and unbearable.

Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
The singer can't afford to move, so they feel stuck in their current situation.

Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
The singer's living situation is infested with pests, making the environment even more unpleasant.

Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
Drug addicts can be dangerous and harmful to those around them.

I tried to get away but I couldn't get far
The artist attempted to escape their environment, but it proved to be harder than anticipated.

'Cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car
The artist lost their car when it was taken away by a tow truck driver for nonpayment.

Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
The singer is feeling overwhelmed and close to breaking point.

I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
Despite it all, the artist is trying to maintain a sense of humor.

Standin' on the front stoop, hangin' out the window
The singer is likely standing outside looking out their window.

Watchin' all the cars go by, roarin' as the breezes blow
The noise and wind generated by passing cars can be overwhelming.

Crazy lady, livin' in a bag
A homeless woman carrying all her belongings in a bag.

Eatin' outta garbage pails, used to be a fag hag
The woman used to be friends with gay men and frequented gay bars, but now she's homeless and scavenging for food.

Said she'll dance the tango, skip the light fandango
The woman may be delusional, thinking she can still dance despite her difficult circumstances.

A Zircon princess seemed to lost her senses
An allusion to a character from a play who is delusional and out of touch with reality.

Down at the peep show watchin' all the creeps
The woman is watching people at a peep show, likely doing something inappropriate or illegal.

So she can tell her stories to the girls back home
The woman likely wants to share her wild experiences with her friends who aren't in the same situation.

She went to the city and got so-so siditty
The woman went to the city and became somewhat snobbish or pretentious.

She had to get a pimp, she couldn't make it on her own
The woman was unable to support herself and resorted to prostitution.

My brother's doin' bad, stole my mother's TV
The singer's brother is struggling and has resorted to stealing to get by.

Says she watches too much, it's just not healthy
The artist's mother may be watching too much TV as a way to escape from reality, which is not a healthy way to cope.

Can't even see the game or the Sugar Ray fight
The singer is so broke that they can't even afford to watch the TV programs they enjoy.

The bill collectors, they ring my phone
The singer is receiving calls from bill collectors about unpaid debts.

And scare my wife when I'm not home
The calls are causing stress and fear for the singer's family.

Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
The artist is struggling financially, and the value of their education may not be paying off in the current economy.

Can't take the train to the job, there's a strike at the station
The artist's transportation to work is affected by a strike, making it even more difficult to make ends meet.

Neon King Kong standin' on my back
A metaphorical reference to the heavy burden of living in tough circumstances.

Can't stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
The singer has a physical injury but can't afford to take time off work or rest.

A mid-range migraine, cancered membrane
The artist is suffering from physical pain and potentially serious health issues.

Sometimes I think I'm goin' insane
The artist's difficult situation is causing them emotional distress and making them feel like they're losing their mind.

I swear I might hijack a plane
The artist is feeling desperate and might resort to drastic measures to change their circumstances.

A child is born with no state of mind
When a child is born, they come into the world without preconceived notions or prejudices.

Blind to the ways of mankind
A newborn baby is unaware of the often cruel and unfair ways of the world.

God is smilin' on you but he's frownin' too
God may love all his creations equally, but the struggles and hardships we face can be difficult for him to watch as well.

Because only God knows what you'll go through
God knows the challenges and obstacles that people will face in life.

You'll grow in the ghetto livin' second-rate
Growing up in a disadvantaged or impoverished area can create a sense of being lesser than others that can be pervasive throughout a lifetime.

And your eyes will sing a song called deep hate
Experiencing societal inequity and injustice can lead to feelings of deep anger and hatred towards those who have more privilege.

The places you play and where you stay
The artist is describing the places where they spend their time: on the streets, in abandoned buildings, etc.

Looks like one great big alleyway
The singer's environment feels like one large, dirty, unsanitary alleyway.

You'll admire all the number-book takers
Numbers bookies were a prevalent criminal enterprise in low-income neighborhoods, so their prosperity may be celebrated in such environments.

Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money-makers
The people who tend to have power and money in poor areas are often people who are involved in illegal enterprises such as drug dealing, pimping, and racketeering.

Drivin' big cars, spendin' twenties and tens
These people are wealthy and conspicuous, driving flashy cars and spending larger bills that a lot of other folks in the neighborhood have never seen before.

And you'll wanna grow up to be just like them
Children growing up in such an environment often believe that the money and power these criminals possess is the only path to success or happiness.

Huh, smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers
These people are all involved in various criminal enterprises, which contribute to the overall sense of corruption in the community.

Pickpocket peddlers, even panhandlers
These people are also on the margins of society, preying on those who are even more vulnerable than themselves.

You say I'm cool, huh, I'm no fool
The singer is aware of the way that other people might glamorize the outlaw lifestyle, but knows first-hand how tough and unglamorous it can be.

But then you wind up droppin' outta high school
For many disadvantaged youths, dropping out of high school is a common pathway towards a life of crime and poverty.

Now you're unemployed, all non-void
Not only is it difficult to land a job without a high school diploma, but the job market may be so tough, that there are no jobs available in the neighborhood at all.

Walkin' round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd
A reference to a famous outlaw who was wealthy from his criminal exploits.

Turned stick-up kid, but look what you done did
The artist acknowledges that they have been involved in criminal activity themselves, and that it has not led them to a better place in life.

Got sent up for a eight-year bid
The singer has been incarcerated for eight years, most likely for a criminal offense.

Now your manhood is took and you're a Maytag
The singer's masculinity has been stripped away, and they feel as though they are nothing more than an industrial washing machine.

Spend the next two years as a undercover fag
The artist has potentially experienced sexual assault or degradation while in prison.

Bein' used and abused to serve like hell
The artist has had to endure abuse and mistreatment while incarcerated.

'Til one day, you was found hung dead in the cell
The artist, or someone like them, has been driven to such despair that they have taken their own life.

It was plain to see that your life was lost
The tragedy of the singer's death was apparent to anyone who knew them, and serves as a symbol of the larger social problems that lead to such an outcome.

You was cold and your body swung back and forth
The image of a suicide victim hanging in their cell is haunting and disturbing.

But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song
The singer's eyes embody the sadness, regret, and hopelessness that they must have felt at the end of their life.

Of how you lived so fast and died so young
The singer is mourning the premature death of someone who seemed to have so much potential in life.