seattle
Joy Postell Lyrics
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As I watched him take a hit
Black smoke coming from his lips
That's when he started talking shit
'Bout which lick they gon' hit
And which bitch they gon' trick
Get the money
It's all about the money
Always nodding off leaving burn holes in his 'trils
He's smoking up in the hotel room
Better watch the clock 'cause his time is coming soon
Now who would have ever known
That he would confess
Turn around to face his fate
Now I can feel his pain
I can feel the breeze
Flow beneath my knees
Smoking up in the hotel room (room baby)
Always nodding off leaving burn holes in his 'trils
He's smoking up in the hotel room
Better watch the clock 'cause his time is coming soon
At the tone please record your message
When you have finished recording you may hang up
Or press 1 for more options
(Beep)
Yo baby
Call me back
I'm sorry I've been fucking up
I'm sorry
But I need you baby
Who else gonna hold me down?
The lyrics of Joy Postell's song Seattle chronicle the descent of someone close to her into drug addiction and its effect on their relationships. The opening lines "Got me sick/ As I watched him take a hit/ Black smoke coming from his lips/ That's when he started talking sh*t" paint a vivid picture of the scene, with Joy expressing her disgust and dismay at the person's behavior. The next few lines " 'Bout which lick they gon' hit/ And which b*tch they gon' trick/ Get the money/ It's all about the money" show how the obsession with drugs is driving the person to make bad decisions and put their own wellbeing at risk.
The chorus "Smoking up in the hotel room/ Always nodding off leaving burn holes in his 'trils/ He's smoking up in the hotel room/ Better watch the clock 'cause his time is coming soon" reinforces the sense of impending danger and doom that hangs over the situation. The repeated line "better watch the clock 'cause his time is coming soon" suggests that the consequences of the person's actions are catching up with them and that they may soon pay the price for their choices. The final verse "Now who would have ever known/ That he would confess/ Turn around to face his fate/ Now I can feel his pain/ I can feel the breeze/ Flow beneath my knees" hints at a glimmer of hope, as the person confesses to their wrongdoing and takes steps to turn their life around. However, the closing lines "Yo baby/ Call me back/ I'm sorry I've been f*cking up/ I'm sorry/ But I need you baby/ Who else gonna hold me down?" reveal the deeper emotional struggle that Joy and others close to the person must contend with, as they try to balance support and understanding with the need to protect themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Got me sick
The scene of someone smoking drugs has affected the singer negatively.
As I watched him take a hit
The singer witnessed someone smoking drugs.
Black smoke coming from his lips
The person smoking drugs was exhaling smoke.
That's when he started talking shit
The person started saying negative and aggressive things.
'Bout which lick they gon' hit
The person began discussing what illegal activity they were going to do next.
And which bitch they gon' trick
The person started discussing how they were going to manipulate someone.
Get the money
The person's focus was on obtaining money through illegal means.
It's all about the money
Money is the main motivator for the person's actions.
Smoking up in the hotel room
The person was smoking drugs in a hotel room.
Always nodding off leaving burn holes in his 'trils
The person was frequently falling asleep and burning holes in their clothes.
Better watch the clock 'cause his time is coming soon
The person's actions will lead to negative consequences in the future.
Now who would have ever known
The singer expresses surprise at the direction of events.
That he would confess
The person unexpectedly admitted to wrongdoing.
Turn around to face his fate
The person has to confront the consequences of their actions.
Now I can feel his pain
The singer empathizes with the person and their situation.
I can feel the breeze
The singer is aware of their surroundings.
Flow beneath my knees
The singer is experiencing a physical sensation.
At the tone please record your message
An automated message plays on the phone.
When you have finished recording you may hang up
Instructions for ending the message are given.
Or press 1 for more options
Additional options for the message are available.
(Beep)
The beep signifies the start of the message recording.
Yo baby
The message is directed towards a romantic partner.
Call me back
The person is requesting a call back from their partner.
I'm sorry I've been fucking up
The person apologizes for their past behavior.
I'm sorry
The person offers an apology for their actions.
But I need you baby
The person expresses their dependence on their partner.
Who else gonna hold me down?
The person emphasizes their need for support from their partner.
Writer(s): Joy Postell
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.