The song can be traced back to one of the band's early demo tapes in 1996, but it could have been written as early as 1995, when guitarist Wes Borland first joined.
There were two single releases. The first was Counterfeit/Nobody Loves Me in 1997, and the second was Counterfeit Countdown in 1999, when the group suddenly broke through into the mainstream. Counterfeit Countdown contained a collection of remixes of the song. DJ Lethal's Extreme Guitar Remix of the song later made it onto New Old Songs, the band's remix album.
The song was later part of the band's 2005 Greatest Hitz compilation.
Counterfeit
Limp Bizkit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know we figured you out
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out, you wear a mask
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out, you wear a mask
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out, you wear a mask
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out, you wear a mask
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out, you wear a fake
Hey man wake up and smell the concrete
Strange to see you've changed like the LB
Could be identity crisis but I can't buy this
Reality bites but that's what life is
Pitiful you, your hideous behaviour
Hate what God gave ya, fakin' all the flava
Artificial minds seekin' out the new trends
Get in where you fit in
Quit thinkin' like a has-been
Diggin' in my culture
Let me let you punks know
I'm an old school soldier
With the funk flow
A damn shame you want to change yourself
Because you're sick of yourself
Well I'm sick of you too
Fake
You're a counterfeit
Fake
(You know we figured you out)
Well I'm sick of you too
Fake
You're a counterfeit
Fake
I wonder, I wonder
I wonder what it's like to be a clone
Doin' nothin, nothin' on my own
Alone in your misery, you're bitin' on my new style
Filed as a counterfeit
Going down in history as nothin' but a copy cat (copy cat)
So if your fakin' that you're phat you need a ball-bat
Right where your head is at
All your desperation causes separation
Now I grab the mic to intimidate
Your weakness screams from the limb on your siren
Phonies get the hint quick smacked with funk flick
Pain for the fakers, fame can't maintain
Because you're sick of yourself
Well I'm sick of you too
Fake
You're a counterfeit
Fake
(You know we figured you out)
Well I'm sick of you too
Fake
You're a counterfeit
Fake
All these phonies
You disregarded your life (disregarded your life)
You disrespected your friends (you disrespected your friends)
You've even stolen your appearance (stolen) from hangin' out with my family
But I should have never dropped my guard (shoulda never dropped my guard)
So you could stab me in the back (stab me in the back)
But you were fakin' me out (you were fakin' me out)
Just fakin' me out you wear a mask (you wear a mask)
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Freakin'' me out, you wear a mask called counterfeit
You're freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
Now you're steadily startin' to change
You want to rearrange your lifestyle
Live like a wild child
With the vibe alive
You could lie to try and be so fly
A lie but you deny you're a fake
You're a phony, you know we figured you out (fake)
You know we figured you out
Figured you out, figured you out (fake)
Fake
Fake
Fake
Fake
Fake
Fake
The lyrics of "Counterfeit" by Limp Bizkit is a message to a person who is a fake, pretending to be someone else. The song describes the constant lying of a person, wearing a mask (counterfeit) to hide their true identity. The lyrics describe how the counterfeit person has disregarded their life, disrespected their friends, and even stolen their appearance. The songwriting team uses harsh language to criticize the person, calling them a phony and a copycat. The song further explains that the counterfeit person is nothin' but a poser (copycat) and faking it until he makes it. Limp Bizkit is a band that speaks their minds, and this song is no exception.
The song's message is about a person pretending to be someone they are not; there's a feeling that the singer is talking directly to someone who is hypocritical and annoying to him. The song tells them to be themselves instead of putting on a mask, using the phrase "you're sick of yourself" repeatedly. The chorus warns the person that they have been figured out and that they are not as original as they hoped. The message implies that the only way to escape the person’s shame is to stop pretending.
Line by Line Meaning
Sloppin' ferry
Unknown and nonsensical phrase
You know we figured you out
The singer believes they have uncovered the truth about the person they are addressing
Freakin' me out you wear a mask called counterfeit
The singer is disturbed by the deception and lies of the person they are addressing
You're freakin' me out, you wear a mask
The artist is becoming increasingly upset by the deceptive behavior of the person they are addressing
Hey man wake up and smell the concrete
The artist is urging the person they are addressing to come to terms with reality
Strange to see you've changed like the LB
The singer finds it odd that the person they are addressing has undergone such a significant change
Could be identity crisis but I can't buy this
The singer doubts that the person they are addressing is truly experiencing an identity crisis
Reality bites but that's what life is
The artist acknowledges that life can be difficult and painful at times
Pitiful you, your hideous behaviour
The artist is expressing disdain for the deceitful behavior of the person they are addressing
Hate what God gave ya, fakin' all the flava
The artist dislikes the fact that the person they are addressing is pretending to be something they are not
Artificial minds seekin' out the new trends
The singer believes that the person they are addressing is trying too hard to fit in with the latest trends
Get in where you fit in
The artist believes that the person they are addressing is unwilling to be themselves and instead tries to copy others
Quit thinkin' like a has-been
The singer believes that the person they are addressing is no longer relevant or popular
Diggin' in my culture
The singer feels that the person they are addressing is stealing aspects of their cultural identity
Let me let you punks know
The singer is asserting their dominance over the person they are addressing
I'm an old school soldier
The artist is proud of their history and experience in the music industry
With the funk flow
The artist has a unique and funky style
A damn shame you want to change yourself
The singer believes that the person they are addressing is unnecessarily trying to change who they are
Because you're sick of yourself
The singer believes that the person they are addressing is uncomfortable with their own identity
Well I'm sick of you too
The artist is expressing a strong dislike for the person they are addressing
Fake
The artist is calling the person they are addressing a phony
I wonder, I wonder
The artist is curious about the experience of being a clone or copycat
I wonder what it's like to be a clone
The singer is wondering what it would be like to have no originality or independent thought
Doin' nothin, nothin' on my own
The artist values their ability to think and act independently
Alone in your misery, you're bitin' on my new style
The singer believes that the person they are addressing is jealous and copying their unique style
Filed as a counterfeit
The singer sees the person they are addressing as a fake or fraud
Going down in history as nothin' but a copy cat (copy cat)
The singer believes that the person they are addressing will not be remembered for anything original or innovative
So if your fakin' that you're phat you need a ball-bat
The artist believes that the person they are addressing is trying too hard to be cool or hip
Right where your head is at
The artist wants to hit the person they are addressing with a baseball bat on the head
All your desperation causes separation
The singer believes that the person they are addressing is driving people away with their fake behavior
Now I grab the mic to intimidate
The singer is asserting their power and control over the person they are addressing
Your weakness screams from the limb on your siren
The artist believes that the person they are addressing is signalling their own weaknesses or insecurities
Phonies get the hint quick smacked with funk flick
The artist will use their music to expose and punish the person they are addressing for their deception
Pain for the fakers, fame can't maintain
The artist believes that the truth will eventually be revealed about the person they are addressing, causing them pain and ruining their fame
All these phonies
The singer is surrounded by people they believe are insincere and fake
You disregarded your life
The artist believes that the person they are addressing is not living an authentic life
You disrespected your friends
The singer believes that the person they are addressing has betrayed and hurt their friends
You've even stolen your appearance (stolen) from hangin' out with my family
The singer believes that the person they are addressing has copied their style and appearance from spending time with the singer's family
But I should have never dropped my guard
The singer regrets letting their guard down around the person they are addressing
So you could stab me in the back
The artist believes that the person they are addressing has betrayed their trust by talking behind their back or spreading rumors
Just fakin' me out you wear a mask (you wear a mask)
The artist believes that the person they are addressing is pretending to be someone they are not, wearing a metaphorical mask
Fake
The singer is calling the person they are addressing a phony
(You know we figured you out)
The singer is confident that they have uncovered the truth about the person they are addressing
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Everett Otto, Samuel Robert Rivers, Wesley Louden Borland, William Frederick Durst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnerdmann5099
The best thing I loved about all these dudes like Fred Durst/Wes Borland, Jonathan Davis, Corey Taylor, Chino Moreno etc is that they were unafraid to be themselves and were total originals. People talked a lot of shit about nu-metal but when you look back on it now, they did something new, that they loved, and they did it with their best friends. That rules.
@LuisLopez-id4zc
Thats the point
@ahhwe-any7434
I saw something in my feed where they were singing to Alanis Morrissette and I was like 😲 them too...? Wait, I vaguely think... i remember watching that in my youth. Im not even sure :/. Anywho, the fact that so many ppl in general on the internet think I'm a fake person.... my doucheys bfs peeps think I'm made up too 😅. Nope, im real. Bitching, angry, upset, over emotional, snappy & blah. Yep, im in this hell w/ yall as well 🤗, fr. Hello 👋.
@jeffreywytrwaljr1738
Very well put!
@Philip-fg9dt
Facts!
@billyalarie929
the problem started when it was fucking force fed down our fucking throats. to the point that new jacks were forced to try to emulate that shit but failed MISERABLY.
and if you read the lyrics to this song, it's one of the hardest songs in all of rock music.
@megaton_a
I still say Wes Borland is a tragically underrated guitarist.
@voided_reality6863
Absolutely, just like Adam Jones never really gets any recognition either. It's sad that only cookie-cutter mainstream guitarists like boring ass Zakk Wylde for one example, get all the attention.
@NGDemonSlayer12
He's so underrated he's overrated by all the people that say he's underrated.
@henrikpersson4698
@rocket grunt i'd agree that he's underrated in the sense that he's not recognized for his skill on his own, the way certain other guitarists are. he did have massive success with his band, no-one can deny that.