Born Under a Bad Sign
MDC Lyrics

The lyrics to MDC's version of "Born Under a Bad Sign" essentially describe a life of consistent hardship and struggle. The opening line, "Born under a bad sign," implies a predetermined fate, one where the singer has been plagued with misfortune since the beginning of their life. The second line, "I been down since I begin to crawl," depicts how this individual has been struggling since a young age, perhaps even from birth. They feel that luck has never been on their side, and they wouldn't have any luck at all if it weren't for the bad kind.

The next few lines speak to the isolation that this individual has experienced. "Hard luck and trouble is my only friend" implies that the singer has endured so much hardship that they've become accustomed to it. Loneliness is then confirmed in the line, "I've been on my own ever since I was ten," indicating a lack of support from family or friends.

The following stanza continues with the theme of distress, with "Can't read, haven't learned how to write/My whole life has been one big fight." Here the singer is portrayed as illiterate, perhaps due to a lack of education or access to it. The line "one big fight" reinforces the idea of a constant struggle, a life that's been difficult from the start. However, the final line of each stanza provides an overarching sentiment of the song: "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all." This emphasis on persistent misfortune ties the lyrics together and sets a somber tone.