Downtown
Macklemore Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I went to the Moped store, said fuck it
Salesman's like what up, what's your budget?
And I'm like honestly, I don't know nothing about Mopeds
He said I got the one for you, follow me
Ooh, it's too real
Chromed out mirror, I don't need a windshield
Banana seat, a canopy on two wheels
Eight hundred cash, that's a hell of a deal

I'm headed downtown, cruising through the alley
Tip-toeing in the street like Dally
Pulled up, moped to the valley
Whitewalls on the wheels like mayonnaise
Dope, my crew is ill, and all we need is two good wheels
Got gas in the tank, cash in the bank
And a bad little mama with her ass in my face
I'mma lick that, stick that, break her off, Kit-Kat
Snuck her in backstage, you don't need a wristband
Dope

Killing the game, 'bout to catch a body
Passed the Harley, Dukie on the Ducati
Timbaland, Khaled, Scott Storch, Birdman
God damn, man, everybody got Bugattis
But I'ma keep it hella nineteen eighty seven
Head into the dealership and drop a stack and cop a Kawasaki
I'm stunting on everybody, hella raw, pass the Wasabi
I'm so low that my scrotum's almost dragging up on the concrete
My seat is leather, alright, I'm lying, it's pleather
But girl, we could still ride together
You don't need a Uber, you don't need a cab
Fuck a bus pass, you got a Moped man
She got nineteen eighty eight Mariah Carey hair
Very rare, mom jeans on her derriere
Throwing up the West Side as we tear in the air
Stop by Pike Place, throwing fish to a player

Downtown, downtown (downtown)
Downtown, downtown (downtown)
She has her arms around your waist
With a balance that will keep her safe
(Downtown)
Have you ever felt the warm embrace
(Downtown)
Of the leather seat between your legs
(Hey-ey-ey-ey, hey-ey-ey-ey)
(Hey-ey-ey-ey, hey-ey-ey-ey)
Downtown
You don't want no beef, boy
Know I run the streets, boy
Better follow me towards
Downtown
What you see is what you get girl
Don't ever forget girl
Ain't seen nothing yet until you're
Downtown

Dope
Cut the bullshit
Get off my mullet
Stone washed, so raw
Moped like a bullet
You can't catch me
A po-po can't reprimand me
I'm in a B-Boy stance, I'm not dancing
I got your girl on the back going tandem
'Cause I'm too damn quick, I'm too damn slick
Whole downtown yelling out who that is?

It's me, the M, the A-C, the K
Sounding like a French pimp from back in the day
I take her to Pend Oreille and I watch her skate
I mean, water ski, ollie ollie oxen free
I'm perusing down fourth and they watching me
I do a handstand, the eagle lands on my seat
Well hello, but baby, the kickstand ain't free
Now do you or do you not wanna ride with me
I got one girl, I got two wheels
She a big girl, that ain't a big deal
I like a big girl, I like 'em sassy
Going down the backstreet listening to Blackstreet
Running around the whole town
Neighbors yelling at me like, you need to slow down
Going thirty-eight, Dan, chill the fuck out
Mow your damn lawn and sit the hell down
If I only had one helmet I would give it to you, give it to you
Cruising down Broadway, girl, what a wonderful view, wonderful view
There's layers to this shit player, tiramisu, tiramisu
Let my coat-tail drag but I ain't tearing my suit, tearing my suit

Downtown, downtown (downtown)
Downtown, downtown
She has her arms around your waist
With a balance that will keep her safe
Have you ever felt the warm embrace
Of the leather seat between your legs
Downtown
You don't want no beef, boy
Know I run the streets, boy
Better follow me towards
Downtown
What you see is what you get girl
Don't ever forget girl
Ain't seen nothing yet until you're
Downtown

You don't want no beef, boy
Know I run the streets, boy
Better follow me towards
Downtown
What you see is what you get girl
Don't ever forget girl




Ain't seen nothing yet until you're
Downtown

Overall Meaning

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis's song titled "Downtown" is about the two rappers buying mopeds as a means of transportation. Macklemore goes to a moped store not knowing anything about mopeds, and the salesman shows him a chromed out moped with a banana seat and a canopy on two wheels. Macklemore buys the moped for eight hundred dollars, and he takes a ride through the streets of downtown to show off his new ride. The song features an upbeat and catchy chorus sung by Eric Nally of Foxy Shazam. The downtown setting of the song also becomes a backdrop for other various adventures, such as hooking up with a girl backstage and getting caught by the paparazzi.


The lyrics in the song have an underlying message of empowerment and self-confidence, with Macklemore rapping about being proud of who he is and not caring what others think. Additionally, the song celebrates the freedom of being able to explore and navigate the world on two wheels, rather than being confined to a car or public transportation.


Overall, "Downtown" is a fun and lively anthem that showcases Macklemore's unique style and ability to tell a story through his music.


Line by Line Meaning

I went to the Moped store, said fuck it
I went to the Moped store without any intention of buying anything.


Salesman's like what up, what's your budget?
The salesman greeted me and asked how much I want to spend.


And I'm like honestly, I don't know nothing about Mopeds
I said that I have no knowledge about Mopeds.


He said I got the one for you, follow me
The salesman claimed that he has the perfect Moped for me and offered to show it to me.


Ooh, it's too real
I was impressed with the quality and reality of the Moped.


Chromed out mirror, I don't need a windshield
The Moped had a shiny reflective mirror, and I didn't mind not having a windshield.


Banana seat, a canopy on two wheels
The Moped had a comfortable banana seat and a canopy on two wheels.


Eight hundred cash, that's a hell of a deal
The Moped cost 800 dollars, which is a great deal in my opinion.


I'm headed downtown, cruising through the alley
I am going to downtown and cruising through the alley.


Tip-toeing in the street like Dally
I was sneaking around the street cautiously, like Dally from The Outsiders.


Pulled up, moped to the valley
I rode my Moped to the valley and parked it.


Whitewalls on the wheels like mayonnaise
The Moped had white-walled wheels that looked like mayonnaise.


Dope, my crew is ill, and all we need is two good wheels
My crew is amazing, and we only need two wheels to be satisfied.


Got gas in the tank, cash in the bank
I had enough gas in my Moped, and I had money in my bank account.


And a bad little mama with her ass in my face
I had a gorgeous woman sitting right behind me on my Moped.


I'mma lick that, stick that, break her off, Kit-Kat
I am going to treat her right and can't wait to be intimate with her.


Snuck her in backstage, you don't need a wristband
I managed to sneak her into the backstage area without needing a wristband.


Killing the game, 'bout to catch a body
I am doing well in life and about to become successful.


Passed the Harley, Dukie on the Ducati
I passed both a Harley and a Dukie while riding my Ducati.


Timbaland, Khaled, Scott Storch, Birdman
Famous celebrities Timbaland, Khaled, Scott Storch and Birdman are also riding their motorbikes.


God damn, man, everybody got Bugattis
Everyone seems to have a Bugatti, which is a luxurious car brand.


But I'ma keep it hella nineteen eighty seven
I prefer to keep things old school and am stuck in the 80s.


Head into the dealership and drop a stack and cop a Kawasaki
I am planning to go to a dealership, spend some money, and buy a Kawasaki motorbike.


I'm stunting on everybody, hella raw, pass the Wasabi
I am impressive and cool, just like Wasabi, and I'm outshining everyone around me.


I'm so low that my scrotum's almost dragging up on the concrete
I am riding the motorbike in a low and sexy position.


My seat is leather, alright, I'm lying, it's pleather
My seat on the motorbike is made of pleather, but I lied and said it was leather.


But girl, we could still ride together
Regardless, she can still ride with me on the motorbike.


You don't need a Uber, you don't need a cab
She doesn't have to use Uber or a cab. I can give her a ride.


Fuck a bus pass, you got a Moped man
Who needs a bus pass when you have a Moped like mine?


She got nineteen eighty eight Mariah Carey hair
The woman with me has hair like Mariah Carey from 1988.


Very rare, mom jeans on her derriere
She's unique and wears vintage mom jeans on her backside.


Throwing up the West Side as we tear in the air
We are celebrating and throwing up the West Side as we cruise through the air.


Stop by Pike Place, throwing fish to a player
We stopped at Pike Place market to check out the seafood and threw some fish to someone.


She has her arms around your waist
The woman has wrapped her arms around my waist while we ride the motorbike.


With a balance that will keep her safe
She's holding onto me with good balance, so she's safe.


Have you ever felt the warm embrace
Have you ever felt the warmth of someone embracing you like this?


Of the leather seat between your legs
The leather seat between my legs is providing comfort and warmth.


You don't want no beef, boy
You don't want to mess with me, boy.


Know I run the streets, boy
I am a powerful and authoritative figure on the streets.


Better follow me towards
You better follow me to avoid any trouble.


What you see is what you get girl
I am straightforward and what you see is what you get, girl.


Don't ever forget girl
Remember to always be true to yourself, girl.


Ain't seen nothing yet until you're
You haven't seen anything yet unless you try this.


Cut the bullshit
Stop lying and exaggerating.


Get off my mullet
Stop nagging me and getting in my hair, or my mullet.


Stone washed, so raw
I am wearing stone-washed clothes that are authentic and untouched.


Moped like a bullet
My Moped is incredibly fast and reminiscent of a bullet.


You can't catch me
Nobody can keep up with me and my Moped.


A po-po can't reprimand me
Even the police can't catch me breaking the law.


I'm in a B-Boy stance, I'm not dancing
I am standing in a B-Boy stance, not dancing but ready to prove myself.


I got your girl on the back going tandem
I have your girlfriend riding with me on the back in a tandem position.


'Cause I'm too damn quick, I'm too damn slick
I am too fast and too good at what I do.


Whole downtown yelling out who that is?
People in downtown are wondering who I am and are intrigued.


It's me, the M, the A-C, the K
My name is Mack, and I am the best at what I do.


Sounding like a French pimp from back in the day
I sound like a French pimp from decades ago.


I take her to Pend Oreille and I watch her skate
I take her to Pend Oreille to watch her skateboard and show off her skills.


I mean, water ski, ollie ollie oxen free
I mean, she's water skiing or doing a skateboarding trick called ollie ollie oxen free.


I'm perusing down fourth and they watching me
I am going down Fourth Street, and everyone is watching me.


I do a handstand, the eagle lands on my seat
I do a handstand, and it looks like I am landing on the seat like an eagle.


Well hello, but baby, the kickstand ain't free
Hello there, but the kickstand on this Moped is not free.


Now do you or do you not wanna ride with me
Are you going to ride with me or not?


I got one girl, I got two wheels
I only need one girl and two wheels to be happy.


She a big girl, that ain't a big deal
She is a plus-sized woman, but that doesn't matter to me.


I like a big girl, I like 'em sassy
I prefer a woman who is confident and has an attitude.


Going down the backstreet listening to Blackstreet
I am going down the backstreet, and we are listening to Blackstreet's music.


Running around the whole town
We are running around the entire town.


Neighbors yelling at me like, you need to slow down
My neighbors are shouting at me to slow down.


Going thirty-eight, Dan, chill the fuck out
I am going 38 miles per hour and need to calm down, according to Dan.


Mow your damn lawn and sit the hell down
Dan needs to mow his lawn and mind his own business.


If I only had one helmet I would give it to you, give it to you
If I had only one helmet, I would give it to her for safety.


Cruising down Broadway, girl, what a wonderful view, wonderful view
We are cruising down Broadway, and it is a beautiful sight.


There's layers to this shit player, tiramisu, tiramisu
The situation and my perspective are complex, just like tiramisu.


Let my coat-tail drag but I ain't tearing my suit, tearing my suit
I might let my coat-tail drag, but I won't ruin my suit.


Downtown, downtown
We are going downtown.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACOB DUTTON, BEN HAGGERTY, RYAN LEWIS, ERIC NALLY, JOSHUA KARP, JOSHUA RAWLINGS, DARIAN ASPLUND, EVAN FLORY-BARNES, TIM HAGGERTY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@aae1977

because it helps me to have the songs not be too long at first. but then afterwards the directors cut can be hours and hours long. I hope they release additional footage from When the Levees Break or if God is willing and the creek is ready to be controlled through steady stewards I hope spike lee is still gathering footage to this day but in the meantime I only need 5 minutes for the take away. and the first 5 minutes of the second half of if god is willing and the creek don't rise available on prime I hope free for all time so people can see Obama go to downtown and go to wherever the heart of the city is and the heart of the city and the heart of this song is downtown and downtown is where it is safe for children to talk with presidents while the bad grownups stay at home and go to summer school.

I hope that helps. I believe the song was longer at first but was shortened. sometimes when I dream too high I get seven dimensional and I recognize I gotta come down from mount sinai sometimes and certainly a lot can go wrong in 5 minutes. but a lot can go write. and in any case. the song is a perfect length for me.  

7 minutes would have lost too many of the short-attention-spanned so perhaps the directors landed on a happy medium of five minutes for this version but once they get on the mother ship and all the flat earth 2 dimensional grownups are safely left behind. all the boys and all the girls because all boys and girls go to heaven as children to be free and full and filled and fulfilled by loving protection from harm everyone 6 6 6 feet away at a distance and everyone feels safe becaseueveryone has everyone 6.

my uncle Aaron is a soldier in the Space Force and he told me that "if a friend has your six o clock it means your facing 12 o clock and you are the center of a perfectly egineered clock and you can choose the position of your six and we the adults and soldiers will always protect your six o clock always. you count on uncle Aaron to always stand between you and the enemies gate. and the enemies gate is always down so whenever you are down you are with me and when you and I are one and with your other loved ones than you are always protected like in a veil of loved ones and you are the one standing on the fire escape looking down on the street below. you are ken Griffey junior and this song is for that child and for his uncle Aaron and his Aunt Kima).  

basically, I am mixing my metaphors but Downtown is a film like the book the Color Purple. it shows how deeply painful it is to love and how pefectly symmetry we love our way to the end which is when all enemies sit on a porch together and somehow have all been all along the closest dearest and most elemental and eternal group of friends that expands and somehow expands and expands. and never ends.  

Downtown is the film and book and book film the Princess Bride, just with the names changed and the genders removed to protect the innocent and then giving to hip hop to remind us that HIPS hop don't lie. so there. that's that in 5 minutes.  

-thankful to be

delete the following
d will sit at the children's table with all their friends and family and uncles and aunts and gods and dogs because they all go to heaven. and here's the thing: 

heaven is downtown.

the enemies gate is always down. but that is just basic physics we humans have to throw something behind in order to ascend. but only gods comprehend how to do that humanely and in order for all to enjoy the full blessings of a land and a city and its downtown where 

MLB MVP KG JR can witness street fights that are safe and kind and kinda fun and Kima can read OK moon goodnight moon and there is no night in Zion so every fight in heaven downtown on the blocks were all the little children who ever were scared of the big city or the bigger country would know there was grownups in the room and adults surrounding them and protecting them like Kima in the Wire and like so many elements in this song that got filmed and only people who upvote good things and compassionately and carefully and considerably considerately consider that we are all in this together so judge wise. fools mock. and then they have to sit through an entire presidency reflecting on how not to treat the loudest most obnoxious man in the room. we all drop the mic. lets be sure next time not to drop it into the wrong hands.  

we Shakespeares and shaka Zulus and African bambatas gotta not provoke ire or wrath. we can deescalate and please never offend the least of these any child in heaven or earth or anywhere in the universe. downtown is safe and must be for all eternity and thus it is.

thank you for making this movie. and keeping it within my limited attention span of theater.

love

falling profit



All comments from YouTube:

@laggy3099

"Goin' 38 Dan, CHILL THE FUCK OUT! Mow your damn lawn and SIT THE HELL DOWN!"

Macklemore is back.
Fuck yeah.

@davidmoreno6358

best part in song

@MG-zt8nq

FUCK YEAH!

@savannuhcourtney1665

I love it!!

@laggy3099

+Roxas The Key of Destiny™ Well, to be fair, it's only January, so it's only been out a few months.

@OneTrueBelmont

+Fat6amer I think that's the best line in the song.

27 More Replies...

@laurynh.603

Oh um ok..I thought that was a woman singing..my life has been a lie

@jimisawesome123

+Lauryn H. Me too!

@lukedodson3855

+Lauryn H. IKR!

@ying7784

yeah I thought it was one of the HAIM girls!!!

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