Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo met in Virginia Beach, Virginia at the ages of 12 at a summer camp for musicians, which they both disliked. They spent their free time making beats and performing in groups with fellow childhood friend Timbaland. Shay Haley began performing with Williams and Hugo in high school. After watching the duo perform at a high school talent show, Teddy Riley, a musician and producer, signed Williams and Hugo in 1992. After producing songs for several artists throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the production duo formed N.E.R.D in 2001 as a side project.
Fly Or Die
N.E.R.D Lyrics
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Whoo! Whooo! This is for the kids!
This is only for the kids!!
Mommy! Daddy! I know, you love me
Bad grades, Playstations
Restrictions, you take it from me
But God forbids, something goes wrong
Well guess what! I found
In the drawer, of Daddy's
[Chorus:]
Oh God (oh God!) ohh God (oh God!)
Oh God (oh God!) Hey! (c'mon!)
It won't be long, till you see me on the news!!
Another soul lost at sea - while taking a cruise!!
Gasping for air makes the righteous path - harder to choose
What if he'd fly or die! sink or swim!
Which one shall I choose?!?! (yeah!)
Stupid shrink - give fade, by the hour - three fifty
He can't - figure out, what's wrong - with me
Dumbass - girlfriend, fuck my friend - she's a ho
I tried telling - mom and dad
But they're more concerned - with the poor falling out
[Chorus]
Now I'm in with - the negotiator
And he says to me (you don't want to die boy)
(It's not the right time, you have a bright mind)
(You'll do great things in your lifetime)
I screamed no!! I beat his ass
He turned around, I seen his wings
And just then, the bell rings
I was in school, it was just a dream!!
[Chorus]
It won't be long...
Gasping for air makes the righteous path - harder to choose
Fly or die! sink or swim!
Which one shall I choose?!?! (yeah!)
The song "Fly Or Die" by N.E.R.D is a warning to parents and the society about the dangers of imposing rigid restrictions on children. The song starts with the acknowledgement that parents love their children and want the best for them, but warns that excessive control and restrictions may drive the children to desperation. The song specifically alludes to the real possibility of teenagers becoming suicidal or harmful to the society due to feeling suffocated by parental control.
The song's chorus suggests that the righteous path is one that requires great effort to maintain. The situation, however, becomes even harder if one is gasping for air, i.e. if one's life or well-being is under threat. The ultimate decision becomes between flying or dying, i.e. winning or succumbing to the pressures of the situation.
The song contains a personal story about a boy who feels lost and misunderstood by his parents and society. The boy sees no hope, and the only solution to his problems seems to be death. The narrative of the boy seems to resonate with the larger issue of teenage suicide and self-harm, which continues to be a significant concern worldwide.
Line by Line Meaning
Uhh huh, uhh huh, uhh huh, fly!
Get ready to take off and fly!
Whoo! Whooo! This is for the kids!
This song is dedicated to young people.
Mommy! Daddy! I know, you love me
Parents, I know you care about me.
Bad grades, Playstations
I get punished for bad grades and you take away my video games.
Restrictions, you take it from me
You limit my freedom and take away my toys.
But God forbids, something goes wrong
But if something bad happens,
You call, the police
You call the cops.
Well guess what! I found
Guess what I stumbled upon.
In the drawer, of Daddy's
In Dad's drawer.
Oh God (oh God!) ohh God (oh God!)
Oh my God, oh my God!
It won't be long, till you see me on the news!!
It won't be long before I'm in trouble.
Another soul lost at sea - while taking a cruise!!
Another kid lost to a life of trouble.
Gasping for air makes the righteous path - harder to choose
It's hard to do the right thing when you're struggling to survive.
What if he'd fly or die! sink or swim!
What if he had to take a risk and succeed or fail?
Which one shall I choose?!?! (yeah!)
Which path is the right one for me to take?
Stupid shrink - give fade, by the hour - three fifty
My therapist does nothing to help and charges by the hour.
He can't - figure out, what's wrong - with me
He can't understand my problems.
Dumbass - girlfriend, fuck my friend - she's a ho
My girlfriend cheated on me with my friend.
I tried telling - mom and dad
I told my parents about it.
But they're more concerned - with the poor falling out
But they're too busy worrying about other things.
Now I'm in with - the negotiator
Now I'm in trouble with the authorities.
And he says to me (you don't want to die boy)
The negotiator advises me not to make a fatal mistake.
(It's not the right time, you have a bright mind)
They suggest I have a future and shouldn't throw it away.
(You'll do great things in your lifetime)
They believe I have the potential to do great things in life.
I screamed no!! I beat his ass
I don't want to listen to them, I lash out.
He turned around, I seen his wings
The negotiator turns out to be an angel or my conscience.
And just then, the bell rings
Just then, I wake up from my dream as the bell rings at school.
I was in school, it was just a dream!!
I realize none of it was real and I'm still in school.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD HUGO, PHARRELL WILLIAMS, PHARRELL L WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind