Tricky
No More Kings Lyrics
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Of the time I was raised
We were poor for sure
But the glory of it
Was that we didn't know it
And weren't afraid to show it
Still we couldn't refuse to change the golden goose
I was cured for sure
And the story of it
Was I would rise above it
But now I slipped through your noose
When I couldn't lose and you're confused
Because I'm tricky
I've had my fair share of scrapes
There was a gap in the tapes
They think that I erased
You know that I'm not phased
I'll never rest my case
And I've got nothing up my sleeve
You know I'm tricky
Keep on calling me tricky
You know I'm tricky
And I got no one to believe me
Cause I'm tricky
They keep saying I'm tricky
But this time the trick is on me
I've never has a stomach for losing
But once I moved in I got the constitution
Sounds so soothing to me
Just choosing to be
Cold rectified
Why should I testify?
I'm bringing pesticide
You put the rest aside
I'm the only one who knew how to do
What needed to be done
You think I'm on the run?
There ain't no smoking gun
Cause I'm the chosen one, son
They call it espionage
But I got no camouflage
Me or my entourage
Another bullet dodged
It seems like a mirage
Now I've got nothing up my sleeve
You know I'm tricky
Keep on calling me tricky
You know I'm tricky
And I got no one who believes me
Cause I'm tricky
They keep saying I'm tricky
But this time the trick is on me
The trick is on me
This time the trick is on me
You know I'm tricky
Keep on calling me tricky
You know I'm tricky
You know I'm tricky
And I got no one to believe me
'Cause I'm tricky
They say I'm tricky
Tricky
You know the trick is on me
The trick is on me
This time the trick is on me
The lyrics to No More Kings' song Tricky seem to be a reflection on the artist's past and present, as well as an expression of his resilience and ability to stay one step ahead of the game. The first verse speaks to the artist's upbringing in poverty, but with a sense of pride and resilience that allowed him and his family to persevere through hardship without being defeated by it. The artist then speaks to some unspecified difficulties he has faced in life, but again emphasizes his ability to overcome them and stay ahead of the curve. He asserts that he's "tricky" and has "nothing up his sleeve," meaning that he is strategic and can adapt to any situation even when it seems like he may be in trouble.
The second verse is more cryptic, with references to "cold rectified" and "bringing pesticide." These lines seem to suggest that the artist sees himself as a kind of assassin or vigilante, fighting against a corrupt and unjust system. He asserts that he is the only one who knows how to get things done, and that he is the "chosen one." The bridge section of the song repeats the refrain "the trick is on me," suggesting that despite the artist's sense of power and resourcefulness, he may also be vulnerable to missteps and deception.
Overall, the lyrics to Tricky seem to be a statement of the artist's strength and independence, as well as a warning that he should not become too overconfident or complacent in his ability to stay ahead of the curve. At its core, the song is an affirmation of the human spirit's capacity to thrive in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in them days of the time I was raised
When I was growing up
We were poor for sure, but the glory of it
Even though we were poor, we didn't know and we didn't care
Was that we didn't know it and weren't afraid to show it
We were proud of what we had and didn't try to hide it
Still we couldn't refuse to change the golden goose
We couldn't afford to lose what little we had
Fact is they say 'bout the time I was eight
The truth is when I was eight years old
I was cured for sure
I overcame something difficult
And the story of it was I would rise above it
I was determined to succeed despite the odds
But now I slipped through your noose
But now I've escaped your grasp
When I couldn't lose and you're confused
When I couldn't be defeated and you're puzzled
Because I'm tricky
Because I'm clever and outsmarting you
I've had my fair share of scrapes
I've been through some tough situations
There was a gap in the tapes
There was a missing piece of evidence
They think that I erased
They suspect that I covered up the truth
You know that I'm not phased
You know that I'm not intimidated
I'll never rest my case
I'll never stop fighting
And I've got nothing up my sleeve
I have no hidden tricks
Keep on calling me tricky
Keep calling me clever
And I got no one to believe me
And nobody believes me
Cause I'm tricky
Because I'm too clever for my own good
They keep saying I'm tricky
They keep accusing me of being deceptive
But this time the trick is on me
But this time I've been caught
I've never had a stomach for losing
I've never been comfortable with losing
But once I moved in I got the constitution
But once I got started I found the strength to keep going
Sounds so soothing to me
It feels good to be successful
Just choosing to be
Just deciding to be successful
Cold rectified
I've become colder and more ruthless in order to succeed
Why should I testify?
Why should I give evidence against myself?
I'm bringing pesticide
I'm using extreme methods to eliminate my enemies
You put the rest aside
You disregard everything else
I'm the only one who knew how to do what needed to be done
I'm the only one who had the skills to succeed
You think I'm on the run?
Do you think I'm running away from something?
There ain't no smoking gun
There's no clear evidence against me
Cause I'm the chosen one, son
Because I'm destined to succeed
They call it espionage
They call it spying
But I got no camouflage
But I have nothing to hide behind
Me or my entourage
Me or my group of supporters
Another bullet dodged
I've avoided another obstacle
It seems like a mirage
It seems too good to be true
You know I'm tricky
You know I'm clever
And I got no one who believes me
And nobody believes me
The trick is on me
I've been caught out
This time the trick is on me
This time I'm the one who's been fooled
Contributed by Elena I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FlarkeFiasco
Oh, I hear so much M.J. in this, I love it! Let's see, after listening to it over ten times, singing ”Tricky” is STILL tricky, haha. The vocal meter is really cool. Pete, singing along to you is some of the most fun I've ever had with music. Much love in NMK's direction <3
Mike DiMatteo
Yes! Got some colleagues hooked. Great to hear more from you guys!
Alexander Smith
Wonderful! So happy to be hearing new NMK again!
Chris LaChance
This might have the best vibe of any song I've heard from you guys.
christopher hugall
Love it Pete!
tsuyoshiro
This just made my day~ Thanks for the new song, it's great!
Christopher Hicks
Very cool groove man. Has a 70's L.A. street theme. Going strong my brotha from anotha motha. I hope there is a video with this. You have a hit with this one, my friend.
Eisbaer Salar
So good to hear from you guys again. You need to tour up in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle misses ya!
Noah Silver Music
Badass groove!
foodmadness
Wow, just when I thought "Line Em Up" was my favorite Nixon song... Well done, NMK :)