Roundabouts
People Under the Stairs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to sleep
You missed it. Hope they start it again
Doesn't seem like they will
Oh, no
Like your kind of people
People
Your kind of people
()
I got my groove fat, no stellar art chords
It's the stellar art good fellas
Back to the breaks like Tony Apfel
People under the stairs, hotel to motel
My stop lockin' at the holiday inn
Pulling ropes in the hallways we turn it up always
Let's have a mid city fiesta with your west LA connections
Hop inside the vehicle start crossing intersections
We learning life's lessons while we blaze this herbal essence
A man but still a child and I have so many questions
Struggled all my life to evade the misconceptions
To find a place to live between the negatives and positives
While trying to make money slanging synonyms and homonyms
I went to pop's house so I can visit moms and him
Cut to the mall got them brand new pair of symbians
Then dipped down a one way trying to scoop up Double K
And chill with my people on this bright and sunny day
My nigga spliff was sippin' beck's I'm slappin' hands with guests
Locate a shady spot so we can circulate the stress
Mary Jane invades my brain now I can't complain
I'm sayin what else is there to do besides relax
Let the problems in your mind become ancient artifacts
Perhaps these raps can help you alleviate
The things that's got you trippin' you watch me demonstrate
First you ignore the nonsense and clear your conscience
Let your pen touch the paper write verbs and consonants
As the words become a sentence you start to feel indifferent
The stress is out your mind you feel like the weight was lifted
Terrific I'm glad we had this time to discuss
I'm outro, call me if you want to blaze one up
()
Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind
Don't you know that things go in cycles?
Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind
Don't you know that things go in cycles?
Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind
Don't you know that things go in cycles?
Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind
Don't you know that things go in cycles?
Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind
Don't you know that things go in cycles?
()
Oh, no, well, that for me
Got my bathtub ready
Looks ready to me
The opening lines of "Roundabouts" express confusion and frustration. The singer is addressing someone or a group of people who are trying to sleep despite something significant happening around them. They missed it, and the singer hopes that whatever it was will restart. However, it doesn't seem likely, which leads to the line, "Oh, no." After this, the singer changes the subject to "your kind of people" and repeats "people" twice before launching into a rap.
The rap portion of the song seems to be about the singer and his friends having a good time, smoking weed, and trying to navigate through life's obstacles. The lyrics mention "slanging synonyms and homonyms" and "blaz[ing] this herbal essence" while also delving into the singer's philosophical musings about the struggle to find balance and peace in life.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind; Don't you know that things go in cycles?" seems to be a commentary on the cyclical nature of life. The singer is acknowledging that things often repeat and that it is important to be aware of that fact.
Overall, "Roundabouts" is a relaxed and thoughtful track that blends rap and an almost dreamy jazz sound. The singer is discussing his experiences and more profound emotions while also drawing attention to universal truths.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why you guys are always doing this
I don't understand why you constantly repeat this behavior
Trying to sleep
I am attempting to get some rest
You missed it. Hope they start it again
You missed what was happening. I hope it will happen once more
Doesn't seem like they will
It doesn't seem like it will happen again
Oh, no
I am feeling anxious or worried
Like your kind of people
I am not fond of people who behave in certain ways
I got my groove fat, no stellar art chords
My rhythm is excellent, but not due to exceptional talent
It's the stellar art good fellas
My performance is thanks to my good companions, not my exceptional talent
Back to the breaks like Tony Apfel
I am returning to my musical roots
People under the stairs, hotel to motel
My lifestyle consists of moving from one temporary residence to another
My stop lockin' at the holiday inn
I am no longer staying at the Holiday Inn
Pulling ropes in the hallways we turn it up always
We have fun no matter where we are
Let's have a mid city fiesta with your west LA connections
Let's have a fun party in the middle of the city with your friends in West LA
Hop inside the vehicle start crossing intersections
Let's get in the car and drive across intersections
We learning life's lessons while we blaze this herbal essence
We are gaining valuable experience while we smoke marijuana
A man but still a child and I have so many questions
I am an adult, but I still have many unanswered questions
Struggled all my life to evade the misconceptions
Throughout my existence, I have tried to avoid misunderstandings
To find a place to live between the negatives and positives
I am attempting to find a balance between the negative and positive aspects of life
While trying to make money slanging synonyms and homonyms
As I try to earn a living by selling synonyms and homonyms
I went to pop's house so I can visit moms and him
I went to see my parents at my father's house
Cut to the mall got them brand new pair of symbians
Next, I went to the mall to buy a new pair of shoes
Then dipped down a one way trying to scoop up Double K
After that, I took a one-way road to pick up Double K
And chill with my people on this bright and sunny day
And hang out with my friends on this beautiful day
My nigga spliff was sippin' beck's I'm slappin' hands with guests
My friend Spliff was drinking Beck's beer while I shook hands with acquaintances
Locate a shady spot so we can circulate the stress
We found a place in the shade so we can relax and let go of our worries
Mary Jane invades my brain now I can't complain
Marijuana is affecting my mind, but I am not upset
I'm sayin what else is there to do besides relax
What else is there to do besides take it easy?
Let the problems in your mind become ancient artifacts
Forget about your problems and let them become a thing of the past
Perhaps these raps can help you alleviate
Maybe my lyrics can help relieve some of your struggles
The things that's got you trippin' you watch me demonstrate
I can show you how to overcome whatever is troubling you
First you ignore the nonsense and clear your conscience
Start by ignoring negativity and seeking peace of mind
Let your pen touch the paper write verbs and consonants
Put your pen to paper and write down your thoughts
As the words become a sentence you start to feel indifferent
As you write, you become less affected by your problems
The stress is out your mind you feel like the weight was lifted
You are less stressed and feel like a burden has been lifted from your shoulders
Terrific I'm glad we had this time to discuss
This has been a great conversation, and I'm happy we had it
I'm outro, call me if you want to blaze one up
I am finished speaking, but feel free to contact me if you want to smoke marijuana together
Peel up, bring up, run it back come rewind
Rewind the music and start it over again
Don't you know that things go in cycles?
Everything has a cycle or pattern to it
Got my bathtub ready
I have prepared my bathtub
Looks ready to me
It appears ready to use
Contributed by Sarah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.