Scott… Read Full Bio ↴Related projects: Scott Bradlee and Saturday Morning Slow Jams
Scott Bradlee has long had a love/hate relationship with pop music.
Growing up as an aspiring jazz pianist, Scott was not interested in listening to anything that might appeal to those that he deemed to possess a less than refined palette of musical taste. This willful ignorance continued for some time; it was not until he began making YouTube videos (and subsequently receiving requests for modern pop songs) that Scott decided to drop his preconceived notions and examine contemporary pop with an open mind.
What he found is that, despite his initial aversion to the stuff Scott was hearing, he was unable to truly categorize this as “bad music” without first defining a set of arbitrary, culturally-defined criteria. Furthermore, the fact that such a rigorous vetting process exists for the output of major labels indicated that these songs and artists certainly RESONATED with the culture of our times–no easy feat, in and of itself. As a relentless devil’s advocate, Scott then found that by simply altering the context of such songs, he could find quite a bit of artistic merit inside of them.
His goal with Postmodern Jukebox is to get his audience to think of songs not as rigid, ephemeral objects, but like malleable globs of silly putty. Songs can be twisted, shaped, and altered without losing their identities–just as we grow, age, and expire without losing ours–and it is through this exploration that the gap between “high” and “low” art can be bridged most readily.
He wants to contribute to the pop music lexicon in the best way that he can.
He wants to encourage others to push the boundaries of genres, and give them the tools to do so.
He wants to create an alternate universe of popular song.
Thrift Shop
Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I-I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up
This is freaking awesome!
Walk up to the club like, "Whaddup? I'm up for some big shot!"
I'm so pumped about some stuff from the thrift shop
Ice on the fringe, it's so damn frosty
That people like, "Damn! That's a cold ass honkey."
Dressed in all pink, 'cept my gator shoes, those are green
Draped in a leopard mink, girls standin' next to me
Probably shoulda washed this, smells like R. Kelly's sheets
(It was ninety-nine cents!)
Bag it!
Coppin' it, washin' it, 'bout to go and get some compliments
Passin' up on those moccasins someone else's been walkin' in
Bummy and grungy, eff it, man
I am stuntin' and flossin' and
Savin' my money and I'm hella happy that's a bargain
I'mma take your grandpa's style, I'mma take your grandpa's style
No for real - ask your grandpa - can I have his hand-me-downs?
Velour jumpsuit and some house slippers
Dookie brown leather jacket that I found diggin'
They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard
I bought a skeet blanket, then I bought a kneeboard
Hello, hello, my ace man, my Mello
John Wayne ain't got nothing on my fringe game, hell no
I could take some Pro Wings, make them cool, sell those
The sneaker heads would be like "Aw, he got the Velcros"
I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I-I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up
This is freaking awesome!
I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I-I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up
This is freaking awesome!
What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?
I'm digging, I'm digging, I'm searching right through that luggage
One man's trash, that's another man's come-up
Thank your granddad for donating that plaid button-up shirt
Imma keep searchin'
I'm at the Goodwill, you can find me in the Uptons
I'm not, I'm not stuck, I'm searchin' in that section
Your grammy, your aunty, your momma, your mammy
I will take those flannel zebra pajammies
They be like, "Oh, that Gucci - that's hella tight."
I be like, "Yo - that's fifty dollars it ain't right."
Limited edition, let's do some addition
That shirt's hella dough
And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don't
Peep game, come take a look through my telescope
Tryna get girls from a brand and you hella won't
I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I-I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up
This is freaking awesome!
I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I-I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up
This is freaking awesome!
I wear your granddad's clothes
I look incredible
I wear that big fur coat
From that thrift shop down the road
Imma wear your granddad's clothes
I look incredible
I wear that big fur coat
From that thrift shop down the road
Goodwill
South Asian Army
THRIFT SHOP.
The lyrics of “Thrift Shop” by Scott Bradlee & Post Modern Jukebox talk about shopping at thrift stores, specifically Goodwill. The singer starts mentioning that he only has 20 dollars, but he is still determined to find something that he likes, looking for a “come up.” He is trying to find clothing items that are unique and different from what people usually wear, which he finds “freaking awesome.” He boasts about wearing clothes like a leopard mink and velour jumpsuit with house slippers or a brown leather jacket he found on digging. He even makes fun of spending 50 dollars on a Gucci shirt, calling it “not right.” However, he talks about how a unique item like that could be expensive, aka “hella dough.”
The song is not only about purchasing inexpensive items from thrift stores, but it also talks about how the singer is confident in his style and knows how to make thrift store items look good. He mentions his “fringe game” and that he can make anything appear cool. The song also highlights the irony of the current fashion industry, where people spend tremendous amounts of money on designer items while some find unique and valuable pieces in thrift stores for a far more reasonable price. Ultimately, the song celebrates being able to find quality items without breaking the bank and encourages people to embrace their individuality through fashion.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I only have a limited amount of money but I am determined to find good bargains while thrift shopping.
I-I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up
I am searching through the thrift store to find valuable items at a low cost.
This is freaking awesome!
I am excited about the potentially amazing finds at this thrift shop.
Walk up to the club like, "Whaddup? I'm up for some big shot!"
I am confident and proud of my unique thrift store purchases and am ready to show them off to others.
I'm so pumped about some stuff from the thrift shop
I am extremely excited about the items that I have found at the thrift store.
Ice on the fringe, it's so damn frosty
The fringe on my clothing is covered in ice, making it an eye-catching and unique feature.
That people like, "Damn! That's a cold ass honkey."
People are impressed by my style and clothing choices, even using slang to describe how cool they think I look.
Rollin' in, hella deep, headin' to the mezzanine
I am entering a location with confidence and with many people accompanying me, heading to a higher level of the building.
Dressed in all pink, 'cept my gator shoes, those are green
I am wearing a predominately pink outfit but have chosen to add a pop of color with green alligator shoes.
Draped in a leopard mink, girls standin' next to me
I am wearing a leopard print mink coat which is catching the attention of girls who are standing near me.
Probably shoulda washed this, smells like R. Kelly's sheets (It was ninety-nine cents!)
The item I purchased had a strong and unpleasant smell, but because it was so cheap, it was still worth the purchase.
Bag it!
I am securing my thrift store purchase by putting it in a bag.
Coppin' it, washin' it, 'bout to go and get some compliments
I plan on cleaning my thrift store purchase and then showing it off to others, hoping to receive compliments on the unique and cool item.
Passin' up on those moccasins someone else's been walkin' in
I am choosing not to purchase the used moccasins as someone else has already worn them, and instead am looking for new-to-me items.
Bummy and grungy, eff it, man
I am unafraid of looking unkempt or grungy in my thrift store finds, as I feel confident in my unique style.
I am stuntin' and flossin' and
I am showing off and confidently displaying my thrift store purchases to others.
Savin' my money and I'm hella happy that's a bargain
I am happy that I found a good deal and was able to save money while still getting unique and cool clothing items.
I'mma take your grandpa's style, I'mma take your grandpa's style
I am going to wear clothing similar to that of an older man, as I find the vintage style to be cool and unique.
No for real - ask your grandpa - can I have his hand-me-downs?
I am so interested in vintage style that I would even ask someone else's grandpa if I could have his old clothing items.
Velour jumpsuit and some house slippers
I am wearing a comfortable outfit consisting of a velour jumpsuit and slippers typically worn indoors.
Dookie brown leather jacket that I found diggin'
I discovered a brown leather jacket while searching through the thrift store that I thought was cool.
They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard
I purchased a broken keyboard from the thrift store, even though it was not in working condition.
I bought a skeet blanket, then I bought a kneeboard
I bought two very different items from the thrift store- a blanket and a kneeboard.
Hello, hello, my ace man, my Mello
I am greeting my friend with excitement and referring to them as my ace/cool person who is relaxed and fun (Mello).
John Wayne ain't got nothing on my fringe game, hell no
I am comparing myself and my unique clothing style to that of a famous Western movie star, saying that I have a better sense of fringe style.
I could take some Pro Wings, make them cool, sell those
I am confident in my ability to make ordinary items like Pro Wings sneakers cool and able to sell them for a profit.
The sneaker heads would be like "Aw, he got the Velcros"
People who are obsessed with sneakers would be impressed that I have shoes with Velcro straps.
What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?
I am asking those around me if they know how cool it is to have a wolf hat on my head.
What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?
I am asking those around me if they know how cool it is to wear a coat made of fox fur.
I'm digging, I'm digging, I'm searching right through that luggage
I am thoroughly searching through the thrift store to find the best items.
One man's trash, that's another man's come-up
Something that one person may consider trash or useless may be very valuable or useful to someone else, such as myself in a thrift store.
Thank your granddad for donating that plaid button-up shirt
I am thanking older generations for their donation of vintage and cool items to thrift stores that younger people like myself can benefit from.
Imma keep searchin'
I am determined to keep searching for unique items in the thrift store.
I'm at the Goodwill, you can find me in the Uptons
I am located in the thrift store chain Goodwill and can be found browsing through the Uptons (sections of the store).
I'm not, I'm not stuck, I'm searchin' in that section
I am not stuck or limited to one section of the thrift store- I am continuing my search through the different areas.
Your grammy, your aunty, your momma, your mammy
I am addressing those around me and listing off different family members that may have items or donations in the thrift store.
I will take those flannel zebra pajammies
I am interested in purchasing a unique item- a pair of flannel zebra print pajamas.
They be like, "Oh, that Gucci - that's hella tight."
People are impressed by my outfit, comparing it to expensive designer brand Gucci and saying it looks cool.
I be like, "Yo - that's fifty dollars it ain't right."
I am pointing out the high cost of the item compared to its worth or quality.
Limited edition, let's do some addition
The item I found is a limited edition, rare find, so I am taking a moment to appreciate its unique value and rarity.
That shirt's hella dough
The shirt I found is very expensive or valuable.
And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don't
I am explaining that it is not cool or desirable to have the same clothing item as many other people in a club or social setting.
Peep game, come take a look through my telescope
I am asking those around me to take a look at the unique and cool items that I have found through a metaphorical telescope.
Tryna get girls from a brand and you hella won't
I am pointing out the fact that some people may try to impress or attract others with expensive brands or clothing, but I am not interested in doing so and do not think it is effective.
I wear your granddad's clothes
I enjoy wearing clothing that is vintage and has a unique look, similar to that of an older generation.
I look incredible
I feel confident and amazing in my thrift store finds.
I wear that big fur coat
One of my notable thrift store finds was a large fur coat which I proudly wear.
From that thrift shop down the road
All the items that I found and wear are from the nearby thrift shop that I go to often.
Goodwill
The name of the popular thrift store chain that I enjoy shopping at.
South Asian Army
A reference to a popular South Asian dance group who performed a routine to this song, showcasing their unique style and dance moves.
THRIFT SHOP.
The title of the song, referencing the popular trend of shopping at thrift stores and finding unique, valuable items at a low cost.
Contributed by Amelia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DavidLewisdcl
Unlike the original, this cover:
1) actually took my grandpa's style and
2) was freakin' awesome.
@debrasouther8517
How does AI #1
@becca759
it's incredible how she can sing all that without skipping a beat or stopping.
now THAT'S talent.
@deffdefying4803
Becca
Well i mean she has to pause to breathe but apart from that yeah
@ibindare
She must breathe through her ears, or else inside she is just lungs, lol.
@frankdiscussion9988
You wanna see incredible, look at Von Smith do this same song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdG8znVcfdc
@stevenrais9360
She does a Lose Yourself cover that made me think the same thing
@benoorehek8475
That's practce
@ryanm8998
I love how the drummer is watching every one else while he plays from muscle memory, the bassist looks like he's having shower thoughts, and Scot's like "Damn watch my hands, they bounce!"
All joking aside, a fantastic cover though.
@starkillerrxrafael2938
I can see a song about choosing a thrift shop instead of spending money on expensive clothes fitting well in a time period like the Great Depression.