The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.
The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."
The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.
Trouble Man )
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta do something muthafucka punch ya in the mouth
Hitman, Oschino and Sparks, criminal records
Talk to em yo
This is for my ghetto niggas
Reputation is everything so go at with ya life
Yo as young adolescents (aha) mommy said we was so precious
I mean who knew round to O.D to Heron and I'd catch cases
Let my life slip inside the hands of these judges
Where did we go wrong ha?
Was it these missing father figures?
Or watching mom struggle and feed us
Come on I need answers
It's gak on the judges for turning burners on niggas who try to merk us
On the day of judgement who knows
Until then we'll never know so for now I'm a do Omilio
Drunk then a muthafucka disrespecting bitches
Attitude still the same fuck these niggas until it's my time to go
You know I'm doing no changes shit plus I'm happy to be here
With my new family, Black Friday and them Rocafella niggas
I'm focused bring the chorus in
[Chorus:]
My life make me want to holla sometime and throw in my hand
But I won't fold you know how I roll
I live that life of a trouble man and play by the code
Where I'm from just make me want to holla sometime and go get my gun
Go all out but I think of my sons
Then I look where I was at how far did I come
You see lady's prostituting wearing tight leopard
My sneaks was dogs like Pit bulls and German shepherds
Fuck where it came from I needed money fast
White boys bangin' Led Zeppelin went in twenty bags
So I got my first pack on fifty first and Market
I ain't want clothes I just wanted some boss to mark it
No moms to call no dad to be
Stuck on the streets stomach growlin' like a dog showin' his teeth
Life ain't sweet life ain't a game
I know life is more real then Slick Rick chain
Everybody get a hand so play the hand you dealt
And there's nobody to blame fuck it blame yourself
You can go all out and try to reveal
Like a nuclear staying how you write in a cell
You just better pray a liar and hope you prevail
I know living in the hood is hell, come on
[Chorus:]
My life make me want to holla sometime and throw in my hand
But I won't fold you know how I roll
I live that life of a trouble man and play by the code
Where I'm from just make me want to holla sometime and go get my gun
Go all out but I think of my sons
Then I look where I was at how far did I come
Yo right now I'd like to take the time to thank my family members
And phoney homies for turning they backs on me
Make me stronger help me deal with snakes and side guys
Going but I was grooming like a rodent
And I swear these streets will turn us boys to men
I'm the pain with juice and gin try to stack them Horace Grants to a million
Playing Caesar how I blessed them bitches
Excuse my arrogance but baby clone me
This petty world a kill me slowly take away my grandma mami hold me
Life obstacles is getting stressful that's why I don't come around
Written between the paper line examples of my lifestyle
So read inside the guidelines ain't no sunshine
Until you break the chains and fly freely 'cause I know for a fact
Somewhere out in the world somebody need me
To make em smile and appreciate em believe me
But main'tain in the main while baby
Omilio'll be there for you knahmean shit I'm a trouble man
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
My life make me want to holla sometime and throw in my hand
But I won't fold you know how I roll
I live the life of a trouble man and play by the code
Where I'm from just make me want to holla sometime and go get my gun
Go all out but I think of my sons
then where I was at how far did I come
The lyrics of Sparks's song "Trouble Man" speak to the harsh realities of inner-city life and the struggles faced by those growing up in poverty. The opening lines, "Nothing for nothing means nothing/Gotta do something muthafucka punch ya in the mouth," set the tone for the song's aggressive message. The song speaks to the idea that reputation is everything in places where violence and crime are rampant, and personal survival becomes the main priority. The chorus repeats the sentiment that life in these circumstances is incredibly difficult but that those who live it find a way to persevere and continue onward, no matter how tempting it may be to give up.
The verses delve deeper into the struggles that these individuals face, from growing up without fathers to resorting to illegal activities to make money. There is a sense of self-blame and accountability throughout the song, as the lyrics suggest that individuals must take responsibility for their own lives and actions, rather than blaming their circumstances. The final verse speaks to the idea that even amid the difficulties and obstacles of life, there is still hope and a chance to make positive change in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing for nothing means nothing
You can't expect to receive anything if you don't put in any effort
Gotta do something muthafucka punch ya in the mouth
If you don't take action, you'll face consequences and someone might even physically harm you
This is for my ghetto niggas
This song is for people who come from impoverished neighborhoods and have had to struggle to survive
Reputation is everything so go at with ya life
Your reputation is all you have, so make sure you live your life in a way that doesn't tarnish it
It's just like credit the minute ya fuck up you ruined it ya know
Just like credit, one wrong move can negatively impact your reputation and future opportunities
Yo as young adolescents (aha) mommy said we was so precious
Our mothers used to tell us that we were special and valuable
I mean who knew round to O.D to Heron and I'd catch cases
Who could have predicted that we would end up overdosing or getting arrested?
Let my life slip inside the hands of these judges
Our fate was in the hands of judges who had the power to decide our future
Where did we go wrong ha?
We're reflecting on our mistakes and trying to figure out how we ended up in this situation
Was it these missing father figures?
We're wondering if the absence of a father figure in our lives contributed to our struggles and mistakes
Or watching mom struggle and feed us
Perhaps our struggles were a result of growing up in poverty and watching our mother work hard to provide for us
Come on I need answers
We're searching for answers and trying to make sense of our experiences
It's gak on the judges for turning burners on niggas who try to merk us
We place the blame on the judges for punishing us and sending us to prison for trying to defend ourselves against those who would harm us
On the day of judgement who knows
We're unsure of what will happen to us in the future
Until then we'll never know so for now I'm a do Omilio
Since we don't know what the future holds, we'll focus on what we can do in the present, which is to live our lives and pursue success
Drunk then a muthafucka disrespecting bitches
We used to engage in bad behavior and were disrespectful to women when we were drunk
Attitude still the same fuck these niggas until it's my time to go
Our attitude towards others hasn't changed much, and we'll continue to do us until our time comes
You know I'm doing no changes shit plus I'm happy to be here
We're content with how we're living our lives and don't feel the need to make any drastic changes
With my new family, Black Friday and them Rocafella niggas
We're thankful for our new family of friends and associates who have supported us and helped us succeed
You see lady's prostituting wearing tight leopard
We see women who are forced to prostitute themselves in order to survive
My sneaks was dogs like Pit bulls and German shepherds
We used to wear cheap sneakers that were in bad condition
Fuck where it came from I needed money fast
We didn't care where the money came from, we just needed it quickly to survive
White boys bangin' Led Zeppelin went in twenty bags
We sold drugs to white boys who were into rock music and would buy large amounts at a time
So I got my first pack on fifty first and Market
We started selling drugs at a specific location
No moms to call no dad to be
We didn't have parents to turn to for help or guidance
Stuck on the streets stomach growlin' like a dog showin' his teeth
We had to survive on the streets with no food and often had to resort to aggression to protect ourselves
I know life is more real then Slick Rick chain
Life is much harsher and less glamorous than what we see in music videos and movies
Everybody get a hand so play the hand you dealt
Everyone is dealt a set of cards in life, and it's up to them how they choose to play them
And there's nobody to blame fuck it blame yourself
We take responsibility for our own mistakes and don't blame others
You can go all out and try to reveal
You can try your best to change your situation and succeed
Like a nuclear staying how you write in a cell
You can make an impact with your words even when you're stuck in prison
You just better pray a liar and hope you prevail
Success in life often comes down to luck and hoping things work out in your favor
I'm the pain with juice and gin try to stack them Horace Grants to a million
We've experienced a lot of pain in life but are trying to turn our lives around and make a lot of money
Excuse my arrogance but baby clone me
We're proud of our accomplishments and want others to be able to replicate our success
This petty world a kill me slowly take away my grandma mami hold me
The harshness of the world is slowly killing us, and we yearn for the comfort and love of our grandmothers and mothers
Life obstacles is getting stressful that's why I don't come around
We've been dealing with a lot of stress and obstacles in our lives, which is why we haven't been around much
Written between the paper line examples of my lifestyle
The lyrics of this song are a reflection of our experiences and way of life
So read inside the guidelines ain't no sunshine
Read between the lines and understand that life can be harsh and difficult
Until you break the chains and fly freely 'cause I know for a fact
You have to break free from the limitations holding you back in order to truly succeed
Somewhere out in the world somebody need me
We believe that there are people out there who can benefit from our experiences and successes
To make em smile and appreciate em believe me
We want to make others happy and help them appreciate the good things in life
Omilio'll be there for you knahmean shit I'm a trouble man
We're here for others and are willing to help them through any troubles they may face, as we've faced many troubles ourselves
My life make me want to holla sometime and throw in my hand
Our lives can be overwhelming and make us want to give up
But I won't fold you know how I roll
We won't give up or fold under pressure
I live that life of a trouble man and play by the code
We live a difficult life but stick to our own code of ethics and values
Where I'm from just make me want to holla sometime and go get my gun
The environment we grew up in makes us want to resort to violence and aggression at times
Then I look where I was at how far did I come
We reflect on how much progress we've made in our lives despite facing many challenges
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE CARLETON FISHER, BILLY PRESTON, DWIGHT GRANT, KENNETH WILLIAM JOHNSON, OSCHINO VASQUEZ, EDWIN DE LA HOZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.