Freeze Tag (feat. Cordae & Phoelix)
Over the last decade few people have put so much time and energy into the c… Read Full Bio ↴Over the last decade few people have put so much time and energy into the culture they love. Beginning his career as a rapper and producer, Terrace Martin has lent his skills to artists such as Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Lalah Hathaway, Raphael Saadiq, Charlie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, and the legendary Emotions, just to name a few. Martins big break came when he produced a Power 106 radio drop with Snoop Dogg. Shattering the acknowledged rules of hip-hop production, he samples everything from funk to jazz to classical to create fresh and original tracks. His wildly imaginative productions have made him one of the most sought after upcoming producers on the streets of Los Angeles. Born to father, a jazz drummer and mother, a singer, Martin's birthright was music. Growing up listening to everyone from Coltrane to Parliament, he began playing the piano at the age of six. Producing his first tracks on his Casio CZ101 Keyboard and an Sp1200, Martin decided to broaden his musicality and picked up the saxophone. At Locke High, under the auspices of Reggie Andrews, Martin became first chair of the All-State jazz band. As a child prodigy, Martin gained the interest of talk show host Jay Leno, who presented him with a scholarship and later purchased his first professional horn. Not only did Hollywood elite recognize Martin but also world-renowned jazz musician, Billy Higgins, who later made Martin a member of his World Stage All-Stars. Fresh out of high school, Martin attended Cal-Arts but decided school wasnt for him and began touring with Puff Daddy and gospels own Gods Property. From jazz to hip-hop, Martins role models include Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Stitt, Grover Washington, Jr., Dr. Dre, Dj Quik, Battlecat, Premier, Pete Rock, and 1580 K-Day. Martin says, "I started producing hip-hop tracks because it was the music of my time, but I never lost my love for jazz."

Freeze Tag
Terrace Martin Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Woo, woo-woo
Higher
Woo-woo

They told me put my hands up behind my head
I think they got the wrong one
I'm sick and tired of runnin' (runnin')
I been searchin' where the love went (love went)
I been lookin' for a dove
Then they told me if I move they gon' shoot me dead
But I think I'm 'bout to cut a rug (cut a rug)
I been waitin' on the summer (summer)
Soul lookin' back and wonders
How we 'posed to get from under?

They told me put my hands up behind my head
I think they got the wrong one
I'm sick and tired of runnin' (runnin')
I been searchin' where the love went (love went)
I been lookin' for a dove
Then they told me if I move they gon' shoot me dead
But I think I'm 'bout to cut a rug (cut a rug)
I been waitin' on the summer (summer)
Soul lookin' back and wonders
How we 'posed to get from under?

They told me put my hands up behind my head

They told me put my hands up behind my head
I think they got the wrong one
I'm sick and tired of runnin' (runnin')
I been searchin' where the love went (love went)
I been lookin' for a dove
Then they told me if I move they gon' shoot me dead
But I think I'm 'bout to cut a rug (cut a rug)
I been waitin' on the summer (summer)
Soul lookin' back and wonders
How we 'posed to get from under?

They told me put my hands up behind my head
I think they got the wrong one
I'm sick and tired of runnin' (runnin')
I been searchin' where the love went (love went)
I been lookin' for a dove
Then they told me if I move they gon' shoot me dead
But I think I'm 'bout to cut a rug (cut a rug)
I been waitin' on the summer (summer)
Soul lookin' back and wonders
How we 'posed to get from under?





They told me put my hands up behind my head

Overall Meaning

"Freeze Tag" by Terrace Martin is a powerful and thought-provoking song that addresses issues related to systemic racism and police brutality in America. The lyrics speak of a black person's experience of being unfairly targeted and brutalized by law enforcement. The opening lines of the chorus, "They told me put my hands up behind my head, I think they got the wrong one, I'm sick and tired of runnin'," highlight the sense of injustice and hopelessness that many black people feel in the face of police violence.


The lyrics also touch on the theme of love and unity. The singer laments the loss of love in society and says that they have been searching for a dove, a symbol of peace and love. This search for love is juxtaposed with the threat of violence from law enforcement, as the singer is warned that they will be shot if they move. Despite this, the singer feels the urge to dance, to "cut a rug" and embrace life in the face of adversity.


Line by Line Meaning

Woo, woo-woo Higher Woo-woo
Opening sounds setting the tone for the song


They told me put my hands up behind my head
Narrator is being ordered to submit to authority


I think they got the wrong one
Narrator does not see themselves as a threat and is being unfairly targeted


I'm sick and tired of runnin' (runnin')
Narrator is frustrated with constantly having to escape danger or oppression


I been searchin' where the love went (love went)
Narrator is seeking an end to conflict and division in society


I been lookin' for a dove
Narrator seeks a symbol of peace and innocence


Then they told me if I move they gon' shoot me dead
Narrator feels threatened with deadly force for simply existing


But I think I'm 'bout to cut a rug (cut a rug)
Narrator is defiant and wants to celebrate life in the face of danger


I been waitin' on the summer (summer)
Narrator desires a season of warmth and good times to replace the current state of fear and unrest


Soul lookin' back and wonders How we 'posed to get from under?
Narrator questions how society can escape the cycle of violence and inequality




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: Kamasi Washington, MIchael E Neil, Patrick Douthit, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@youngmaestro3006

"They told me put my hands up behind my head. I think they got the wrong one..." such a groovin beat but the lyrics cut like a knife.

@IamProfessorO

And that’s the genius of it

@DubHead69420

EXACTLY! The first time I heard it, I thought it was about just lay and chill, with the legs up and hands behind the head, while being a little high.

@jamalalqassem5079

its like the opposite of Bossa Nova, where musicians protested censorship in Brasil with music that had nice lyrics, but haunting melodies

@zophila8903

Discovered this song at the most confusing state of my life. Transitioned to my lowest but today I'm happy to say things are becoming better. If you listening to this right now I wish you internal peace and the success you deserve.

@DubHead69420

That's nice to hear, and thanks man. Peace! ✌️

@cosmic_sunflower3864

💜💯

@BostonHollyAndSnoop

OMG, I've just now read your comment frm 9 mo ago - spot on for me at a very difficult time. ReShelved the 100 benzos for perhaps another day. Music saves lives. Good people save lives.

@arturospeaks

THE BOONDOCKS SAMPLE.

Thank you for not snitching.

RIP Charlie Murphy and Pops.

@chavedappelle

Recognized it immediately

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