Rodney King
The Boo Radleys Lyrics


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Do you know my name before you
Tear me apart?
Do you care who I am?




Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Boo Radleys' song Rodney King are a commentary on the tragic events surrounding the beating of Rodney King by police officers in Los Angeles in 1991. The song seems to suggest that King's humanity was overlooked in the aftermath of the event, as people focused more on the sensational aspects of the case rather than on King as an individual. The lyrics ask if people even knew King's name or cared about his identity before he became a symbol of police brutality and racial tensions.


The first line, "Do you know my name before you tear me apart?" is a poignant question that highlights the dehumanizing effects of such acts of violence. The second line, "Do you care who I am?" speaks to the broader issue of systemic racism and the disregard for Black lives, as if to say that King's identity as a Black man was ultimately what led to him being targeted and brutalized by the police.


Overall, the lyrics of Rodney King serve as a sobering reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality in America, and a call to see individual human beings instead of dismissing them as mere symbols or statistics.


Line by Line Meaning

Do you know my name before you
Do you bother to know my identity and understand who I am?


Tear me apart?
Do you criticize and judge me without empathy or consideration?


Do you care who I am?
Do you have any interest or concern for my individuality and existence?




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARTIN JAMES CARR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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