Your Southern Can Is Mine
The White Stripes Lyrics
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If ya want to get crooked I'll even give ya my fist
Ya might read from revelation back to genesis
Ya keep forgettin' your southern can belongs to me
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine in the mornin'
Your southern can belongs to me
Ya might go uptown have me arrested, put in jail
Some hotshots got money gonna pull my bail
Soon as I get out, hit the ground
Your southern can is worth a thousand,
Half a pound
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine, talkin' about it
Your southern can belongs to me
Ya might take it from the south, baby,
Hide it up North
Understand ya can't rule me and be my boss
Take it from the East and hide in the West
But when I get ya momma you can'll see no rest
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine, I'm screamin'
Your southern can belongs to me
Now baby, ashes to ashes, sand to sand
When I hit ya momma then ya feel my hand
Give ya a punch through that barbed wire fence
When I hit ya baby, ya know I make no sense
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine, I know it
Your southern can belongs to me
Now look here woman, don't get hot
I'm gettin' me a brick outta my backyard
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine, I'm talkin' about it
You southern can belongs to me
Well if I catch you momma
Down in the heart of town
I'm gonna grab me a brick
And tear your can on down
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine, I know it
Your southern can belongs to me
You maybe get bed sick,
'cause your graveyard bound
I'm gonna make you moan like a graveyard hound
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
Your southern can is mine, I'm screamin'
Your southern can belongs to me
The White Stripes' song "Your Southern Can Is Mine" is a bluesy tune about a dispute between two parties over the ownership of a "southern can." The lyrics are written in a confrontational tone, with the singer warning the other party not to mess with him as he has claimed ownership of the southern can. The can is a metaphor for something of value, possibly money, and the singer is willing to fight for it.
The lyrics contain several biblical references, alluding to the Book of Revelation and Genesis, which suggest that the singer sees himself as a righteous figure who has been unfairly challenged. He warns the other party not to bring any "jive" or lies to him, as he is resolute in his claim to the southern can. The language in the song is aggressive, with references to physical violence (such as the line "I'll even give ya my fist").
Line by Line Meaning
Lookie here momma let me explain ya this
Listen up, I need to clarify something to you
If ya want to get crooked I'll even give ya my fist
If you want to fight, I'm ready to use my fists
Ya might read from revelation back to genesis
You may know the Bible from front to back
Ya keep forgettin' your southern can belongs to me
You keep forgetting that I am in control of your possessions
So there ain't no use in bringin' no jive to me
There's no point in trying to deceive or manipulate me
Your southern can is mine in the mornin'
I own your possessions, including your can, every morning
Ya might go uptown have me arrested, put in jail
You might try to get me arrested and put in jail
Some hotshots got money gonna pull my bail
If you try to jail me, I have friends with enough money to bail me out
Soon as I get out, hit the ground
As soon as I'm released, I'll be back to my old ways
Your southern can is worth a thousand, Half a pound
Your can, and everything else you own, is worth a lot to me
Ya might take it from the south, baby, Hide it up North
You may try to hide your possessions from me, but it won't work
Understand ya can't rule me and be my boss
You can't control me and also own me as a boss
Take it from the East and hide in the West
You can try to move your possessions far away, but I will find them
But when I get ya momma you can'll see no rest
But once I catch up to you, you won't have any peace
Now baby, ashes to ashes, sand to sand
I'm warning you, this will be the end of you
When I hit ya momma then ya feel my hand
When I take what's mine, you'll feel the consequences
Give ya a punch through that barbed wire fence
I'll do whatever it takes to get what's mine, even if it's difficult
When I hit ya baby, ya know I make no sense
When I take what's mine, it may not make sense to you but it doesn't matter
Now look here woman, don't get hot
Hey, calm down and listen to me
I'm gettin' me a brick outta my backyard
I'm getting ready to fight and protect my belongings
Well if I catch you momma Down in the heart of town
If I catch you with what's mine, there will be trouble
I'm gonna grab me a brick And tear your can on down
I'll use force to take what's mine and destroy anything in my way
You maybe get bed sick, 'cause your graveyard bound
You may get sick and die because of the trouble you've caused me
I'm gonna make you moan like a graveyard hound
I'll make sure you suffer before you go
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robyn
on Candy Cane Children
The meaning of this song is basically saying the older you get, the less fun Christmas becomes usually do to adulthood. The lines "don't you know your name?...", probably refers to the adults telling kids to grow up as if they're saying "Do you know how old you are? You're getting too old for this stuff." Probably why he put the lines "nobody knows how to talk to children". Also, he puts the lines "think again" after a thought of one of the kids thinking of wishing to participate in Christmas activities. As if they're thinking "Yeah I probably AM too old for this.." "364 more tears girl" the sadness of getting older. Not participating feels like a missed opportunity and causes even more sadness..