Drop It Like a Fire Engine
Time Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Drop it like a tranny

The caravan is planned
Get the camels, and the candles
We're gonna light the way, let the darkness be dismantled
With lightbulbs, flashlights, stars and matches
I'm cutting up sadness with hatchets and gadgets
Steal money, you're a thief
Steal country, you're a king
Steal my pen, I'll still speak
Steal my voice, I'll still sing
Cause too many people wanna come this way
From dope to the pope to opus dei
The Mediterranean's changing him
Mermaids, to braids, cowards aren't afraid
Where you going
I don't really know but I'll be there soon
I'll be in a suit
I'll be there by noon
With firecrackers and balloons
2 negatives make a positive
My last 2 albums gotta lot to give
Depressions losing oxygen
My happiness there's no stopping him
Even if he had some cement moccasins
I sing the body electric
Cowards are pathetic
It don't matter where you're headed
Just don't regret it
As long as it was the truth when you said it

O drop that fire engine out of your mouth
If you don't really know what you're talking about

Those were the good days
These are the better
Tomorrow's the best
So what's the rest?
I'm 17% out of my body
Looking at salavdor dali
Running around in bollywood
Smoking on berries like holly should
Cause it's all good in moderation
Yeah that's Time I think he's wasted
Lose your addictions or be a patient
Here comes victory, can you taste it?

It's on my lips, it's on my tongue
It's on my spit, it's on the drums
It's on me, it's on everyone
My soul is old my heart is young
Palms towards the east, here comes the sun
Take me back to the day
When candy tasted like cough medicine
Joy let it begin
Happy thoughts let em in
In the clouds is where chris' head has been
There's no such thing as onry
I'm wearing a red sweater with michele gondry
I'm coming with my army with cornbread bombing
Mos def spawned me
I'm independent, that means I do my own laundry
There's a guy with big hands
He wants a calendar of disasters and clouds
That float from piano notes
Dirty lab's the fam, doctype gave me hope
I'm in paradise, drop the anchor on the boat
Lifting wineglasses as time passes
In my past is where my wrath is
Along with the fascists
Depression and sadness got into head on crashes
Fantastic
This may be over your head
So put your arms in the air maybe you can catch it

O drop that fire engine out of your mouth
If you don't really know what you're talking about

Gimme a friend, don't give me a cage
Gimme a voice and they will come
Gimme myself I'll give me trust
Gimme a pen I'll live on stage
Don't give me a choice just give me the numb
Don't give me wealth just give me the rush
Give me rain for a 1000 years and I won't give you rust





Drop it like a tranny

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Drop it Like a Fire Engine" by Time are poetic and thought-provoking, with layers of meaning and intricate wordplay. The song starts with a reference to a "tranny," which can be interpreted in different ways, but likely refers to dropping something unexpected or surprising like a transmission dropping out of a car. The caravan that is planned is a metaphor for a journey or adventure, with camels and candles representing a mix of ancient and modern ways of lighting the way forward. The darkness that needs to be dismantled may refer to the negative or oppressive aspects of society or the human psyche.


As the song progresses, Time explores themes of life, death, happiness, and sadness, with a focus on the power of words and the importance of truth. The lyrics also touch on the idea of stealing, with the phrase "steal my pen, I'll still speak" suggesting that no external force can silence someone who has something important to say. Time also acknowledges the challenges and uncertainties of life, but encourages listeners to embrace them as part of the journey.


Overall, "Drop it Like a Fire Engine" is a complex and multi-layered song that speaks to the human experience in a profound and poetic way.


Line by Line Meaning

The caravan is planned
We have a plan in place for our journey


Get the camels, and the candles
We are gathering the necessary supplies for our journey


We're gonna light the way, let the darkness be dismantled
We will bring light to the darkness to remove fear and uncertainty


With lightbulbs, flashlights, stars and matches
We have various tools to help light the way


I'm cutting up sadness with hatchets and gadgets
I am using various methods and tools to overcome feelings of sadness


Steal money, you're a thief
Taking money from someone without permission makes you a thief


Steal country, you're a king
If you take over a country by force, you become the ruler


Steal my pen, I'll still speak
Taking away my ability to write won't silence me


Steal my voice, I'll still sing
Even if you try to silence me, I will still express myself through music


Cause too many people wanna come this way
There are a lot of people who want to join us on this journey


From dope to the pope to opus dei
People from all walks of life want to join us


The Mediterranean's changing him
The sea has a transformative effect on him


Mermaids, to braids, cowards aren't afraid
Even those who are afraid are drawn to the transformative power of the sea


Where you going
Where are you headed?


I don't really know but I'll be there soon
I may not have a specific destination, but I will arrive there shortly


I'll be in a suit
I will be dressed formally


I'll be there by noon
I will arrive at my destination at noon


With firecrackers and balloons
I will arrive with celebratory items


2 negatives make a positive
Two negative things can cancel each other out and become positive


My last 2 albums gotta lot to give
My previous two albums have a lot of valuable content


Depressions losing oxygen
Depression is decreasing in intensity


My happiness there's no stopping him
Nothing can prevent me from feeling happy


Even if he had some cement moccasins
Nothing could slow down his happiness, not even heavy shoes made of cement


I sing the body electric
I celebrate the human body and life


Cowards are pathetic
Those who give up easily are weak and unimpressive


It don't matter where you're headed
Your destination is not as important as the journey itself


Just don't regret it
Don't have any regrets about where you've been or where you're going


As long as it was the truth when you said it
As long as you were honest when you made a statement or claim, that's what matters


O drop that fire engine out of your mouth
Stop talking nonsense


If you don't really know what you're talking about
If you aren't knowledgeable about the subject you're discussing


Those were the good days
Past times were happy


These are the better
The present is even better than the past


Tomorrow's the best
The future will be even better than the present


So what's the rest?
What else is there to say?


I'm 17% out of my body
I feel partially disconnected from my physical self


Looking at salavdor dali
Observing the surrealist artist Salvador Dali


Running around in bollywood
Imagining oneself in the Indian film industry


Smoking on berries like holly should
Engaging in festive activities


Cause it's all good in moderation
Activities are enjoyable as long as they are done in moderation


Yeah that's Time I think he's wasted
Time has been misused or squandered


Lose your addictions or be a patient
Overcome your addictions or be a patient seeking treatment


Here comes victory, can you taste it?
We are on the verge of achieving success, are you ready for it?


It's on my lips, it's on my tongue
I am about to say it


It's on my spit, it's on the drums
I am about to express myself through music


It's on me, it's on everyone
It's a shared experience


My soul is old my heart is young
I've existed for a long time but still have a youthful spirit


Palms towards the east, here comes the sun
Greeting the sunrise with open arms


Take me back to the day
I wish to revisit a past time


When candy tasted like cough medicine
Recalling a time when candy had an unpleasant taste


Joy let it begin
Let's begin to experience joy


Happy thoughts let em in
Positive thoughts help bring happiness


In the clouds is where chris' head has been
Chris has been preoccupied with his thoughts and ideas


There's no such thing as onry
There is no such thing as mean or spiteful behavior


I'm wearing a red sweater with michele gondry
I am wearing a sweater designed by Michele Gondry


I'm coming with my army with cornbread bombing
I am arriving with my group of supporters and enthusiasm


Mos def spawned me
Mos Def was a major influence on me


I'm independent, that means I do my own laundry
I am self-sufficient


There's a guy with big hands
A person with large hands is present


He wants a calendar of disasters and clouds
He is interested in documenting unfortunate events and weather patterns


That float from piano notes
He wishes to capture the essence of music through visual art


Dirty lab's the fam, doctype gave me hope
I find hope and inspiration through my associations with Dirty Lab and Doctype


I'm in paradise, drop the anchor on the boat
I feel at ease and relaxed


Lifting wineglasses as time passes
I am enjoying wine and the passage of time


In my past is where my wrath is
My anger is associated with my past experiences


Along with the fascists
Totalitarian or oppressive regimes also contributed to my anger


Depression and sadness got into head on crashes
Sadness and depression often clash with one another


Fantastic
Great!


This may be over your head
This may be too advanced for you to understand


So put your arms in the air maybe you can catch it
Raise your arms and try to grasp the essence of what I'm expressing


O drop that fire engine out of your mouth
Stop talking nonsense


If you don't really know what you're talking about
If you aren't knowledgeable about the subject you're discussing


Gimme a friend, don't give me a cage
I desire companionship and freedom


Gimme a voice and they will come
I have a message to share and people will listen


Gimme myself I'll give me trust
I trust and believe in myself


Gimme a pen I'll live on stage
I am a performer and will express myself through writing and music


Don't give me a choice just give me the numb
I prefer to feel numb rather than having to make difficult choices


Don't give me wealth just give me the rush
I value excitement and adventure more than material wealth


Give me rain for a 1000 years and I won't give you rust
I am resilient and will not be broken down by long periods of struggle




Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions