It's Your Life
Too $hort Lyrics
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It's your life, don't be stupid dope,
'Cause when you waste it...
It's your life, don't don't be stupid dope,
'Cause when you waste it...
Now I come from, the Oakland town
Task force roll and rock, cold cracked down
Drive a brand new Benz with a cellular phone
See his diamonds and gold, call him Big Bank Bob
Got a ring for each finger and he can't get a job
This is not a song I made about crack
It's all about losin' what you can't get back
'Cause the name of the game is to control yo' life
And all the things you do you must do them right
It's not my life, it's on you baby
What's really goin' on is that cash money
How you make it, it doesn't matter to me
Work at MacDonald's or just slang them ki's
Or you can be like me and go straight legit
Drive a brand new Benz and they can't say shit
[Chorus]
Partners in your face, ain't even your friend
Probably have to blast him if you see him again
And if you don't blast him you'll get shot in the head
Seven days later you'll be buried and dead
I can't be like that, the only thing you fear
Homeboy you can't see it but you know it's there
It's called tomorrow, what'cha gonna do with that
Cut school, sell a few dope-fiends crack?
It's not a one-way street, it's more like a dead-end
So if you take it, you better turn back my friend
I know a lot of young brothers don't think things through
They really don't know what they want to do
When you lag, you lose, you start payin' your dues
You can't kick back and let your bankroll stack
You'll be stuck on stupid, for smokin' a friend
Ten years from now you'll still be in the pen
[Chorus]
I got my eighteens pumpin', ridin' the five
People lookin' at me like I stole the ride
Am I a gangster, player, makin' them G's
Cocaine dealer with the Z's and V's
Can't tell 'em nothin', so I say, "Whassup?"
They get mad, I don't give a fuck
I keep ridin', sidin', whippin' and dippin'
Look at all my homeboys trippin'
They'll knock you out, one punch like the champ
Goin' to jail is like summer camp
We shake hands one day, kill each other the next
And if you don't like it it's just like that
'Cause I come from, the city of dope
It couldn't be saved by John the Pope
But since I have the chance, I'll say in the rhyme,
We have to stop the killin' sometime (soon)
[Chorus x 2]
In the chorus of Too $hort's song "It's Your Life," the message is clear: it's up to you to make the right choices in life, so don't be foolish and throw it away. The first verse presents an illustration of young men in Oakland making "dollars so long" and driving expensive cars, but unable to get a job. $hort warns that while he is not promoting drug use (which is often associated with the rap genre), he is emphasizing the importance of properly managing one's life. If you want to drive a brand new car and be successful, then you have to do it correctly. It is the individual's responsibility to gain control of their life and steer it in the right direction.
In the second verse of "It's Your Life," Too $hort describes the consequences that can arise from the wrong choices in life. The phrase "partners in your face, ain't even your friend" suggests that those around you may not always be looking out for your best interests, so it's crucial to choose your companions wisely. With a lack of forethought, one can get caught up in drugs, crime, and violence. The verse emphasizes that tomorrow is not guaranteed, and as a result, you need to make informed decisions that will positively impact your future. The overarching message is that our actions today have serious implications for our future, and it is imperative to practice wisdom and forethought in our choices.
Line by Line Meaning
It's your life, don't be stupid dope,
You have control over your life, so don't make foolish decisions.
'Cause when you waste it...
Once you waste your life, you can’t reclaim or turn back time.
Now I come from, the Oakland town
I come from Oakland, a city in California.
Task force roll and rock, cold cracked down
Police are aggressively cracking down on crime.
Young brothers my age makin' dollars so long
Many young brothers my age are earning money for a long time.
Drive a brand new Benz with a cellular phone
They drive new Benzes and use a cellphone.
This is not a song I made about crack
This song isn’t about crack cocaine.
It's all about losin' what you can't get back
It’s about losing things that are irreplaceable.
'Cause the name of the game is to control yo' life
You must take control of your life.
And all the things you do you must do them right
You need to do the right things in life.
It's not my life, it's on you baby
I’m not responsible for your life decisions.
What's really goin' on is that cash money
Money is driving people's actions.
How you make it, it doesn't matter to me
Your method of earning money isn’t my concern.
Work at MacDonald's or just slang them ki's
You can work at McDonald's or sell drugs.
Or you can be like me and go straight legit
You can choose to be like me and stay legal.
Drive a brand new Benz and they can't say shit
Drive a new car, and no one can criticize you.
Partners in your face, ain't even your friend
People who pretend to be your friends are actually your enemies.
Probably have to blast him if you see him again
You may have to shoot them if you meet again.
And if you don't blast him you'll get shot in the head
If you don't retaliate, you are likely to get shot.
Seven days later you'll be buried and dead
You will die soon if you don’t take care.
It's called tomorrow, what'cha gonna do with that
You need to start planning for tomorrow.
Cut school, sell a few dope-fiends crack?
Make money by selling drugs or attend school?
It's not a one-way street, it's more like a dead-end
Your actions can take you to a dead-end.
So if you take it, you better turn back my friend
You should quit if you realize you are on the wrong path.
I know a lot of young brothers don't think things through
Many young men don’t think critically.
They really don't know what they want to do
They are unsure about their life choices.
When you lag, you lose, you start payin' your dues
If you procrastinate, things won’t work out, and you will pay the price.
You can't kick back and let your bankroll stack
You must take action to improve your financial status.
You'll be stuck on stupid, for smokin' a friend
You'll fail, and you'll have only yourself to blame.
Ten years from now you'll still be in the pen
You'll still be in jail ten years from now.
I got my eighteens pumpin', ridin' the five
I have my music playing at high volume on my car stereo.
People lookin' at me like I stole the ride
People are staring at me and my car.
Am I a gangster, player, makin' them G's
Do I look like a gangster or a successful person?
Cocaine dealer with the Z's and V's
Do I look like a dealer of Z's and V's?
Can't tell 'em nothin', so I say, "Whassup?"
People can't criticize me, so I don’t care what they say.
They get mad, I don't give a fuck
They get mad, but it doesn’t bother me.
I keep ridin', sidin', whippin' and dippin'
I keep driving and maneuvering my car.
Look at all my homeboys trippin'
My friends are excited and envious of me.
They'll knock you out, one punch like the champ
My friends can fight like a boxing champion.
Goin' to jail is like summer camp
Going to jail is easy for them.
We shake hands one day, kill each other the next
We can act friendly one minute and turn violent the next.
And if you don't like it it's just like that
If you don’t like it, too bad for you.
'Cause I come from, the city of dope
I come from a city known for drugs.
It couldn't be saved by John the Pope
No one could save the city from drugs.
But since I have the chance, I'll say in the rhyme,
I have an opportunity to speak about it through my song.
We have to stop the killin' sometime (soon)
We need to end the violence soon.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GEORGE CLINTON, WILLIAM BOOTSY COLLINS, TODD SHAW, BERNIE WORRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind