The Show Goes On
University of Rochester YellowJackets Lyrics


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Already, the show goes on
All night ′til the mornin', we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder when they would see the sun
Just remember when you come up, the show goes on

Alright, already, the show goes on
All night ′til the mornin', we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder when they would see the sun
Just remember when you come up, the show goes on

One in the air for the people ain't here
Two in the air for the father that′s there
Three in the air for the kids in the ghetto
Four for the kids that don′t wanna be there

None for the niggas tryin' to hold them back
Five in the air for the teachers not scared
To tell those kids that′s livin' in the ghetto
That the niggas holdin′ back that the world is theirs

Yeah, yeah, the world is yours, I was once that little boy
Terrified of the world, now I'm on a world tour
I will give up everything, even start a world war
For these ghetto girls and boys, I′m rappin' 'round the world for

Africa to New York, Haiti, then I detour
Oakland out to Auckland, Gaza Strip to Detroit
Say hip hop only destroy, tell ′em look at me, boy
I hope your son don′t have a gun and never be a D-boy

Alright, already, the show goes on
All night 'til the mornin′, we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder when they would see the sun?
Just remember when you come up, the show goes on

So no matter what you been through, no matter what you into
No matter what you see when you look outside your window
Brown grass or green grass, picket fence or barbed wire
Never ever put them down, you just lift your arms higher

Raise 'em ′til your arms tired, let 'em know you here
That you strugglin′, survivin', that you gon' persevere
Nobody′s ever leavin′, nobody's goin′ home
Even if they turn the lights out, the show is goin' on

Alright, already, the show goes on
All night ′til the mornin', we dream so long




Anybody ever wonder when they would see the sun?
Just remember when you come up, the show goes on all night

Overall Meaning

The Show Goes On by University of Rochester YellowJackets is about persevering and surviving through tough times. The lyrics repeat "already, the show goes on" which alludes to the fact that no matter what happens, life goes on. The song focuses on individuals who have faced struggles and hardships, specifically those living in the ghetto. The song acknowledges the struggles they face but encourages them to keep pushing forward even when everything seems hopeless. The song emphasizes that the world belongs to everyone, regardless of their background and encourages everyone to raise their arms and let the world know that they are here to stay.


The lyrics also touch on the subject of gun violence in America. The line "I hope your son don't have a gun and never be a D-boy" suggests that the rapper hopes for a better future for everyone's children, one where they don't have to resort to violence or become involved in illegal activities.


Line by Line Meaning

Already, the show goes on
No matter what happens, the world keeps spinning and the show goes on.


All night ′til the mornin', we dream so long
We stay up all night, dreaming big and working hard toward our goals.


Anybody ever wonder when they would see the sun
Do you ever feel like you're stuck in darkness and can't see a way out?


Just remember when you come up, the show goes on
But no matter what, keep pushing and working towards your dreams because the show must go on.


One in the air for the people ain't here
We remember and honor those who have passed away and aren't here to see our achievements.


Two in the air for the father that's there
We recognize and appreciate the fathers who have been supportive and present in our lives.


Three in the air for the kids in the ghetto
We uplift and support the children living in poverty and struggling in the inner-city.


Four for the kids that don't wanna be there
We empathize with those who feel trapped in unfavorable circumstances and want to escape.


None for the niggas tryin' to hold them back
We refuse to acknowledge or give attention to those who are trying to keep us down or hold us back.


Five in the air for the teachers not scared
We applaud the educators who are brave enough to teach and guide students in impoverished areas.


To tell those kids that's livin' in the ghetto
Teachers encourage students living in poverty and providing them with tools and resources to rise above their circumstances.


That the niggas holdin' back that the world is theirs
The people who hold others back don't have control over their futures and shouldn't be allowed to dictate the direction of their lives.


Yeah, yeah, the world is yours, I was once that little boy
We remind ourselves that the world belongs to us and that we shouldn't be deterred by our past or current circumstances.


Terrified of the world, now I'm on a world tour
We acknowledge that we were once scared and unsure, but now we're thriving and experiencing new opportunities around the globe.


I will give up everything, even start a world war
We're so committed to uplift people living in poverty that we're willing to do everything it takes, even start a war to change the world.


For these ghetto girls and boys, I'm rappin' 'round the world for
We're dedicated to using our platform to champion for ghetto girls and boys and bring their voices and struggles to the forefront.


Africa to New York, Haiti, then I detour
We use our platform to advocate for those in poverty and those who are unheard from people of color around the world.


Oakland out to Auckland, Gaza Strip to Detroit
Our message of hope and perseverance spreads far and wide to reach all those who need to hear it across the world.


Say hip hop only destroy, tell 'em look at me, boy
We challenge stereotypes about hip hop perpetuating violence by showing that our music can inspire positivity and change.


I hope your son don't have a gun and never be a D-boy
We wish and hope for no young people to have to turn to violence or gang-related activities to survive or have a future.


So no matter what you been through, no matter what you into
We recognize that everyone has a unique story and a path that isn't always easy, but we encourage them to keep pushing forward towards their goals.


No matter what you see when you look outside your window
We know that the world can seem dark and feel insurmountable, but we urge people to look beyond their immediate circumstances and see hope for their future.


Brown grass or green grass, picket fence or barbed wire
No matter where you are or how difficult it is, you still have the power to change your life and make a difference.


Never ever put them down, you just lift your arms higher
We encourage people to never give up hope and to keep striving higher, even when things seem impossible.


Raise 'em 'til your arms tired, let 'em know you here
We use our platform to make our voices heard and to let the world know that we will never give up on our dreams and aspirations.


That you strugglin', survivin', that you gon' persevere
We acknowledge that life isn't always easy but insist that our struggles only make us stronger in the end.


Nobody's ever leavin', nobody's goin' home
We acknowledge that, in life, we're all in this together, and we're never truly alone.


Even if they turn the lights out, the show is goin' on
No matter what happens, we won't be deterred or stopped. We'll continue striving, working, and advocating for positive change in the world.


Alright, already, the show goes on
No matter the circumstances, life persists and goes on.


All night 'til the mornin', we dream so long
We work hard and stay up late, never giving up on our dreams.


Anybody ever wonder when they would see the sun?
We all face difficulties and obstacles, but we urge people to keep striving forward until they see the light at the end of the tunnel.


Just remember when you come up, the show goes on all night
We remind people that they've come too far to give up now and that they must keep pushing forward towards their goals.




Writer(s): Johnson Daniel Andrew, Jaco Wasalu Muhammad, Brock Isaac K, Judy Eric Scott, Gallucci Dann Michael, Brower Dustin William, Brown Jonathan Keith

Contributed by John Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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