Van Coke Kartel is an Afrikaans rock band from Cape Town, South Africa. Fra… Read Full Bio ↴Van Coke Kartel is an Afrikaans rock band from Cape Town, South Africa. Francois van Coke and Wynand Myburgh formed Van Coke Kartel in 2007 after their other band, Fokofpolisiekar, went on hiatus. Guitarist Jedd Kossew and drummer Jason Oosthuizen joined in 2010. This new four-piece set-up catapulting Van Coke Kartel’s live performances into another dimension. Van Coke Kartel’s energetic, no-nonsense rock & roll show has come to be known as a high-energy spectacular.

Van Coke Kartel has been one of the more successful Afrikaans rock bands in South Africa. The second album, Waaksaam en Wakker, won the SAMA award for Best Afrikaans Rock Album, which their self-titled debut album was nominated for the year before. They have played alongside international heavyweights, such as Muse, 30 Seconds to Mars, Korn, Chris Cornell, Good Charlotte and Billy Talent. They have also toured internationally.

Discography
Van Coke Kartel 2007
Waaksaam en Wakker 2008
Skop, Skiet en Donner 2010
Wie's Bang 2011

Got To Give It Up
Van Coke Kartel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff

Tell my mama and tell my pa
That their fine young son didn't get far
He made it to the end of a bottle

Sitting in a sleazy bar

He tried hard but his spirit broke
He tried until he nearly choked
In the end he lost his
Bottle drinking alcohol

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff

Tell my brother I tried to write and
Put pen to paper but I was frightened
I couldn't seem to get the words out right
Right quite right

Tell my sister I'm sinking slow
Now and again I powder my nose
In the end I lost my bottle
It smashed in a casbah

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff

I've been messing with the heavy stuff
For a time I couldn't get enough
But I'm waking up and it's wearing off
Junk don't take you far

Tell my Mama I'm coming home
In my youth I'm getting older
And I think it's lost control
Mama I'm coming home

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff

Originally by Thin Lizzy
Cover by Van Coke Kartel

Overall Meaning

The song Got to Give It Up is a cover of Thin Lizzy's original. The lyrics of the song convey the struggles of a person who has succumbed to addiction and is now facing the consequences of their actions. The singer talks about having to give up the "stuff," which is a reference to alcohol, drugs, or any other addiction. Throughout the song, the singer addresses his family members, telling them about his struggles and how he has lost control.

In the first verse, the singer talks about how he has reached the end of a bottle while sitting in a sleazy bar. He mentions how he had tried hard, but in the end, he lost his bottle by drinking too much. The second verse talks about how he tried to write to his brother and sister but couldn't get the words out right. He mentions how he is sinking slow and how he has lost his bottle, which smashed in a casbah.

In the last verse, the singer mentions how he has been messing with the heavy stuff and how he is waking up to the fact that it's wearing off. He talks about how junk doesn't take you far and how he is now coming home to his mother.

Overall, the lyrics of Got to Give It Up convey a powerful message about the struggles of addiction and the importance of overcoming them.

Line by Line Meaning

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up That stuff
I need to quit the addictive substance that's been bringing me down

Tell my mama and tell my pa That their fine young son didn't get far He made it to the end of a bottle Sitting in a sleazy bar
Let my parents know that I didn't make it as far in life as they may have hoped. I'm stuck at the bottom, drinking and hanging out in sketchy establishments

He tried hard but his spirit broke He tried until he nearly choked In the end he lost his Bottle drinking alcohol
I made a valiant effort to clean up my act, but ultimately I failed and became even more dependent on booze

Tell my brother I tried to write and Put pen to paper but I was frightened I couldn't seem to get the words out right Right quite right
Please tell my sibling that I attempted to put my thoughts down on paper, but was too scared to do so. My words never quite expressed what I was feeling

Tell my sister I'm sinking slow Now and again I powder my nose In the end I lost my bottle It smashed in a casbah
In case my sister is wondering why I'm doing so poorly, it's because I'm slowly spiraling downward, occasionally dabbling with drugs. I also lost control and broke a bottle in a public marketplace

I've been messing with the heavy stuff For a time I couldn't get enough But I'm waking up and it's wearing off Junk don't take you far
I've become involved with hard drugs, and while I was once hooked, I'm now realizing that they're not taking me in the right direction

Tell my Mama I'm coming home In my youth I'm getting older And I think it's lost control Mama I'm coming home
Please let my mother know that I'm returning home. I realize that I've been living recklessly and that things have gotten out of hand

I've got to give it up I've got to give it up That stuff
I have to quit the dangerous addiction that's ruining my life

Contributed by Hudson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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