Can It Be All So Simple
Wu‐Tang Clan Lyrics

Hey, you know, everybody's talkin' about the "good old days," right? (Yeah)
People often reminisce about the past fondly.

Everybody, the good old days, the good all days (yeah, the good ol' days, yeah)
Everyone remembers the past in a positive light.

Well, let's talk about the good old days (let's talk about them shits)
Let's discuss what made the past so great.

Started off on the Island, AK Shaolin niggas wildin'
The story begins on Staten Island where the Wu-Tang Clan resided.

Gun shots thrown, the phone diallin'
Violence was prevalent on the streets of Staten Island.

Back in the days, I'm eight now
The singer is reminiscing about his younger years.

Makin' a tape now, Rae gotta get a plate now
The singer mentions making music and how his friend Raekwon (Rae) wants to succeed in the music industry to improve his life.

Ignorant and mad young, wanted to be the one
The artist admits to being naive and self-centered in his youth.

'Til I got (blaow-blaow-blaow), felt one
The artist was a victim of gun violence, which left him feeling the physical impact.

Yeah, my pops was a fiend since sixteen (word)
The artist's father suffered from addiction, which had a profound impact on his family.

Shootin' that "that's that shit" in his blood stream
The father was injecting heroin into his bloodstream.

That's the life of a grimy, real live crimey
The artist acknowledges the harsh realities of growing up in a dangerous, criminal environment.

If niggas know that habit's behind me
The singer is aware of the danger of addiction and wants to distance himself from it.

Day one, yo, growin' all up in the ghetto
The singer spent his entire life in a rough, impoverished neighborhood.

Now I'm a weed fiend jettin' to Palmetto
The singer has replaced his father's heroin addiction with a dependence on weed.

In Medina, yo, no doubt, the God got crazy clout
The artist has gained a strong reputation and influence in his community.

Pushin' the big joint from down South (uh, uh)
The artist has obtained drugs from the southern part of the US and sells them in his community.

So if you're filthy stacked up, better watch your back and duck
The singer warns those who are wealthy and successful to stay cautious and vigilant.

'Cause these fiends, they got it cracked up
Addicts can become desperate and dangerous.

Now my man from up North, now he got the loft
The artist's friend has obtained a large apartment in a better area.

It's solid as a rock and crazy soft
The apartment is both sturdy and luxurious.

No jokes, I'm not playin', get his folks
The artist suggests killing someone's family members to get revenge.

Desert Eagle his dick and put him in a yoke (ah)
The singer suggests shooting the man in the genital area and imprisoning him.

And to know for sure, I got wreck and rip shop
The artist is confident in his rapping ability and plans to prove it.

I pointed a gat at his mother's knot
The singer claims to have threatened a woman's life with a gun.

Dedicated to the winners and the losers (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
The song is a tribute to both the successful and the unsuccessful, with a suggestion that life was more straightforward in the past.

(Dedicated to all Jeeps and Land Cruisers)
A dedication to luxury cars of the past.

Dedicated to the 5's, 850i's (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
Another dedication to past luxury cars, continuing the theme of longing for simpler times.

(Dedicated to niggas who do drive-bys)
A sarcastic dedication to those who perpetrate drive-by shootings.

Dedicated to the Lexus and the Ac's (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
Another dedication to luxury cars of the past, continuing the nostalgic theme.

(Dedicated to MPV's, phat)
A dedication to minivans and other cool cars of the past.

Kickin' the fly clichés, doin' duets with Rae and A
The artist is proud of his success in the music industry with fellow rappers Raekwon and Ghostface Killah.

Happens to make my day
The artist finds satisfaction in his success and collaborations with other talented artists.

Though I'm tired of bustin' off shots, havin' to rock knots
The artist is tired of engaging in violent behavior and wishes to move beyond it.

Runnin' up in spots and makin' shit hot
The singer is tired of committing crimes that cause chaos and destruction.

I'd rather flip shows instead of those
The artist would prefer to perform live shows for audiences than continue a life of crime.

Hangin' on my livin' room wall, my first joint and it went gold
The singer is proud of his success in the music industry, and has a gold record displayed in his home.

I wanna lamp, I wanna be in the shade
The singer desires peace, tranquility, and a life free from stress and danger.

Plus the spotlight, gettin' my dick rode all night
The singer enjoys the attention and fame that comes with success. He also enjoys sexual encounters with groupies.

I want to have me a phat yacht
The artist dreams of owning a luxurious yacht on which he can relax and enjoy life.

And enough land to go and plant my own sess crops
The artist desires enough land to grow his own marijuana crop for personal use and sale.

But for now it's just a big dream
The singer acknowledges that his dreams may not come true, or at least not in the near future.

'Cause I find myself in a place where I'm last seen
The singer feels trapped and forgotten in his current circumstances.

My thoughts must be relaxed, be able to maintain
The artist realizes that he needs to think clearly and remain composed in order to achieve his goals.

'Cause times is changed and life is strange
The artist acknowledges that life has become more complicated and unpredictable.

The glorious days is gone and everybody's doin' bad
People have fallen on hard times and things are not as good as they used to be.

Yo, mad lives is up for grabs
Many people's lives are in danger or at risk.

Brothers passin' away, I gotta make wakes
Many people die young and the artist needs to attend funerals.

Receivin' all types of calls from Upstate
The singer is receiving calls from friends or family members who are incarcerated in Upstate New York prisons.

Yo, I can't cope with the pressure, settlin' for lesser
The singer is feeling overwhelmed and is starting to settle for things he doesn't really want or deserve.

The God left the lessons on my dresser
The singer has learned important life lessons from his mentor or teacher, who left notes on his dresser.

So I can bloom and blossom, find a new way
The artist wants to use the lessons he has learned to improve his life and find a new path for himself.

Continue to make more hits with Rae and A
The artist wants to continue making successful music with his friends Raekwon and Ghostface Killah.

Sunshine plays a major part in the daytime
The sun is a significant element of the daytime, both literally and figuratively.

(Peace to mankind, Ghostface carry a black .9, nigga)
A shoutout to humanity, with a reference to rapper Ghostface Killah carrying a gun.

Word up, it's on like that
The song has come to an end with a reaffirmation of the rap crew's commitment to their craft.

Can it be that it was all so simple then? (Yeah)
The artist is reflecting on how much simpler and easier life seemed in the past.

Can it be that-
Continuing reflection on the past, with a suggestion of disbelief.

Can it-
Further emphasis on a feeling of disbelief.

Was all so simple then
A reaffirmation that life seemed much more simple and straightforward in the past.

Can it be that-
Continuing reflection on the simplicity of the past.

Can it be that-
Another suggestion of disbelief about how much simpler life seemed in the past.

Can it be that it was all so simple then?
The singer is posing a rhetorical question, looking back on the past with nostalgia and a sense of disbelief that life was once so much easier.

Can it be that it was all so simple then?
A repeated refrain, emphasizing the sense of nostalgia.

Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Another repeated refrain, reflecting on the simplicity of the past.