Who Do You Think You Are
ltthemonk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In North America
Come to be a star
Made it this far
You fucking
Jamaican-lunged
Irish-livered
British-invading
Mutt
She put the power in my hands son
Said I'm way more than handsome
Took me back to when my mother's last name was Hanson
Fair maiden
Got her beautiful looks
Her maiden voyage
Could have been more random
See her Daddy Robert
Was a St. Elizabethan
Came to mother England
Was said to be a beacon
Years before he sought a coast less Eastern
Settled East Coast
That Floridian freedom
If Miami, Tampa, Orlando
Were sacrosanct wouldn't tamper
With banks or the bando
But to get busy in Liberty City
Take banana republics
And start trapping mangos
Young Jamaican in business
Hope he built a Disney world
And had kids that
Now are my third to distant cousins
Who fall in fantasies when they playing this shit
Who'd you think you are?
Tryna be a star
Come to North America
Really made it this far
Seen no Blacks, no Irish, no dogs
On the sign
Yet I'm Black and Irish
And my dogs came to shine
Came to shine
My dogs came to shine
Yeah
Seen no dogs on the sign
Yet I'm Black and Irish
And my dogs came to shine
Other side of the lineage
Faith in omnipotence
Of the Holy Spirit
An Irish Catholic in the Church
My great granny
An original Tyndall
Set sail for Boston
Call it McGuinness principle
When you need the opposite of Murphy's Law
Might coin it McCarthyism
But in division be sure
When your Eggs in the baskets
Too conservative and you might lose your chance to fulfil ambition
The fall feel efficient
You sail across seas
The Santa Maria Clause
Your first Christmas need
To pay some homage
To the old journey
See the 4-leaf clover
Ornaments on the trees
Please
Respect the ancestors
Look in the mirror and ask a few questions
When you hopped on the boat
Did you think it was for a higher dream
Or just where life sends ya
Who'd you think you are?
Tryna be a star
Come to North America
Really made it this far
Seen no Blacks, no Irish, no dogs
On the sign
Yet I'm Black and Irish
And my dogs came to shine
If the urge to clap 'em is common
Then my thoughts of violence
Ain't unique to South London tie-ins
Courted by the niche of childhood
A relative short part of my life
But when progress is idle
Think back to relatives
Formative idols
Wanted to be like her baby daddy and spiral
Six kids, four mothers, more lovers
Now that's going extra than the Jamaican mile
Leave a bit of myself here and there
I'm Genghis from Sydenham Hill to Edgeware
Me Khan love but one
It really be unfair
How my current spreads like electric chairs
I'm Eddy Grant on electric avenue
But in other news
My son is due this year
A thousand miles to make it out here
But you can't deny the girls
Their South London share
Who'd you think you are?
Tryna be a star
Come to North America
Really made it this far
Seen no Blacks, no Irish, no dogs
On the sign
Yet I'm Black and Irish
And my dogs came to shine
Came to shine
My dogs came to shine
Yeah
Seen no dogs on the sign
Yet I'm Black and Irish
And my dogs came to shine
I'm actually from a family of Monks
My great grandmother
Another one on the Irish side
Was born Elizabeth Monks
I don't know where she ended up but
Now the lineage continues
The name lives on 100 years later
And the Monk is eternal
The lyrics of "Who Do You Think You Are?" by LTtheMONK are a reflection of the complexities that come with being a mixed-race immigrant in America. The artist questions the notion of identity and posits that it is not something that can be easily defined or contained. The use of derogatory terms in the first stanza is a sharp critique of how society tries to limit or label individuals based on their ancestry or race.
The second stanza takes a more personal approach to the topic of identity. LTtheMONK reflects on how his ancestry is a blend of Jamaican, Irish, and British roots, and how his family members migrated to America in search of a better life. The lyrics suggest that the idea of the American Dream is not always easy to achieve and can come at a cost.
The third and final stanza addresses the issue of violence and the struggles of growing up in a disadvantaged area. LTtheMONK shares his own experiences and those of his family members, highlighting the challenges of navigating through life with limited resources. The final line of the song "the Monk is eternal" is a poignant statement that suggests that despite the difficulties of life, the artist's identity is rooted in his ancestry and will continue to be passed down to future generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Who you think you are?
Questioning someone's self-perceived identity
In North America
In this specific location
Come to be a star
Came here to achieve fame and success
Made it this far
Already achieved success and overcome obstacles
You fucking
Intense emotion and emphasis
Jamaican-lunged
Having strong lungs, possibly due to Jamaican heritage
Irish-livered
Having liver traits associated with Irish heritage
British-invading
Associating with British colonialism and imperialism
Black-empowering
Supporting and empowering the Black community
Mutt
Having a mixed and diverse heritage
She put the power in my hands son
Someone believed in the singer's potential and gave them the tools for success
Said I'm way more than handsome
Acknowledging traits beyond just appearance
Took me back to when my mother's last name was Hanson
Reflecting on family history and heritage
Fair maiden
A beautiful and admirable woman
Got her beautiful looks
Inheriting physical traits from a family member
Her maiden voyage
Symbolizing an important journey or beginning
Could have been more random
The journey could have had a different outcome
See her Daddy Robert
Referring to a family member
Was a St. Elizabethan
Associating with a specific place or location
Came to mother England
Moving to England from another place
Was said to be a beacon
Being seen as a leader or guide
Years before he sought a coast less Eastern
Having a previous journey or experience
Settled East Coast
Choosing a specific location to live
That Floridian freedom
Enjoying personal and political freedom in Florida
If Miami, Tampa, Orlando
Naming specific cities in Florida
Were sacrosanct wouldn't tamper
Respecting and not interfering with certain places or people
With banks or the bando
Avoiding financial institutions and criminal activity
But to get busy in Liberty City
Pursuing opportunities in a specific area
Take banana republics
Referring to political instability in certain countries
And start trapping mangos
Finding success in entrepreneurial activity
Young Jamaican in business
Being an entrepreneur and/or having Jamaican heritage
Hope he built a Disney world
Aspiring to achieve great success
And had kids that
Having children and passing on success
Now are my third to distant cousins
Being related to someone, but not directly
Who fall in fantasies when they playing this shit
Being an inspiration to others and creating dreams
Seen no Blacks, no Irish, no dogs
Referencing a sign that excluded certain groups
Yet I'm Black and Irish
Belonging to the excluded groups on the sign
Came to shine
Achieving success despite adversity
Other side of the lineage
Referring to the other half of family heritage
Faith in omnipotence
Believing in a higher power or force
Of the Holy Spirit
Associating with Christianity and/or spirituality
An Irish Catholic in the Church
Belonging to a specific religious group
My great granny
Referring to a family member
An original Tyndall
Associating with a specific family name or heritage
Set sail for Boston
Taking a journey to a specific place
Call it McGuinness principle
Naming a principle or idea after a specific person
When you need the opposite of Murphy's Law
Expecting good things to happen instead of bad
Might coin it McCarthyism
Creating a new term or concept
But in division be sure
Being cautious when dealing with differences
When your Eggs in the baskets
Focusing on one particular goal or dream
Too conservative and you might lose your chance to fulfil ambition
Being overly cautious and not taking risks can prevent success
The fall feel efficient
Failure can teach valuable lessons
You sail across seas
Embarking on a journey or adventure
The Santa Maria Clause
Referencing a specific event associated with Christopher Columbus
Your first Christmas need
Experiencing new and unfamiliar things
To pay some homage
Showing respect and admiration
To the old journey
Reflecting on past experiences and history
See the 4-leaf clover
Symbolizing good luck or fortune
Ornaments on the trees
Decorating and celebrating holidays and traditions
Please
Requesting something politely
Respect the ancestors
Acknowledging and honoring family heritage
Look in the mirror and ask a few questions
Encouraging self-reflection and introspection
When you hopped on the boat
Taking a journey or path
Did you think it was for a higher dream
Ascribing purpose or meaning to actions
Or just where life sends ya
Feeling passive and unguided in one's journey
If the urge to clap 'em is common
Experiencing violent thoughts or emotions
Then my thoughts of violence
Acknowledging negative feelings and impulses
Ain't unique to South London tie-ins
Having shared struggles or experiences with others from a specific location
Courted by the niche of childhood
Being shaped or influenced by past experiences
A relative short part of my life
Remembering a brief but impactful period
But when progress is idle
Feeling stagnant or unmotivated
Think back to relatives
Reflecting on past relationships and connections
Formative idols
Having important role models or inspirations in one's life
Wanted to be like her baby daddy and spiral
Having a negative or destructive influence on one's life
Six kids, four mothers, more lovers
Describing a person's complicated family situation
Now that's going extra than the Jamaican mile
Experiencing a unique and challenging situation
Leave a bit of myself here and there
Leaving an impact or impression in different places
I'm Genghis from Sydenham Hill to Edgeware
Associating with a powerful and influential figure
Me Khan love but one
Being committed to one person or thing
It really be unfair
Feeling unjustly treated
How my current spreads like electric chairs
Having a strong and wide-reaching influence
I'm Eddy Grant on electric avenue
Associating with a successful and influential musician
But in other news
Introducing a different topic or idea
My son is due this year
Anticipating a new addition to the family
A thousand miles to make it out here
Overcoming challenges and traveling far to reach a goal
But you can't deny the girls
Acknowledging and respecting female accomplishments
Their South London share
Belonging to and representing a specific community
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LTtheMonk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind