Check it Out by Beastie Boys Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking The Underrated Anthems of our Time
Lyrics
All you Trekkies and TV addicts
Don’t mean to diss, don’t mean to bring static
All you Klingons in the fucking house
Grab your backstreet friend and get loud
Blowin’ doors off hinges
I’ll grab you with the pinchers
And no, I didn’t retire
I’ll snatch you up with the needle-nose pliers
Like Mutual of Omaha
With the ill boat you’ve never seen before
Glidin’ in the glades
And like Lorne Greene you know I get paid
Like Caprese and with the basil
Not goofy like Darren or Hazel
I’m a motherfuckin’ “Nick At Nite”
With classics rerunning that you know all right
Now remain calm, no alarm, ’cause my farm ain’t fat
So what’s up with that?
I’ve got friends and family that I respect
When I think I’m too good they put me in check
So believe when I say I’m no better than you
Except when I rap so I guess it ain’t true
Like that y’all and you just don’t stop
Guaranteed to make your body rock
Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out
What-wha-what-what-what’s it all about?
Work-wa-work-work-work-wa-work it out
Let’s turn this muthafucking party out
Said, Doc what’s the condition?
I’m a man that’s on a mission
Said, son, you’d better listen
Stuck in your ass is an electrician
Like a scientist
When I’m applying this
Method of controlling my mind
Like Einstein and the Rappin’ Duke combined
Now, hey, baby bubba now what the deal?
I didn’t know you go for that mass appeal
Some call it salugi, some hot potato
I stole your mic but you won’t see it later
‘Cause I work magic like a magician
I add up like a mathematician
I’m a bank cashier, engineer
I wear cotton and I don’t wear sheer
Shazam and abracadabra
In the whip I’m gonna cruise past ya
Yo, money, don’t chump yourself
Put that shit back on the shelf
Light rays blazin’
You’re out of phase, and my crew’s amazin’
We’re working on the record yo, so just stay patient
Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out
What-wha-what-what-what’s it all about?
Work-wa-work-work-work-wa-work it out
Let’s turn this muthafucking party out
Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out
Check-check-check-check it out
Check-ch-check-check-check it out
Check-ch-check-check-check-check it out
Now, I go by the name of the King Adrock
I don’t wear a cup nor a jock
I bring the shit that’s beyond bizarre
Like Miss Piggy, who moi?
I am the one with the clientele
Who say, Adrock, you rock so well
I’ve got class like pink champale
MCA grab the mic before the mic goes stale
Don’t test me, they can’t arrest me
I’ll fake right, cross-over and shoot lefty
You look upset, yo, calm down
You look like Cable Guy dunked off of your crown
I flow like smoke out a chimney
You never been me
You want to rap but what you’re making ain’t hip-hop, B
Now, get your clothes right out the dryer
Put Armor-All up on your tire
Sport that fresh attire
Tonight we goin’ out set the town on fire
Set the town ablaze, gonna stun and amaze
Ready to throw a craze
Make your granny shake her head and say “Those were the days”
Now, check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out
What-wha-what-what-what’s it all about?
Work-wa-work-work-work-wa-work it out
Let’s turn this muthafucking party out
When the Beastie Boys dropped ‘Check it Out’ from their 2004 album ‘To the 5 Boroughs,’ it wasn’t just a track – it was a proclamation. With their signature blend of punk-infused hip-hop and irreverent lyricism, the Beastie Boys delivered a song that defies simple categorization, inviting listeners to plunge into its chaotic genius. This isn’t just another tune to bump in the background; ‘Check it Out’ is a dense, layered soundtrack to the early aughts, and a challenge to digest its wild references and frenetic energy.
Riddled with pop culture shout-outs and clever wordplay, ‘Check it Out’ serves as a testament to the Beastie Boys’ mastery in sculpting their unique soundscape. While it beckons us to engage in unabashed revelry, it’s also peppered with social commentary and personal asides that offer a glimpse into the ethos of the iconic trio. Let’s dive into the depths of ‘Check it Out’ and explore what makes it such a staple in the Beastie Boys’ discography.
Televisions and Trekkies: Decoding The Geek-Chic References
In ‘Check it Out,’ the Beastie Boys immerse us in an ode to geek culture with references to ‘Trekkies and TV addicts’ and a nod to ‘Klingons in the fucking house.’ These lines serve to set the stage, revealing the track’s embrace of niche interests and the unapologetic pride in their fandoms. It’s a rally cry for inclusivity—a celebration of the subcultures often sidelined in the mainstream narrative of cool.
Their shout-out to ‘Nick At Nite,’ with its reruns of classic television, roots the song firmly in nostalgia, offering a bridge between the eras that influenced the Beastie Boys and their present. Such namedrops aren’t mere namedrops; they’re audio footnotes that enrich the song’s world-building, weaving in the trio’s personal tastes like a badge of honor.
Mind Over Matter: The Intellectual Wit
Beyond just TV and sci-fi, ‘Check it Out’ is a lyrical labyrinth displaying the rappers’ cunning and wit. The verse ‘Like Einstein and the Rappin’ Duke combined’ suggests a melding of scientific genius and hip-hop bravura, a humorous yet sharp acknowledgment of their dual role as artists and intellectuals. They claim to control their minds like a scientist—here, navigating the music industry and the nature of celebrity with a strategic outlook.
The Beastie Boys often employed their lyrics as a vehicle for self-aware critique, highlighted here by the claims of their financial savvy and artistic skill, with professions from ‘bank cashier’ to ‘engineer’ metaphorically representing their calculated approach to success.
Swagger and Self-Reflection: The Dual Edge of Confidence
Peering through the braggadocio and showmanship are moments of introspection and humility. Admitted enlightenment like ‘I’ve got friends and family that I respect / When I think I’m too good they put me in check’ captures the Beastie Boys’ awareness of their place in the world and the significance of staying grounded. This gem of a line acknowledges the role of community and peers in keeping one’s ego in check, adding a layer of authenticity to their otherwise boastful narrative.
Here, the Beasties profess that, despite their fame, they are not above any individual, except maybe, in their art of rapping. This concession highlights their perception of rap as both a skill and a platform for personal expression, all while maintaining a dose of humility.
Unleashing the Beast: The Song’s Hidden Call to Action
At first pass, ‘Check it Out’ seems like a party anthem, beckoning people to ‘turn this motherfucking party out.’ But the recurring command to ‘check it out’ serves a dual purpose, acting as a prompt to listen closely and examine the world. It’s a layered invitation: come for the beats, stay for the subtext.
The Beastie Boys have long been musical provocateurs, using their platform to comment on the society they observed. By masking it in a party track, they sneak in their commentary under the radar, urging the audience to not just passively consume tunes but to engage with the art form and, in extension, with the culture at large. Even their eclectic references, from Mutual of Omaha to Shazam, paint a collage of the cultural zeitgeist, begging a closer look.
Memorable Lines that Echo in Eternity
It’s the lines that linger long after the party’s over that often define a Beastie Boys track. ‘MCA grab the mic before the mic goes stale,’ is one such, hinting at the evergreen nature of their music and their commitment to keeping hip-hop fresh and exciting.
Each lyric holds potential as a catchphrase, with an energetic delivery and a hook that’s hard to shake. ‘Check it Out’ is replete with such memorable lines, sealing its fate as an enduring part of the Beastie Boys’ legacy and a song that fans will, quite literally, check out again and again.
