So what cha want by Beastie Boys Lyrics Meaning – The Anthem of Nonchalant Defiance

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Beastie Boys's So what cha want at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Well, just plug me in just like I was Eddie Harris

You’re eating crazy cheese like you would think I’m from Paris

You know I get fly, you think I get high

You know that I’m gone and I’m-a tell you all why

So tell me who are you dissing, maybe I’m missing

The reason that you’re smilin’ or wildin’, so listen

In my head, I just want to take ’em down

Imagination set loose and I’m gonna shake ’em down

Let it flow like a mud-slide

When I get on, I like to ride and glide

I’ve got depth of perception in my text, y’all

I get props at my mention cause I vex, y’all

So what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

I get so funny with my money that you flaunt

I said, “Where’d you get your information from,” huh?

You think that you can front when revelation comes?

(Yeah, you can’t front on that)

Well they call me Mike D, the ever-loving man

I’m like Spoonie Gee, I’m the metropolitician

You scream and you holler, ’bout my Chevy Impala

But the sweat is getting wet around the ring around your collar

But like a dream I’m flowing without no stopping

Sweeter than a cherry pie with Reddi Whip topping

From mic-to-mic, kickin’ it wall-to-wall

Well, I’ll be calling out you people like a casting call

Ah, well, it’s wack when you’re jacked in the back of a ride

With your know, with your flow, when you’re out getting by

Believe me, what you see is what you get

And you see me, I’m comin’ off as you can bet

Well I think I’m losing my mind, this time

This time I’m losing my mind, that’s right

Said I think I’m losing my mind, this time

This time, I’m losing my mind

(Yeah, you can’t front on that)

But little do you know about something that I talk about

I’m tired of driving, it’s due time that I walkabout

But in the meantime, I’m wise to the demise

I’ve got eyes in the back of my head so I realize

Well, I’m Dr. Spock, I’m here to rock, y’all

I want you off the wall, if you’re playing the wall

I said what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

I said what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

Y’all suckers write me checks and then they bounce

So I reach into my pocket for the fresh amount

See, I’m the long-leaner, Vincent the Cleaner

I’m the illest motherfucker from here to Gardena

Well, I’m as cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce

You’ve got the rhyme and reason, but got no cause

But if you’re hot to trot, you think you’re slicker than grease

I’ve got news for you crews, you’ll be sucking like a leech

Yeah, you can’t front on that

So what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

So what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

I said, what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

I said, what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want? (what’cha want?)

The Beastie Boys never failed to deliver tracks that resonated with the rebel spirit of youth across generations. ‘So What’cha Want’ from their 1992 album, ‘Check Your Head’, stands as a testament to their gritty ethos and their adeptness at crafting songs that blur the line between braggadocio and introspective commentary.

The raw energy, looped grooves, and seemingly nonsensical lyrics form a sonic collage that dares listeners to find coherence within the chaos. This deeper dive into ‘So What’cha Want’ unearths what lies beneath its abrasive surface and why the song endures as an emblem of the counter-culture.

Sifting Through the Surreal: Unearthing the Lyrics’ Core

Superficially, the lyrics might come off as a disjointed stream of consciousness, ricocheting from strange cheese anecdotes to boastful claims of lyrical depth. However, what underpins ‘So What’cha Want’ is the Beastie Boys’ defiant stance against a music industry and a society that demanded conformity and submission.

The repetition of ‘what’cha, what’cha, what’cha want?’ serves as a rhetorical question, challenging listeners and critics alike to decipher their intentions and to confront their own expectations. The Beastie Boys are firmly grasping the reins of their creative direction, not just in ‘So What’cha Want’, but in the broader scope of their artistry.

Casting Metaphors and Cultural References: The Art of Beastie Boys’ Lyrics

From Eddie Harris to Spoonie Gee, the Beastie Boys link themselves to a tapestry of musical influences. ‘So What’cha Want’ becomes a chaotic homage to the figures that inspired them. They wield their references as badges of respect while cementing their own place in the musical narrative.

The Beastie Boys’ esoteric name-drops and metaphors do more than just paint a vivid picture; they communicate a sense of awareness and connectivity to a larger cultural history. This song isn’t just a sonic experience but a classroom of hip-hop scholarship.

Funk-Infused Philosopher Kings: The Hidden Wisdom Within

‘Well, I’m Dr. Spock, I’m here to rock, y’all,’ isn’t merely a clever rhyme; it symbolizes the Beastie Boys’ role as Vulcan-like sages of the streets, imparting knowledge with acute detachment. Their lyrics are laced with life lessons disguised in their distinctive brand of cool.

They channel the inner turmoil of the creative mind (‘I think I’m losing my mind, this time’) and the frustrations of dealing with the superficialities of the industry (‘Y’all suckers write me checks and then they bounce’). Beneath their veneer of indifference, the Beastie Boys craft a soundscape of resilience.

Catchphrases That Caught On: Lines That Outlived the ’90s

‘Yeah, you can’t front on that’—a simple yet impactful line repeats through the song, showcasing the unwavering authenticity the Beastie Boys pride themselves on. This lyric embodies the era’s slang while cementing itself as a timeless mantra for genuineness in a world rife with pretense.

Much of the song’s staying power comes from these infectious phrases. Whether it’s the rhetorical ‘what’cha want?’ or the assertion ‘You think that you can front when revelation comes?’, they resonate as declarations of identity and challenge the audience to acknowledge their own.

Bravado and the Big Apple: New York City’s Influence on the Track

The gritty backbone of ‘So What’cha Want’ isn’t just the music or the lyrics, but the unmistakable undertone of New York City—the birthplace of hip-hop and the Beastie Boys themselves. The city’s melting pot of culture and relentless pace reverberates throughout the track.

In each verse, there’s a sense of the urban hustle, from ‘But the sweat is getting wet around the ring around your collar’ to ‘I’m the illest motherfucker from here to Gardena.’ It’s a tribute to the city that raised them, incorporating its brashness into their beats and bars.