Tearz by Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Poignant Reality Behind the Rhymes
Lyrics
Yo check yo yo, check the script
Me and the gods get it ripped
Blunts in the dip, forty dogs in my lip
Had a box, ‘Boom Boom’ the bass will blast
We was laughing, at all the girls that passed
Conversation, brothers had begin to discuss
(Hey yo, Ra, remember that kid ya bust?)
Aw yeah, he ran, but he didn’t get far
Cause I dropped him, heh heh heh heh heh ha!
Not knowin’, exactly what lied ahead
My little brother, my mother sent him out for bread
Get the Wonder, it’s a hot day in the summer
Didn’t expect, to come across, a crazy gunner
“Hey Shorty, check it for the bag and the dough”
But he was brave, looked him in the eye, and said “No!”
Money splattered him, BOW! then he snatched the bag
In his pockets, then he jetted up the Ave.
Girls screamin’, the noise up and down the block
(Hey, Rakeem!) What? (Your little brother got shot!)
I ran frantically, then I dropped down to his feet
I saw the blood, all over, the hot concrete
I picked him up, then I held him by his head
His eyes shut, that’s when I knew he was
Aw man! How do I say goodbye?
It’s always the good ones who have to die
Memories in the corner of my mind
Flashbacks, I was laughin’ all the time
I taught him, all about the bees and birds
But I wish I had a chance to sing these three words
After laughter, comes tears
Me and my man, my ace big Moe from the shelter
Bout to hit the skins, from this girl named Thelma
Now Thelma had a rep, that was higher than her neck
Every girl from Shaolin dissed her respect
We was stimmy, you know how it is when you’re blitzed
Three o’clock in the morning, something gots to give
Moe said he’ll go first, I said I’ll take next
Here, take this raincoat, and practice safe sex
He seemed to ignore, I said be for real
She’s not even worth it, to go raw deal
A man’s gonna do what a man’s gonna do
He got butt-naked and stuck the power you
Twenty minutes went by, my man went out, without a doubt
I’m not pumpin’ up, I am, airin’ you
Hey yo, he came out laughing with glory
I’m surprised, he’s still livin’, to tell his story
But he carried on, with the same old stuff
with Stephanie, like a whammy, he pressed his luck
Both tried to be down with O.P.P.
Ain’t nothin’ wrong but he got caught with the H.I.V. now
No life to live, doc says two more years
So after the laughter, I guess comes the tears
After laughter, comes tears
After laughter, comes tears
Harnessing the gritty essence of the streets and the raw vulnerability of human experience, Wu-Tang Clan’s song ‘Tearz’ operates on a level markedly different from the typical bravado of 90s hip-hop. With its sample from Wendy Rene’s soul-stirring ‘After Laughter (Comes Tears),’ the Staten Island collective interweaves lessons on loss, cautionary tales, and the stark confrontations with mortality.
Brilliantly coalescing the polarities of life’s ephemeral joys with its darkest tribulations, ‘Tearz’ unfolds as a narrative reflecting the unpredictability and impermanence that shadows their reality. The Clan’s voices, embodying both the reveler and the griever, act as an honest interlocutor to the streets’ unforgiving laws.
A Mirror to the Ghetto’s Grim Tales
Stripped down to its essence, ‘Tearz’ sets forth a montage of urban existence throbbing with dynamic contrast. The opening lines set the scene—laughter, camaraderie, and the carefree pastimes shared amongst friends. Gritty imagery splayed across the lyrical canvas reveals the everyday life where the beers flow as plentiful as the risks.
But amidst the laid-back recollection swirls a harbinger of the sobering truth. With the vainglory of past conquests revisited, the mentioning of ‘that kid ya bust’ preludes the imminent pivot from jovial banter to life-altering dread, serving as a morbid foreshadowing that such jest and jubilation can, at any second, spiral into calamity.
Brothers in Arms, Loss, and Love’s Sorrow
The Clan pulls no punches as they narrate personal tragedies that ripple through their tightly-knit community. The lyrical depiction of a ‘little brother’ sent innocuously on an errand is a testament to the omnipresence of danger lurking in innocuity—a grim reminder that violence doesn’t discriminate, and a moment’s errand can turn fatal.
Wu-Tang captures the visceral pain of grief with cinematic poignancy; the horror of finding a loved one’s life extinguished on ‘the hot concrete.’ The confession of the narrator’s regret, longing for more time, and the wish to have imparted words of love instead of worldly wisdom reveals the core of ‘Tearz’—a raw outpouring of remorse and the shared humanity of loss.
The Hidden Meaning: Deconstructing Vulgarity and Virulence
Deeply concealed within the seemingly crude façade of ‘Tearz’ lies an earnest cautionary note on personal responsibility. Wu-Tang’s sagacious voice extols the virtue of prudence, even in moments of temptation. The story of ‘my man Moe’ serves as a parable to advocate safe practices—a pressing concern in the AIDS-awareness era.
The Clan fearlessly tackles the taboo, intertwining narratives of sexual conquest with the grim reaper’s silent encroach—H.I.V. This daring exposition is a testament to their commitment to raw truth-telling, dissolving the boundaries between the street-hardened exterior and the vulnerable core, imploring their audience to heed the humility of their confessionals.
Memorable Lines: The Three Words Left Unspoken
Legends in their articulation, Wu-Tang Clan boils down a universe of sentiment into ‘the three words’ regretfully unexpressed. ‘I love you,’ implicit in their absence, resonate as a haunting echo through the track. With each retelling of loss, the Clan invokes the universal longing to have just one more moment to convey heartfelt truths often assumed but rarely spoken.
In their measured delivery of ‘I wish I had a chance to sing these three words,’ the members of Wu-Tang extend an invitation to reflection. Confronted with life’s brevity, these resonant lines remind the listener of love’s overlooked power and the tragic weight carried by words withheld until it’s too late.
Tearz as Cultural Scripture: Reflections on Vulnerability
Transcending mere anecdote, ‘Tearz’ captures a snapshot of a culture in which joy and pain are inextricably linked. The raucous laughter of street life quickly succumbs to the silence that follows the crack of gunshots. These tears become the very symbols of the shared experiences, binding the Clan to their audience who knows the same struggles, the same fleeting joys, and the oft-too-soon farewells.
Wu-Tang Clan thus immortalizes ‘Tearz’ as an anthem of resilience. It emanates a call to embrace life’s evanescent beauty while recognizing the precarity that hangs pendulously overhead. They articulate a reality where the heights of ecstasy can, without warning, plummet into the depths of despair, framing an authentic narrative that continues to echo throughout the corridors of time.
