Twenty To One by Dave Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Depths of Urban Existence
Lyrics
Twenty-to-one, look at the time, it’s twenty-to-one
I’m on the ride with the guys, and we’re lookin’ for him
If we catch him it’s twenty to one
Feds behind me, drivin’ a Beemer
Odds on my freedom are twenty-to-one
I make a call, I’m gettin’ in touch
Twenty-to-one, twenty-to-one, yeah-yeah
Maze in the street
My nigga nearly got done for an AM
He went on the run, he was stayin’ with me
I told my girl that we can’t be together
She’s cryin’, that’s somethin’ I hated to see
Really I struggled to stay on my feet
I’m lookin’ for her and the lady I meet
I got two letters that you’re gonna see
If you’re someone that want it, the way in the beef
A and the E, playin’ with me
We send him up to his maker to meet
Where I stay on the street, there’s no love, there’s no love
Twenty-to-one, look at the time, it’s twenty-to-one
I’m on the ride with the guys, and we’re lookin’ for him
If we catch him it’s twenty to one
Feds behind me, drivin’ a Beemer
Odds on my freedom are twenty-to-one
I make a call, I’m gettin’ in touch
Twenty-to-one, twenty-to-one, yeah-yeah
Twenty-to-one, look at the time, it’s twenty-to-one
I’m on the ride with the guys, and we’re lookin’ for him
If we catch him it’s twenty to one
Feds behind me, drivin’ a Beemer
Odds on my freedom are twenty-to-one
I make a call, I’m gettin’ in touch
Twenty-to-one, twenty-to-one, yeah-yeah
Man try stick me two months back
Hands on the wheel, so the car don’t crash
Run up on me, there’s a price to pay
Dawg, I ain’t takin’ card or cash
I really did it with class, no math’s
Mind don’t matter, when heart don’t match
A good girl like Pokémon
Easy to see, but hard to catch
I’m so real that it’s hard to cap
I been low, so it’s hard to brag
I been hurt, so it’s hard to love
Mum needs it, so it’s hard to have
Any ride out, I’m good to go
Bros got my back, it’s good to know
If she a nine, that’s good to see
If she a ten, she’s good to roll
Man clout chase, it’s tough to watch
Bad friends is tough to drop
‘Nuff man tried buy respect
That don’t work, ’cause it’s tough to cop
Some times it’s tough to think
No liver left, it’s tough to drink
Through the noise it’s tough to hear
Through the pressure, it’s tough to live
Through the wire and through the wall
Through the sea and through the earth
Through the fire and through the war
Through the death and through the birth
Through the pleasure and through the pain
Through the drought and through the rain
Through the dark and through the day
Through the love and through the hate
Twenty-to-one, look at the time, it’s twenty-to-one
I’m on the ride with the guys, and we’re lookin’ for him
If we catch him it’s twenty to one
Feds behind me, drivin’ a Beemer
Odds on my freedom are twenty-to-one
I make a call, I’m gettin’ in touch
Twenty-to-one, twenty-to-one, yeah-yeah
Twenty-to-one, look at the time, it’s twenty-to-one
I’m on the ride with the guys, and we’re lookin’ for him
If we catch him it’s twenty to one
Feds behind me, drivin’ a Beemer
Odds on my freedom are twenty-to-one
I make a call, I’m gettin’ in touch
Twenty-to-one, twenty-to-one, yeah-yeah
In the landscape of modern hip-hop, few artists produce the kind of lyrical depth and social awareness that marks Dave’s work. ‘Twenty To One’ is not just a song; it’s a narrative, a slice of life from the streets, wrapped in a reflective analysis of risk, relationships, and the harshness of urban reality.
With vivid imagery and intricate wordplay, Dave guides us through a world where the stakes are always high and the odds of various outcomes are constantly being weighed against each other. But what truly lies beneath the surface of this gritty narrative? Let’s delve into the deeper meanings behind ‘Twenty To One.’
The Hourglass of Hazard: Time, Risk, and Consequence
The repetitive mention of ‘twenty to one’ isn’t merely for rhythmic flair but an ingrained motif manifesting the perpetual gauging of danger and contemplation of stakes in Dave’s life. This refrain becomes much more than a timestamp; it becomes a symbol of the overwhelming odds stacked against him, whether it’s in a quest for vengeance or a pursuit by law enforcement.
The invocation of time, with the song’s almost metronomic recurrence of ‘twenty to one’, underscores the urgency and the frenetic nature of Dave’s storytelling. Within this is a cautionary tale about the high stakes of street justice and the all-too-real possibility of losing one’s freedom amidst the chase.
Navigating the Maze: A Glimpse into Gritty Narratives
Streets serve as more than mere settings in ‘Twenty To One’; they’re alive, they’re mazes where every turn can mean life or death, success or failure. The harrowing tales of evasion and hardship attest to a world where one’s address determines their destiny, and survival is measured by close shaves and narrow escapes.
Dave’s portrayal of a friend’s brush with an AM situation—a likely reference to attempted murder—delves into the psyche of those entangled in the web of legal troubles and the solidarity borne from a shared understanding of danger, reinforced by the bond of those who’ve walked similar paths.
The Two Letters that Divide a Life: Exploring A and E
Amidst the hard-hitting lyrics, Dave drops a cryptic pair of letters that illuminate the song’s hidden meaning— ‘A and E’. These could signify ‘accident and emergency’, the pivot point between life and death, or ‘assault and enforcement’, highlighting the antagonism between street life and law enforcement.
Carefully woven into the narrative, these letters add a layer of profundity, hinting at consequences that reach beyond the physical, echoing the psychological and emotional toll that such an existence demands from its participants.
Memorable Lines: The Poetic Insight of Struggle and Paradox
‘A good girl like Pokémon / Easy to see, but hard to catch’—such lines capture the complexities of relationships amidst chaos. They’re moments of levity and human insight, revealing Dave’s knack for blending cultural references with a sobering reflection on the elusive nature of genuine connection in a world where trust must be constantly scrutinized.
Furthermore, the lines ‘I been hurt, so it’s hard to love / Mum needs it, so it’s hard to have’ crystallize a powerful personal conflict, touching on the dichotomy of love and pain, of filial responsibility in the face of personal turmoil, encapsulating the universal struggle of prioritizing needs and desires.
The Ominous Odds: The Recurring Theme of Freedom’s Fragility
Dave’s candid expression of ‘Odds on my freedom are twenty-to-one’ serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly circumstances can change for individuals living on society’s fringe. The freedom that many take for granted is presented here as a precious, fragile thing, always at the mercy of the next roll of the dice.
By drawing us into his world with anecdotal sharpness and stark realism, Dave doesn’t just share a slice of life—he invites an examination of the systematic pressures that perpetuate cycles of risk, reinforcing the fact that for some, life is a continuous gamble, fraught with perils that shape every decision and moment.
