Homeless Persons' Memorial Day Top 100 Songs
Song #57
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Everlast
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with Vocal with Latin rock band Santana for "Put Your Lights On".
"What It's Like" was written by Schrody and released in September 1998 as the lead single from his album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. The song is typical of the style Everlast embraced after leaving hip hop trio House of Pain, being a combination of rock, hip-hop and blues incorporating characterization and empathy towards impoverished protagonists.
The song went to number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart for one week and number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart for nine weeks. It also peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the singer's only solo top 40 hit on the US chart to date.
Structurally, the song consists of three verses, a chorus, and a bridge. The first verse describes a man at the liquor store begging for change. When asking for change from a man he's turned down rudely with the man saying, "get a job, you f___in' slob." The singer then says, "God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes, 'cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues".
"What It's Like" was written by Schrody and released in September 1998 as the lead single from his album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. The song is typical of the style Everlast embraced after leaving hip hop trio House of Pain, being a combination of rock, hip-hop and blues incorporating characterization and empathy towards impoverished protagonists.
The song went to number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart for one week and number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart for nine weeks. It also peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the singer's only solo top 40 hit on the US chart to date.
Structurally, the song consists of three verses, a chorus, and a bridge. The first verse describes a man at the liquor store begging for change. When asking for change from a man he's turned down rudely with the man saying, "get a job, you f___in' slob." The singer then says, "God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes, 'cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues".
"What It's Like"
Lyrics
We've all seen a man at the liquor store beggin' for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dread-locked, and full of mange
He asks a man for what he could spare, with shame in his eyes
"Get a job you fucking slob," is all he replies
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom that said he was in love
He said, "don't worry about a thing, baby doll I'm the man you've been dreaming of."
But three months later he say he won't date her or return her calls
And she swear, "god damn, if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls"
And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walking through the door
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner and they call her a whore
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
I've seen a rich man beg I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win and a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad and the downside of up
And everything between
I licked the silver spoon drank from the golden cup
And smoked the finest green
I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times
Before I broke their heart
You know where it ends, yo, it usually depends on where you start
I knew this kid named Max who used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late he liked to get shit-faced and keep the pace with thugs
Until late one night there was a big gun fight and max lost his head
He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit, and wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of this pain
You know it comes that way at least that's what they say when you play the game
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
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