The Vibes

[Bernard Goetz]

I can't say The Vibes is my favorite Beastie Boys song, but if someone told me it was theirs, I'd probably trust that person with my life. It's so damn deep, words and music.
And it's probably, out of all the BB songs I love, the one I know the least lyrics to. I have it in my head at least twice a week, and half the time I'm fudging whatever it is they're saying. I looked up the lyrics the other day and found myself like "What? Really?" a bunch of times. The lyrics that are out there are not 100% right though (i.e., "Bird is the word and you're light as a feather" instead of "Thunderbird" for the Johnny Ryall sample EDIT: bad example, sounds like they do scratch it it in at "bird" - but "back whylin'" is supposed to be "buck"). Does anyone know if there's an official document of the lyrics?
The Vibes edges out Skills To Pay The Bills for all-time best b-side, for me.
Love this tune? Indifferent? Dislike?

I kick out the jams and tell you who I am
I said I'll make you shake your ass like Les MaCan
And the you're out talking shit like Yosemite Sam
You've got the elephant feet like Les McCan
Up the crack of dawn I'm on my way
We're talking two foot dump and there'll be no delay
'Cause I'm gone, the shit's getting out of hand
I'm changing my middle name to first Trem
I'm walking on the rhythm like Philippe Petite
I've got hole in my mouth where my teeth should be
You ask whatever happenened to the rappin' duke
I heard the Captain's gonna sign him to Jive and that's the truth
taking care of my functions still smokin, up the shrubery
I stopped eating chicken 'cause the shit was too rubbery
Produce organic from my own yard
Only the freshest herbs and growing's not too hard

Dreaming on it, screaming on it, ready to get dumb
Waking up my long joint, ready to get some
Looking at my board and my old boots
Seeing a waist deep champagne moment of truth
And on the court I've got game like my brother Matt
I give a shout out so where you at
But don't get souped Mathew 'cause I'm a take ya
Horatio Park right now and I'm a shake ya
Give me the fresh count 'cause you know that I'm stressed out
I need some inspiration so get the best out
Like Rock Master Scott, I'm on the request line
Writing the fresh rhyme, having the best time
Good vibes flowing all around
Not a worry in mind as the friends around
A shout out to Linda riding pow forever
Well the Bird is the word and you're as light as a feather

Well I smoke a bag of rat weed 'cause I don't care
and I'm waking old ladies out their underwear
I like the boomin' grannies in big old panties
I'm giving, it to grandma making her crazy
I might be a white boy but I'm no goofy
Got beats like Bobalou on "I Love Lucy"
I'm not like the Skipper on "Fantasy Island"
I'm more like Captain Shtupping when I go back whylin'
The Cire Traverse out to Death shoot
or S.T.H. when they let me back at the Deuce
'Cause I can't get enough of that funky stuff
When the going gets rough ain't going out in the sluff
Down with Bubble Gum and Ninth Creation
Get down we've got the sound sensation
Kid Fresh is back from the 80's
And we're doing it for the ladies

(Chorus)

[Brass Monk]

I can't say The Vibes is my favorite Beastie Boys song, but if someone told me it was theirs, I'd probably trust that person with my life. It's so damn deep, words and music.
And it's probably, out of all the BB songs I love, the one I know the least lyrics to. I have it in my head at least twice a week, and half the time I'm fudging whatever it is they're saying. I looked up the lyrics the other day and found myself like "What? Really?" a bunch of times. The lyrics that are out there are not 100% right though (i.e., "Bird is the word and you're light as a feather" instead of "Thunderbird" for the Johnny Ryall sample). Does anyone know if there's an official document of the lyrics?
The Vibes edges out Skills To Pay The Bills for all-time best b-side, for me.
Love this tune? Indifferent? Dislike?

I definitely like it. But Skills to Pay The Bills is their #1 B-side in my book.

[Bernard Goetz]

Yeah it's possible it goes #1 and #1A for me.

[MCA4ever]

Thought they said they "waxing old ladies in their underware" :D
My second fav on IC-Remastered

[rhymesayer211]

Thought they said they "waxing old ladies in their underware" :D
My second fav on IC.

I thought the same for years, actually still sing it that way. Best b side ever!

[Uru-Nitro]

the bridge is epic

[Jay Stone]

Think it goes "waxing' old ladies out their underwear.."

[WhoMoi?]

Thought they said they "waxing old ladies in their underware" :D


Me too!

[MCA4ever]

Didnt you guys think they were a little out there? I would sing along and kinda cringe at the visual but, with a smile on my face :D

[Bernard Goetz]

Think it goes "waxing' old ladies out their underwear.."

(y)

Also worth noting that Mike D was talking about organic produce in 1994.

[cj hood]

Vibes is a solid track!

[JasonP]

Love the song...but was always a bit bothered by rhyming Les Mccan with Les Mccan. I get the impression they did stuff like that to make people go WTF.

[Kid Presentable]

For whatever baseless reason, when I think of their final sessions and what they could have sounded like, I find myself playing The Vibes and Mullethead back to back, over and over. Just very natural, simple, good music.

I've always loved the Vibes.

[LilTreyR]

For whatever baseless reason, when I think of their final sessions and what they could have sounded like, I find myself playing The Vibes and Mullethead back to back, over and over. Just very natural, simple, good music.

I've always loved the Vibes.

Agreed (y)

[DJ Pioneer]

I always liked this song too! Just crazy fun rhymes and a great beat. "On the court I got game like my brother Matt, I give a shout out so where ya at?"

Interesting to note: the remix of Stakes is High by De La Soul, the one with Mos Def in '96, also samples that "vibes, vibrations." I'm not sure what sample it is. Well, the Bboys don't sample it, but obviously the original inspired the hook on this song.

[Kid Presentable]

I'm going to be accused of trolling (and I apologise, again, because I've worn this point into the ground) but I'm also 100% that the drum fill scratched into 'Sure Shot' as Hurricane says "Sure Shot" is the one and same fill that starts The Vibes.

[Kid Presentable]

I always liked this song too! Just crazy fun rhymes and a great beat. "On the court I got game like my brother Matt, I give a shout out so where ya at?"

Interesting to note: the remix of Stakes is High by De La Soul, the one with Mos Def in '96, also samples that "vibes, vibrations." I'm not sure what sample it is. Well, the Bboys don't sample it, but obviously the original inspired the hook on this song.

I always figured there was some connection between B-Boys and Dilla, particularly with the latter's use of New Style samples on Donuts (I'm sure there are better and more well-known examples, though). From Yauch being in the Stakes is High video, to the Pharcyde connection with D and Adrock (via Spike) on 'Drop'.

I even recall thinking Yauch was one of the many giving spoken tributes to Dilla on the Roots 'Game Theory' album on the donut of the heart tribute cut.

[pshabi]

I even recall thinking Yauch was one of the many giving spoken tributes to Dilla on the Roots 'Game Theory' album on the donut of the heart tribute cut.

Wait. What? He isn't on that track is he. Never remember his voice jumping out at me. Gonna give it another listen though.

[TreasureEverywh]

Love the song...but was always a bit bothered by rhyming Les Mccan with Les Mccan. I get the impression they did stuff like that to make people go WTF.

What about rhyming commercial with commercial?

[JasonP]

What about rhyming commercial with commercial?

Yeah, doesn't jump out as much...I remember people being critical of that too though. I know I read into things more than I should, but I always thought the Les Mccan thing was intentional to piss off those that were critical of Mike doing that on SWW.

[fonky pizza]

I've always loved the Vibes.

You speak my mind, as usual...(y)

[WhoMoi?]

What about rhyming commercial with commercial?

That is the PTM line that a couple of people have mentioned to me when they were trying to argue that the BBoys weren't always great lyricists. One guy was absolutely obsessed with Tupac and just could not understand why he wasn't my fave, and kept trying to find ways to "convert" me to placing Tupac above all others in my preference of hiphop acts. The other is my husband who sometimes just gets his fill of Beastie music, talk, and events, so he just tries to pick something out like that to express his discontent, I think. ;)

Anyway...my rebuttals are usually: 1. Can you think of a word that rhymes with "commercial???" 2. It flows nicely anyway, and that little change there kind of adds emphasis to the point being made in the lyric; that tactic is used in poetry and songwriting too.

Tupac fan's rebuttal: "Whatever. Tupac is totally on an island somewhere right now laughing at EVERYONE."
Tough to argue with that.

ETA: Realized that I got off topic, so I just want to add that I love The Vibes. I especially love Adrock's delivery of his first lines in the song...not sure why...just a really strong entrance with his usual enthusiasm that works really well there, I guess.

[TreasureEverywh]

Anyway...my rebuttals are usually: 1. Can you think of a word that rhymes with "commercial???" 2. It flows nicely anyway, and that little change there kind of adds emphasis to the point being made in the lyric; that tactic is used in poetry and songwriting too.



Remaining off topic for a sec if I may. I think what bugs me here isn't the rhyme, but the stress pattern:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like life is a big comMERcial

You tend to have the stress on new information, at the end of an utterance, so in this case there's a mismatch between what you expect (new information) and what you get (given information). Which is why in my mind it's always:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like LIFE [in general] is a big commercial

/linguistmode

[Kid Presentable]

It's hip-hop.

[TreasureEverywh]

It's language.

[Micodin]

Remaining off topic for a sec if I may. I think what bugs me here isn't the rhyme, but the stress pattern:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like life is a big comMERcial

You tend to have the stress on new information, at the end of an utterance, so in this case there's a mismatch between what you expect (new information) and what you get (given information). Which is why in my mind it's always:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like LIFE [in general] is a big commercial

/linguistmode

There is a suggestion box out there somewhere for your complaints.

[TreasureEverywh]

There is a suggestion box out there somewhere for your complaints.

Oh. So calling entire songs unlistenable is fine, but a comment (plus explanation) on a tiny thing that happens to belong to an area I know something about incurs a big dollop of sarcasm?

Yup. Makes sense.

Edit: Seriously. No need to be so antagonistic.

[Micodin]

Oh. So calling entire songs unlistenable is fine, but a comment (plus explanation) on a tiny thing that happens to belong to an area I know something about incurs a big dollop of sarcasm?

Yup. Makes sense.

Edit: Seriously. No need to be so antagonistic.

You read too deeply into what I posted.

Take a deep breath and go for a walk. Enjoy life.

[TreasureEverywh]

You read too deeply into what I posted.

Take a deep breath and go for a walk. Enjoy life.

I enjoy deep, as it happens. Each to their own, eh?

[bigfatlove06]

Remaining off topic for a sec if I may. I think what bugs me here isn't the rhyme, but the stress pattern:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like life is a big comMERcial

You tend to have the stress on new information, at the end of an utterance, so in this case there's a mismatch between what you expect (new information) and what you get (given information). Which is why in my mind it's always:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like LIFE [in general] is a big commercial

/linguistmode

I read somewhere that the line was supposed to be "acting like life is a dress rehearsal", but they left the misspoken line in the final cut to goof Mike. I like that theory better, even though without finding the source of the quote it is also speculation.

[WhoMoi?]

Remaining off topic for a sec if I may. I think what bugs me here isn't the rhyme, but the stress pattern:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like life is a big comMERcial

You tend to have the stress on new information, at the end of an utterance, so in this case there's a mismatch between what you expect (new information) and what you get (given information). Which is why in my mind it's always:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a comMERcial
Acting like LIFE is a big commercial

/linguistmode

I get what you're saying. I don't perceive it as stressing "commercial" anymore than "life." It sounds like to me like "Acting like life is a big com[I]mercial." That stress pattern is appropriate for how we say those words just talking, right? So it makes sense to me. You can't not stress some syllable in a 3-syllable word...some syllable in it is going to get the stress. It would sound really weird if he said "a big commercial."

To the boys who are (for some weird reason :confused:) picking on TE:
Of course "it's hiphop." Rap, as y'all know, has language as its primary component. TE and I are both language geeks by trade, so we sometimes like to discuss language when it comes up on these boards. No one is hating. We're discussing; it's a "discussion" section of the board. It's okay. May not be your cup of tea to discuss, and that's fine. It isn't my cup of tea to collect every BBoys demo and remix that ever existed, but I don't jump into those threads and criticize. Live and let live, friends. WWYD.

[WhoMoi?]

I read somewhere that the line was supposed to be "acting like life is a dress rehearsal", but they left the misspoken line in the final cut to goof Mike. I like that theory better, even though without finding the source of the quote it is also speculation.

Ooh, I like that. (y)

[Kid Presentable]

I wasn't picking on anyone.

[MCA4ever]

The other is my husband who sometimes just gets his fill of Beastie music, talk, and events, so he just tries to pick something out like that to express his discontent, I think. ;)

:)

[Bernard Goetz]

Good gravy, I got all excited that my Vibes thread made it to two pages, thinking peoples are talking about the song. :rolleyes:

[MCA4ever]

Good gravy, I got all excited that my Vibes thread made it to two pages, thinking peoples are talking about the song. :rolleyes:

They were ;)

[Bernard Goetz]

Yeah, for about 15 posts...

[WhoMoi?]

Good gravy, I got all excited that my Vibes thread made it to two pages, thinking peoples are talking about the song. :rolleyes:

Sorry man. :o

Back to it...
Mike is always so awesome with the 60s and 70s-era TV references. (y)

[JasonP]

I read somewhere that the line was supposed to be "acting like life is a dress rehearsal", but they left the misspoken line in the final cut to goof Mike. I like that theory better, even though without finding the source of the quote it is also speculation.

Man...that line works. I bet you are right.

[YoungRemy]

it was supposed to be, simply- "acting like life is a big rehearsal"

for crying out loud

[Micodin]

it was supposed to be, simply- "acting like life is a big rehearsal"


You sir are correct!

[TreasureEverywh]

Good gravy, I got all excited that my Vibes thread made it to two pages, thinking peoples are talking about the song. :rolleyes:

Yeah, that was my fault... Sorry!

I wasn't picking on anyone.

You're saying that now :D

I read somewhere that the line was supposed to be "acting like life is a dress rehearsal", but they left the misspoken line in the final cut to goof Mike. I like that theory better, even though without finding the source of the quote it is also speculation.

Makes sense, that. And the comments here range all the way from "Oh, cool, that works!" to "Well, duh!". Interesting... :cool:

I get what you're saying. I don't perceive it as stressing "commercial" anymore than "life." It sounds like to me like "Acting like life is a big commercial." That stress pattern is appropriate for how we say those words just talking, right? So it makes sense to me. You can't not stress some syllable in a 3-syllable word...some syllable in it is going to get the stress. It would sound really weird if he said "a big commercial."


Just before they chase us out of here: aye, there's always going to be a word stress on "commercial", but I was thinking one level up, i.e. I expected the nucleus of the intonation phrase on "life".

[Kid Presentable]

You're saying that now :D


Because I said "It's hip-hop"? Apologies, your majesty.

[TreasureEverywh]

Because I said "It's hip-hop"? Apologies, your majesty.

Dude. You missed a smiley face there. It's all good.

[Kid Presentable]

Jesus I'm clanging everywhere. My bad.

[Bernard Goetz]

I always liked Mike's use of commercial twice in Pass The Mic, even if it was intended to be replaced the second time. I take it like he's exasperated, talking out his frustrations with people and not worrying about sounding clever. It's a punk rock moment to me.

[Jiberish]

I always liked Mike's use of commercial twice in Pass The Mic, even if it was intended to be replaced the second time. I take it like he's exasperated, talking out his frustrations with people and not worrying about sounding clever. It's a punk rock moment to me.

"I Think I'm losing my mind this time/ this time I'm losing my mind" feels the same to me. Mike rules.

[TreasureEverywh]

"I Think I'm losing my mind this time/ this time I'm losing my mind" feels the same to me. Mike rules.

Agreed.