Erykah Badu
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Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you?
Gave me the life that I came to live
Do I really
Want my baby?
Brother tell me what to do
I know you got to get your hustle on
So I pray
I understand the game, sometimes
And I love you strong, but
What you gonna do when they come for you?
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you?
God I can't stand life withoutcha
Now, me and baby got this situation
See brotha got this complex occupation
And it ain't that he don't have education
'Cause I was right there at his graduation
Now, I ain't sayin' that this life don't work
But it's me and baby that he hurts
'Cause I tell him right
He thinks I'm wrong
But I love him strong
He gave me the life that I came to live
Gave me the song that I came to give
Pressure on me
But the seed had grown
I can't make it on my own
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
He became the sun
I became the moon
Precious gifts that we both received
Or could this be make believe?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you?
Gave me the life that I came to live
Don't you worry, I know there's confusion
God's gonna see us through
Peace out to revolution
But we paid though
Don't you worry, I know there's confusion
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Don't you worry
Gave me the life that I came to live
Don't you worry
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Don't you worry
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Lyrics submitted byMadame Me
Other Side of the Game Lyrics as written by Erica Wright Ahmir K. Thompson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
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Other Side of the Game song meanings
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General Comment
This song means that if you are in the drug business you should get out, because it not only hurts your customers, but it hurts those who are close to you. Suppose youe get caught and go to jail, or get shot, and killed...your loved ones will have to deal with all the hurt and pain that cames with that. That is what the other side of the game is...the bad hurtful side, not all the cars, and money, and jewelry.
Adrienne05on September 30, 2004Link
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General Comment
it's about being pregnant with a child and even considering abortion (do i really want my baby? / brother tell me what to do) having a baby by a man you truly love but he's somehow involved with some dirty jobs, maybe drug dealing, and so she's worried if he's gonna be alright cos she needs him for their child. so she's trying to make him quit his games (see i ain't tryin to run your life, i just want you to do what's right) she wants her man to take responsability cos now there are three of them (me you and the baby)a great song one of my favorites
madameon August 03, 2009Link
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I love this song and I wish a lot of people I know would listen to this song. This reminds me of an ex. I didn't know him for too long, but I just worried about where his life was going and what he was doing to his family. So sad.
I always misunderstood the lyric "work ain't honest but it pays the bills." I always thought she meant work in general isn't honest, but she means his work specifically (hustling, drug dealing, whatever). I always thought she was talking about blue collar work and she meant it's not honest because he works hard and has nothing to show for it. You can tell I didn't really pay attention to this song at first! I feel like a dummy because the song is really straight forward when I look at it now.
sfgirl82on November 18, 2004Link
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same here i thought that 'work' meant those crappy jobs that desperate ppl revert to like for example a cleaning job - the jobs that require hard labour with crappy pay. but since u mention it it makes perfect sense, esp. when i saw the lines 'Precious gifts that we both received, Or could this be make believe'.Kinda reminds me of American Gangster.
Litz_Awakeon March 12, 2008Link
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actually when you get to understand what type of artist erykah badu is, you realise that the song is actually about her job in the music industry. She says 'what you gonna do when THEY come for you'. Who is they? 'They'represent those peopl in the industry that want you to sell out and sing about things that dont uplift or give people confidence or faith in God. also she says 'Work ain't honest but it pays the bills' which means in the industry you put up with alot of bs with people telling you what to do and if you listen to tadays music even neo soul is morally corrupt. THis means that she may have sold out because the money or 'gifts' provided her with stability and the ability to take care of her and her son. However she goes on to say 'God I can't stand life without ya' which means she would rather be on God's side.Now 'brotha' im not as sure but i think he is the product of todays hip hop, because he is an educated man but he lives a life that isnt right in the eyes of god and erykah tries to tell him that but he is hard headed but she still loves him because thats her brotha in terms of ethnicity
and finally 'precious gifts... could it be make believe' basically saying is this fame/money long lasting of does it all fade; is it worth it.
elizannonon June 19, 2010Link
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- i have to add that she says 'peace out revolution...but we paid tho' meaning that these artists sell out to keep you from learning about whats goin on around you [politically] but they are being VERY well paid for this..... peace and love everyone
elizannonon June 19, 2010Link
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- Artists - E
- Erykah Badu
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- Other Side of the Game Lyrics
More Featured Meanings
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She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."Rate These Lyrics
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