Takin’ It to the Man

Afroman Takin’ It to the Man

Verse 1

Woke up late, sun in my face,

Bills on the table, stress in the place,

Boss man talkin’ like he own my soul,

But I got a six-string and a different goal.

Coffee cold, rent still due,

TV screamin’ out the same old news,

Everybody want a piece of your hide,

But I rolled one thought and I took my side.

Pre-Chorus

They say, “Sit down, boy, stay in line,”

I say, “That ain’t yours, this life is mine,”

They got rules stacked tall like a prison wall,

But a laugh and a riff can break ’em all.

Chorus

Afroman takin’ it to the man,

With a crooked grin and a master plan,

Ain’t wearin’ no tie, ain’t shakin’ no hand,

Just slidin’ through life like a one-man band.

Afroman takin’ it to the man,

With a backyard beat and a coffee can,

They can push real hard but they don’t understand,

You can’t chain a fool with a freedom jam.

Verse 2

Neighbor said, “Boy, keep that down,”

I turned it up and shook the whole town,

Cop drove by, gave me that stare,

But the funk in the air said, “We don’t care.”

Politician smile on a billboard sign,

Sellin’ fake gold and callin’ it shine,

But the people on the porch know truth from lies,

You can see it real clear in their tired eyes.

Pre-Chorus

They say, “Work hard till your back bone bends,”

Then tax your check and call you friend,

But I found more peace in a beat-up van

Than most folks ever find in their promised land.

Chorus

Afroman takin’ it to the man,

With a crooked grin and a master plan,

Ain’t wearin’ no tie, ain’t shakin’ no hand,

Just slidin’ through life like a one-man band.

Afroman takin’ it to the man,

With a backyard beat and a coffee can,

They can push real hard but they don’t understand,

You can’t chain a fool with a freedom jam.

Bridge

No boardroom, no ballroom, no polished shoes,

Just a rebel yell singin’ low-down blues,

No silver spoon, no velvet scam,

Just a beat-up dream and a real loud jam.

They can write their laws and they can fake their grace,

Put another smug mask on another face,

But they can’t own the sky, and they can’t own the land,

When the song gets hot and the soul takes stand.

Breakdown

Takin’ it… takin’ it…

Takin’ it to the man…

No permission, no petition,

Just a groove and a backbone stand.

Final Chorus

Afroman takin’ it to the man,

With a crooked grin and a master plan,

Ain’t wearin’ no tie, ain’t shakin’ no hand,

Just slidin’ through life like a one-man band.

Afroman takin’ it to the man,

With a backyard beat and a coffee can,

They can push real hard but they don’t understand,

You can’t chain a fool with a freedom jam.

Outro

Yeah, he laughed, then he lit that spark,

Made a little truth in the middle of the dark,

When the suits all choke on the words they planned,

There goes Afroman takin’ it to the man.