Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys

A little something about Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys are a band of many paradoxes. They are a trio of upper-middle class white boys making rap music in the style of the black inner city. They are at once sophomoric and possessing of a great deal of talent. They were a rap group which had the number 1 album on the US pop charts, unheard of in 1986. They have been criticized for promoting crime and violence, yet while one of their members was pleading gulity to a battery charge another is a practicing Buddhist who speaks passionately about the Chinese occupation of Tibet. And what is arguably their finest work is their weakest selling, most overlooked album. The band started not as a rap act, but as a hardcore, thrash-metal band. Having connections to the music industry (through thei parents) did not immediately help jump start their careers. The release of their "Cookie Puss" EP showed the Beastie Boys beginning to embrace rap, and the positive reception of the track laid the groundwork for Licensed to Ill. Released in 1986, the Licensed to Ill album was not only the first success of any kind by a white rap group, it reached the top spot in the US charts. On it the Beastie Boys drew samples from a wide range of sources, from Led Zeppelin and AC/DC to Mr. Ed. The album brought them international hits in "Fight for your Right to Party," "Brass Monkey," and "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn." Problems with their record label would delay the band's follow-up, Paul's Boutique. While the success of Licensed to Ill was no doubt due in part to the novelty of white boys rapping about topics other white boys could understand (drinking, pornography, loud music, etc), Paul's Boutique is an inspired piece of work. The lyrics are intelligent and tasteful, the samples are inspired, the music is infectious. Paul's Boutique proved that the Beastie Boys could actually produce hip hop music of high quality - and, of course, it was a commercial disappointment. The popularity of the Beastie Boys has continued to grow steadily over the years.

Lyrics shown below : "Fight for your right to party", "Brass Monkey"

Fight for your right (To party)

You wake up late for school, man you don't wanna go
You ask you mom, "Please?", but she still says, "No!"
You missed two classes, and no homework
But your teacher preaches class like you're some kind of jerk


CHORUS: You gotta fight for your right to party


Your pop caught you smoking, and he said, "No way!"
That hypocrite smokes two packs a day
Man, living at home is such a drag
Now your mom threw away your best porno mag (Bust it!)


REPEAT CHORUS


Don't step out of this house if that's the clothes you're gonna wear
I'll kick you out of my home is you don't cut that hair
Your mom busted in and said, "What's that noise?"
Aw, mom you're just jealous it's the Beastie Boys!


REPEAT CHORUS (x2)

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Brass Monkey

(chorus) Brass Monkey - that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey - junkie
That funky Monkey

Got this dance that's more than real
Drink Brass Monkey - here's how you feel
Put your left leg down - your right leg up
Tilt your head back - let's finish the cup
M.C.A. with the bottle - D. rocks the can
Adrock gets nice with Charlie Chan
We're offered Moet - we don't mind Chivas
Wherever we go with bring the Monkey with us
Adrock drinks three - Mike D. is D.
Double R. foots the bill most definitely
I drink Brass Monkey and I rock well
I got a Castle in Brooklyn - that's where I dwell

(repeat chorus)

Cause I drink it anytime - and anyplace
When it's time to get ill - I pour it on my face
Monkey tastes Def when you pour it on ice
Come on y'all it's time to get nice
Coolin' by the lockers getting kind of funky
Me and the crew - we're drinking Brass Monkey
This girl walked by - she gave me the eye
I reached in the locker - grabbed the Spanish Fly
I put it with the Monkey - mixed it in the cup
Went over to the girl, "Yo baby, what's up?"
I offered her a sip - the girl she gave me lip
It did begin the stuff wore in and now she's on my tip

(repeat chorus)

Step up to the bar - put the girl down
She takes a big gulp and slaps it around
Take a sip - you can do it - you get right to it
We had a case in the place and we went right through it
You got a dry Martini - thinking you're cool
I'll take your place at the bar - I smack you off your stool
I'll down a '40 dog" in a single gulp
And if you got beef you'll get beat to a pulp
Monkey and parties and reelin' and rockin'
Def, def - girls, girls - all y'all jockin'
The song and dance keeping you in a trance
If you don't buy my record I got my advance
I drink it - I think it - I see it - I be it
I love Brass Monkey but I won't give D. it
We got the bottle - you got the cup
Come on everybody let's get ffffff

(repeat chorus)