Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time and author Jim Adams from A Unique Title For Me is our current guest host. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.
The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “Cool/Groovy/Hip/Nifty/Radical/Swell.”
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When you hear the opening lines of “I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie, to the hip hip hop and you don’t stop…” you don’t have to be a Boomer or old head to recognize Rapper’s Delight, the first commercially successful hip-hop single. It is, and will continue to be, one of the most influential songs in hip-hop. Its beat, which samples the bass from Chic’s Good Times, has been sampled countless times, and many of the song’s phrases have become ingrained in hip-hop culture.
Rapper’s Delight would have been the first rap record to be certified gold (more than 500,000 copies sold), but label head Joe Robinson wouldn’t pay for an RIAA membership; instead he made his own plaques and gave them to artists. Dan Charnas quotes him in his book, The Big Payback:
Why should I pay two percent of my gross profits just to send an accountant to look at my books?
Though not the first rap gold record, it is reported to be the best-selling 12-inch single of all-time by Hip Hop journalist Jeff Chang in his book Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.
FUN FACTS
- Grandmaster Caz, who wrote many of Big Bank Hank’s rhymes didn’t get a dime (or any type of credit) for the song’s success at the time.
- Rapper’s Delight peaked at number 36 in January 1980 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 4 on the U.S. Hot Soul Singles chart in December 1979, number 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart in January 1980, number 1 on the Dutch Top 40, and number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.
- The Sugar Hill Gang appeared on the syndicated Soap Factory Disco Show in late 1979, and their performance later became the song’s official music video. The group’s performance on the Palisades Park-based program demonstrates the significant overlap between early hip hop and disco of the late 1970s.
I was still in my teens when Rapper’s Delight topped charts and was the go-to dance favorite in the clubs and at every house party. Each generation does its own thing and rap/hip hop have changed, but as this cut celebrates it fortieth anniversary this year, it’s still a “party ova’ here” whenever it’s played.
Enjoy!
See my Song Lyric Sunday selection for Nesie’s Place!
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Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.
Rapper’s Delight
I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
To the hip hip hop and you don’t stop
The rock it to the bang bang boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat[Verse 1: Wonder Mike]
Now, what you hear is not a test, I’m rapping to the beat
And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
See I am Wonder Mike and I’d like to say “hello”
To the black, to the white, the red and the brown, the purple and yellow
But first, I gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie
Let’s rock, you don’t stop
Rock the rhythm that’ll make your body rock
Well so far you’ve heard my voice, but I brought two friends along
And next on the mic is my man Hank; come on, Hank, sing that song
[Verse 2: Big Bank Hank]
Check it out, I’m the C-A-S-AN, the O-V-A and the rest is F-L-Y
You see, I go by the code of the doctor of the mix and these reasons I’ll tell you why
You see I’m six foot one and I’m tons of fun and I dress to a tee
You see I got more clothes than Muhammad Ali and I dress so viciously
I got bodyguards, I got two big cars, that definitely ain’t the whack
I got a Lincoln continental and a sunroof Cadillac
So after school, I take a dip in the pool, which is really on the wall
I got a color TV so I can see the Knicks play basketball
Hear me talking ’bout checkbooks, credit cards, more money than a sucker could ever spend
But I wouldn’t give a sucker or a bum from the Rucker, not a dime ’til I made it again
[Hook 2: Big Bank Hank]
Everybody go: Hotel, motel, whatcha gonna do today (say what?)
Cause I’ma get a fly girl, gonna get some spank and drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go: Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn
You see, if your girl starts acting up, then you take her friend
[Post-Hook: Big Bank Hank]
Uh Master Gee, my mellow?
It’s on you so what you gonna do?
[Verse 3: Master Gee]
Well it’s on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
I said M-A-S, a T-E-R, a G with a double E
I said I go by the unforgettable name of the man they call the Master Gee
Well, my name is known all over the world
By all the foxy ladies and the pretty girls
I’m going down in history
As the baddest rapper there ever could be
Now I’m feeling the highs and you’re feeling the lows
The beat starts getting into your toes
You start popping your fingers and stomping your feet
And moving your body while you’re sitting in your seat
And then damn, you start doing the freak
I said damn, right outta your seat
Then you throw your hands high in the air
You’re rocking to the rhythm, shake your derriere
You’re rocking to the beat without a care
With the sure-shot emcees for the affair
Now, I’m not as tall as the rest of the gang
But I rap to the beat just the same
I got a little face and a pair of brown eyes
All I’m here to do ladies is hypnotize
Singing on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
Singing on and on and on, on and on
Like a hot ready to pop the pop the pop dibbie dibbie
Pop the pop, pop, you don’t dare stop
Come alive y’all gimme what you got
I guess by now you can take a hunch
And find that I am the baby of the bunch
But that’s okay, I still keep in stride
Cause all I’m here to do is just wiggle your behind
Singing on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
Singing on and on and on, on and on
Rock rock y’all get on the floor
[Hook 3: Master Gee]
I’m gonna freak ya here I’m gonna freak you there
I’m gonna move you outta this atmosphere
[Post-Hook: Master Gee]
Cause I’m one of a kind and I’ll shock your mind
I’ll put t-t-tickets in your behind
I said 1-2-3-4, come on, girls, get on the floor
Uh, come alive, y’all gimme what ya got
Cause I’m guaranteed to make you rock
I said 1-2-3-4, tell me Wonder Mike what are you waiting for?
[Hook 1: Wonder Mike]
I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
To the hip hip hop and you don’t stop
The rock it to the bang bang boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
[Verse 4: Wonder Mike]
Skiddlee beebop a we rock a scooby doo
And guess what, America: we love you
Cause ya rock and ya roll with so much soul
You could rock ’til you’re a hundred and one years old
I don’t mean to brag I don’t mean to boast
But we like hot butter on a breakfast toast
Rock it up, uh, baby bubbah
Baby bubbah to the boogie the bang bang the boogie
To the beat beat, it’s so unique
Come on, everybody, and dance to the beat
[Bridge: Intro sound: 16 measures]
[Hook 1: Wonder Mike]
I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
To the hip hip hop and you don’t stop
The rock it to the bang bang boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
[Verse 5: Wonder Mike]
I said I can’t wait ’til the end of the week
When I’m rapping to the rhythm of a groovy beat
An attempt to raise your body heat
Just blow your mind so that you can’t speak
To do a thing but a rock and shuffle your feet
And let it change up to a dance called the freak
And when ya finally do come into your rhythmic beat
Rest a little while so ya don’t get weak
I know a man named Hank
He has more rhymes than a serious bank
So come on Hank, uh, sing that song
To the rhythm of the boogie the bang bang the bong
[Verse 6: Big Bank Hank]
Well, I’m Imp the Dimp the ladies pimp
The women fight for my delight
But I’m the grandmaster with the three MCs
That shock the house for the young ladies
And when you come inside, into the front
You do the freak, spank, and do the bump
And when the sucker emcees try to prove a point
We’re treacherous trio, uh, with a serious joint
A from sun to sun and from day to day
I sit down and write a brand new rhyme
Because they say that miracles never cease
I’ve created a devastating masterpiece
I’m gonna rock the mic til you can’t resist
Everybody, I say it goes like this
Well I was coming home late one dark afternoon
Reporter stopped me for a interview
She said she’s heard stories and she’s heard fables
That I’m vicious on the mic and the turntables
This young reporter I did adore
So I rocked a vicious rhyme like I never did before
She said “damn fly guy I’m in love with you”
The Casanova legend must have been true
I said by the way baby what’s your name
Said “I go by the name of Lois Lane”
And you could be my boyfriend you surely can
Just let me quit my boyfriend called Superman
I said he’s a fairy I do suppose
Flying through the air in pantyhose
He may be very sexy or even cute
But he looks like a sucker in a blue and red suit
I said you need a man who’s got finesse
And his whole name across his chest
He may be able to fly all through the night
But can he rock a party ’til the early light
He can’t satisfy you with his little worm
But I can bust you out with my super sperm
I go do it, I go do it, I go do it, do it, do it
An I’m here and I’m there I’m Big Bank Hank, I’m everywhere
Just throw your hands up in the air
And party hardy like you just don’t care
Let’s do it, uh, don’t stop y’all, uh, tick a tock y’all you don’t stop
[Hook 2: Big Bank Hank]
I go: Hotel, motel, what you gonna do today (say what)
I’m gonna get a fly girl gonna get some spank and drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go: Hotel, motel, holiday inn
You see, if your girl starts acting up then you take her friend
[Post-Hook: Big Bank Hank]
I say skip, dive, what can I say
I can’t fit em all inside my OJ
So I just take half and bust them out
I give the rest to Master Gee so he could shock the house
[Verse 7: Master Gee]
It was 12 o’clock one Friday night
I was rocking to the beat and feeling all right
Everybody was dancing on the floor
Doing all the things they never did before
And then this fly fly girl with a sexy lean
She came into the bar, she came into the scene
As she traveled deeper inside the room
All the fellas checked out her white Sassons
She came up to the table, looked into my eyes
Then she turned around and shook her behind
So I said to myself, its time for me to release
My vicious rhyme I call my masterpiece
And now people in the house this is just for you
A little rap to make you boogaloo
Now the group ya hear is called Phase Two
And let me tell ya something we’re a hell of a crew
Once a week we’re on the street
Just a-cutting the jams and making it free
For you to party, got to have the moves
So we’ll get right down and give you a groove
For you to dance you got to be hype
So we’ll get right down for you tonight
Now the system’s on and the girls are there
You definitely have a rocking affair
But let me tell ya something there’s still one fact
That to have a party ya got to have a rap
So when the party’s over, you’re making it home
And trying to sleep before the break of dawn
And while ya sleeping you start to dream
And thinking how ya danced on the disco scene
A name appears in your mind
Yeah, a name you know that was right on time
It was phase two just a doing a do
Rocking ya down cause ya know we could
To the rhythm of the beat that makes ya freak
Come alive girls get on your feet
To the rhythm of the beat to the beat the beat
To the double beat beat that it makes ya freak
To the rhythm of the beat that says you go on
On and on into the break of dawn
Now I got a man coming on right now
He’s guaranteed to throw down
He goes by the name of Wonder Mike
Come on Wonder Mike do what ya like
[Verse 8: Wonder Mike]
Like a can of beer that’s sweeter than honey
Like a millionaire that has no money
Like a rainy day that is not wet
Like a gambling fiend that does not bet
Like Dracula without his fangs
Like the boogie to the boogie without the boogie bang
Like collard greens that don’t taste good
Like a tree that’s not made out of wood
Like going up and not coming down
Is just like the beat without the sound, no sound
To the beat beat, ya do the freak
Everybody just rock and dance to the beat
Have you ever went over a friend’s house to eat
And the food just ain’t no good
I mean the macaroni’s soggy the peas are mushed
And the chicken tastes like wood
So you try to play it off like you think you can
By saying that you’re full
And then your friend says “momma he’s just being polite
He ain’t finished uh-uh that’s bull”
So your heart starts pumping and you think of a lie
And you say that you already ate
And your friend says “man there’s plenty of food”
So you pile some more on your plate
While the stinky food’s steaming your mind starts to dreaming
Of the moment that it’s time to leave
And then you look at your plate and your chicken’s slowly rotting
Into something that looks like cheese
Oh so you say that’s it I got to leave this place
I don’t care what these people think
I’m just sitting here making myself nauseous
With this ugly food that stinks
So you bust out the door while its still closed
Still sick from the food you ate
And then you run to the store for quick relief
From a bottle of kaopectate
And then you call your friend two weeks later
To see how he has been
And he says “I understand about the food
Baby but bubbah we’re still friends”
[Hook 1: Wonder Mike]
With a hip hop the hippie the hippie
To the hip hip hop and you don’t stop
The rock it to the bang bang boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
[Post-Hook: Wonder Mike]
I say “Hank can ya rock?
Can ya rock to the rhythm that just don’t stop?
Can ya hip me to the shoobie doo”
I said “come on, make uh, make the people move”
[Verse 9: Big Bank Hank]
I go to the halls and then ring the bell
Because I am the man with the clientele
And if ya ask me why I rock so well
I’m Big Bank, I got clientele
And from the time I was only six years old
I never forgot what I was told
It was the best advice that I ever had
It came from my wise dear old dad
He said “sit down punk I wanna talk to you
And don’t say a word until I’m through
Now there’s a time to laugh a time to cry
A time to live and a time to die
A time to break and a time to chill
To act civilized or act real ill
But whatever ya do in your lifetime
Ya never let a MC steal your rhyme”
So from six to six ’til this very day
Ill always remember what he had to say
So when the sucker emcees try to chump my style
I let them know that I’m versatile
I got style, finesse and a little black book
That’s filled with rhymes and I know you wanna look
But there’s a thing that separates you from me
And that is called originality
Because my rhymes are on from what you heard
I didn’t even bite and not a godd–m word
And I say a little more later on tonight
So the sucker emcees can bite all night
Uh, tick a tock y’all, a beat, beat y’all
A lets rock y’all, ya don’t stop
[Hook 2: Big Bank Hank]
It go: Hotel, motel, whatcha gonna do today (say what)
Cause I’ma get a fly girl gonna get some spank and drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go: Hotel, motel, holiday inn
You see if your girl starts acting up then you take her friends
[Post-Hook: Big Bank Hank]
A like that y’all to the beat y’all
A beat, beat y’all ya don’t stop
Uh, Master Gee am I mellow?
Its on you so whatcha gonna do?
[Verse 10: Master Gee]
Well like Johnny Carson on the late show
A like Frankie Crocker in stereo
Well like the Bar-Kays singing ‘Holy Ghost’
The sounds to throw down they’re played the most
Just like my man Captain Sky
Whose name he earned with his super sperm
We rock and we don’t stop
Get off y’all I’m here to give you whatcha got
To the beat that it makes you freak
And come alive girl, uh, get on your feet
A like a Perry Mason without a case
Like Farrah Fawcett without her face
Like the barkays on the mic
Like getting right down for you tonight
Like moving your body so ya don’t know how
Right to the rhythm and throw down
Like coming alive to the Master Gee
The brother who rocks so viciously
I said the age of one my life begun
At the age of two I was doing the do
At the age of three it was you and me
Rocking to the sounds of the Master Gee
At the age of four I was on the floor
Giving all the freaks what they bargained for
At the age of five I didn’t take no jive
With the Master Gee its all the way live
At the age of six I was uh, picking up sticks
Rapping to the beat my stick was fixed
At the age of seven I was rocking in heaven
Dontcha know I went off
I got right on down to the beat you see
Getting right on down making all the girls
Just take of their clothes to the beat the beat
To the double beat, beat that makes you freak
At the age of eight I was, uh, really great
Cause every night you see I had a date
At the age of nine I was, uh, right on time
Cause every night I had a part to rhyme
Going on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
A saying on and on and on, on and on
Like a hot buttered the pop the pop the popcorn
A saying on and on and on on and on
Cause I’m a helluva man when I’m on the mic
I am the definite feast delight
I’m a helluva man when I’m on the mic
I am the definite feast delight
Call me the master gee you see
The brother who rocks so viciously
[Hook 3: Master Gee]
I’m gonna freak ya here I’m gonna freak ya there
I’m gonna move you outta this atmosphere
[Outro: Master Gee]
…..The east to the west, I rock you the best….
Felicia Denise, Author 
Great!!! I think I am going to add this to my housework playlist…what a great song to clean to.
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This is my favorite rap song. I had no idea there were so many lyrics in this song. I was only familiar with the version that the old lady sings in The Wedding Singer.
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LMAO! Yes, LOTS of lyrics. The original 12-inch cut is almost 15 mins long. Quite a workout on the dance floor! 😁😉
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What a fun song! I seem to remember bits and pieces of it. So many words! I love the beat and sound of it, too. 🙂
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What a blast to the past.
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Yup! I’m 19 again every time I hear it…even if my body doesn’t cooperate! 😂😂
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lol I can relate 🙂
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