GUITAR LESSON "what its like" (everlast)

GUITAR LESSON

"What It's Like" is a single from Everlast's 1998 album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. The song is typical of the style Everlast embraced after leaving hip-hop trio House of Pain, being a combination of rock, hip-hop and blues incorporating characterization and empathy towards working-class protagonists.

The song went to #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks for 1 week and #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks for 9 weeks. It also peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Everlast performed the song on Saturday Night Live in 1999, on the show hosted by James Van Der Beek. He also references the song on his 2000 response to Eminem "Whitey's Revenge" during the two artists' lyrical war.


Structurally, the song consists of three verses, a chorus and a bridge. The last line of the chorus varies in accordance with the particular situation faced by the character in the preceding verse. Each character is presented in a sympathetic light as a victim of circumstance and as being an object of derision. Each verse ends with the line God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his/her shoes and Cause then you really might know what it's like to, with the action varying depending on what the character has to do (sing the blues, have to choose, and have to lose, respectively).

The characters are:

A beggar (an old man at the liquor store beggin' for your change)
Mary, a pregnant girl considering an abortion (Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love)
Max, a young man with violent friends and a drug problem (He liked to hang out late, he liked to get shit-faced and keep the pace with thugs)
At the end of the music video for the song, all of the characters (along with other people) are crowded around a window. Behind the window, an idyllic family is having an enjoyable dinner, oblivious to the less fortunate who are outside.

Lyrics:

We've all seen the man at the liquor store begging for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
He ask the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
Get a job you fucking slob's all he replied
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues

Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love
He said, "Don't worry about a thing baby doll I'm the man you've been dreaming of"
But three months later he said he won't date her or return her call
And she sweared god damn if I find that man I'm cutting off his balls
And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walking through the doors
They call her a 'killer' and they call her a 'sinner' and they call her a 'whore'
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose

Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like

I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad and the down side of up and everything between
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
Smoked the finest green
I stroked the baddest dimes at least a couple of times Before I broke their heart
You know where it ends
Yo, it usually depends on where you start

I knew this kid named Max
He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late at night
Liked to get shit faced
And keep pace with thugs
Until late one night there was a big gun fight
Max lost his head
He pulled out his chrome .45
Talked some shit
And wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain
You know it crumbles that way
At least that's what they say when you play the game
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose

Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
To have to lose

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• GUITAR
• LESSON
• whats
• its
• like
• by
• everlast
• from
• wizardeal

[hateoprah49]

finally a tutorial that makes sense! thanks much. this was very helpful.

[wizardeal]

you're welcome

[angels0132]

i so love this, i always wanted 2 learn 2 play an instrument and my 2 favs wer the guitar and piano, I was ok on the piano but i don't remember notes 2 well thanks 4 sharing this it was cool

[wizardeal]

you're welcome, I gave up on the piano when I saw how much one costs :)

[NYCity99]

More than beer??? If I played the guitar I wouldn't

change mine either. Peace.

[mrtoeknee641]

Wow I can get a set of strings for the same price of a six pack lol does six bucks sound reasonable? Lol -----.H.A.N.D.--------

[mrtoeknee641]

Very insightful: now I know you know what your doing,as far as playing the tune and it's very good and I without looking at a video or reading a book figured it out on my own before I caught your video but bro you got to tune that e string lol it's to low lol but thank you for the video it confirmed I was on the money like you are thanks for the cool video I mean you no insult your playing and chords are rite just a little friendly constructive Criticism Thanks For Your Help Your Videos go

[chrismacry]

dude tune your guitar

[reignofrock]

Sounds terrible. Amateur. I hope you haven't been playing long.

[RJSPF]

my brother and my mother thinks tous are like shits nooooooshhh

[thedeem0N]

Whitey Ford used a Beat Up Sunburst Fender Strat....

[coolbrazilianboy]

AHAHAHAHAahaHhah LOLOLOLOL!!

I Play guitar for 2 years now.... and I wanna learn piano.. i Guess i will stick on the 200 keyboard lloll!!

keep rocking!

[wizardeal]

I was joking. I'm not that lazy, I just like to irritate Paul (sixxstringv) he's always givin me shit about my crappy guitar