03-18-19
I challenge anyone to listen to this song and not tap their feet. It may not bring everyone joy, especially as much as it may bring me, but I’m confident the beat at least is infectious as all get out. The Coup have grown to impressive heights critically and amongst fans as being a vocal and politically active hip hop group. For over 20 years they have been producing music challenging authority and the status quo, speaking truth to power, and trying to ensure that their voices and the voices of those they feel they represent are always heard.
Laugh/Love/Fuck breaks a lot of the purpose for life in a simple six-word mantra, “laugh, love, fuck, and drink liquor.” Of course, for many there is much more to life, and there really should be, but a lot of those things are self-imposed missions of self-adulation, whereas “laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor,” break down our purpose to a more fundamental level and bring it back to enjoying the existence we have.
We don’t all need to be drinking liquor, but we do need to let loose and enjoy our opportunity to be here. Laugh and Love, speak for themselves. These drive the heart of joy and ensure that we don’t take things too seriously lest we get too caught up in our own heads. And lastly, Fuck, well as human beings it is sort of one of the main purposes to life, and for most, it’s a much-enjoyed pastime.
This song came out in the height of my collegiate experience. It was one of my generation’s songs that we could collectively point to as a central message for our momentary purpose, though it is most certainly a party-anthem it does have a stronger joyous core to it that extends far beyond careless partying. There’s a romanization of over-indulgence. However, it’s more of positive response to an apathetic situation about the limited position we as single individuals retain. In that regard, the yearning to try and enjoy the most possible in life helps reinforce the desire to find joy over something bleaker.
Lyrics:
[Hook]
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and help make a revolution
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and maybe make a revolution
Now this thing fin to end in fisticuffs
But if you gots to go ‘head, twist it up
Lest yo job fin make you piss in cups
Make you have to hustle rent with your pistols up
Now if Uncle Sam bomb us in his murder game
We gon’ rise out the ash like that bird of flame
Hopin’ you take action from the word I brang
But if the police ask you never heard my name
Five years old, eyelids half-mast
Bedtime is 8 PM, it’s half past
Try to take me to bed, I make the mad dash
Scared in my sleep, I miss what had passed
Quarter century later, I’m still not sleepin’
If I’m not involved I feel I ain’t breathin’
If I can’t change the world, I ain’t leavin’ baby
That’s the same reason you should call me this evening
[Hook]
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and help make a revolution
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and maybe make a revolution
I’m finna take shots and make a mark
Not just take shots of Maker’s Mark
That’s how they make us marks
We gotta try see the whole system break apart
We finna to drive to the lake and park
Before we start, here’s a club smelling like sweat, rum and perfume
She lettin’ out whoops cause they playin’ her tune
If we could, we would stay here ’til it were turned noon
Tell the sky we exist and resume
It’s millenium three, we collared and cuffed
It’s a world conversation, I’m hollerin’ stuff
Like we done wallowed in muck, and squalorin’ up
Who’s the culprit, follow the buck, I’m just followin’ up
Cause like me, you gots to be in the middle of it
Unravellin’ the riddle of it
And to do that you goin’ to ride on the powers that be
Well I’m finna ride with you, take me home in your little bucket
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and help make a revolution
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and maybe make a revolution
(that’s right!)
I’m not just jive talkin
We up against the wall
We can’t just talk about it
Get all up in it now
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and help make a revolution
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and maybe make a revolution
(that’s right!)
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; (that’s right!!)
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; (that’s right!!)
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor, (that’s right!!)
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor, (that’s right!!)
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and help make a revolution
I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor
And help the damn revolution come quicker
Laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor; and maybe make a revolution