The Experience:
"Ceiling
can't hold us!" Break out of limits. Young and free. Free from what's been
done before - "Been on Broadway, and we did it our way." Free from
what society tells us - "Labels out here, nah they can't tell me nothing We
give it to the people, spread it across the country." We are
"I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T."
And we're behind the people, freeing them from these labels all across the
country - and they're behind us too. "I got my city right behind me; If I fall
they got me." Yeah, we're independent for a reason. No point just standing out free and on our own
- do something with freedom: "That validation comes So I'm giving it back
to the people now Sing that song and it goes like... We put our hands up Like
the ceiling can't hold us" No limits. Be free. Give freedom.
Music Video: Snow. Sand. Water. All those wide open spaces are one big stage for Macklemore and Ray Dalton as they embark on a quest for happiness. It's not just freedom for freedom's sake. They have a mission, symbolized by their flag. And they're going places.
My Take:
Freedom holds more power than a nuke. You can go
anywhere. But just being free from labels isn't enough. If "the ceiling" of labels can't hold
us... but what are we doing with this freedom? What are we gonna
"spread across the country?"
Ask Yourself:
Ask Yourself:
Are you under a "label"? Do you only do
things because it's what other people think you should?
LYRICS:
LYRICS:
[Verse
1: Macklemore]
Return
of the Mack - get up
What it
is, what it does, what it is, what it isn't
Looking
for a better way to get up out of bed
Instead
of getting on the internet and checking a new hit
We get
up, fresh out, pimp strut walking
Little
bit of humble, little bit of cautious
Somewhere
between like, Rocky and Cosby, Sweater Gang
Nope,
nope, y'all can't copy that
Bad,
moonwalkin', this here, is our party
My
posse's been on Broadway, and we did it our way
Grown
music I shed my skin and put my bones into everything I record to it
And yet
I'm on
Let that
stage light go and shine on down
Got the
Bob Barker suit game and Plinko in my style
Money
Stay on my craft and stick around for those pounds
But I do
that to pass the torch and put on for my town
Trust
me, on my I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T sh*t hustling
Chasing
dreams since I was 14
With the
4 track, bussing
Halfway
cross that city with the backpack, fat cat crushin'
Labels
out here, nah they can't tell me nothing
We give
it to the people, spread it across the country
Labels
out here, nah they can't tell me nothing
We give
it to the people, spread it across the country
[Hook:
Ray Dalton (x2)]
And then
we go back, this is the moment
Tonight
is the night, we'll fight till it's over So we put our hands up like the
ceiling can't hold us Like the ceiling can't hold us
[Verse
2: Macklemore]
Now, can
I kick it? Thank you
Yeah I'm
so damn grateful
I grew
up really wanting gold fronts
But
that's what you get when Wu-Tang raised you
Y'all can't
stop me,
I go
hard like I've got an 808 in my heart beat
And I'm
eating at the beat
Like you
gave a little speed to a great white shark on shark week Raw.
Tell me
go up, gone!
Deuces,
goodbye I've got a world to see;
And my
girl, she wanna see Rome
Caesar'll
make you a believer
Nah, I
never ever did it for a throne
That
validation comes
So I'm
giving it back to the people now
Sing
that song and it goes like...
Raise
those hands, this is our party
We came
here to live life like nobody was watching
I got my
city right behind me; If I fall they got me
Learn
from that failure, gain humility
Then we
keep marching, I said
[Hook:
Ray Dalton (x2)]
And then
we go back, this is the moment
Tonight
is the night, we'll fight till it's over
So we
put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us
Like the
ceiling can't hold us
Let's go
Na na na na na na na na
And all
my people say
Na na na
na na na na na
And all
my people say
Na na na
na na na na na
And all
my people say
Na na na
na na na na na
[Hook:
Ray Dalton (x2)]
And then
we go back, this is the moment
Tonight
is the night, we'll fight till it's over
So we
put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us
