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You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for A Tribe Called Quest's Luck Of Lucien at Lyrics.org.
- Music Video
- Lyrics
- Song Meaning
- A Tribute to the Unseen Hero: Lucien’s Lyrical Portrait
- Decoding the Saga: The Hidden Meanings Within
- The Allure of Escapism: A Caution Against Materialism
- Striking Lines that Echo the Human Experience
- The Soul of a Sound: A Tribe Called Quest’s Lyrical Legacy
Lyrics
Brother, brother, brother, Lucien, you’re like no other
Listen very close ’cause I don’t like to boast
Instead, I’ll tell the tale of a French who prevailed
Through the Mr. Crazy Rabbits who were always on his tail
When it ain’t on sale, your rumor starts to wail
Get caught with stolen goods and you will go to jail
If you go to jail, then who will pay the bail?
They’ll put you back to France on a ship with a sail
Escargot, Lucien, you eat snails
(Hey yo Tip, what’s wrong with snails?)
From the Zulu nation, from a town called Paris (yeah)
Came to America to find liberty (uh-huh)
Instead of finding pleasure, all you found was misery (mhm)
But listen, Lucien, you have a friend in me (what)
Oh, luck luck will drive you butt baddy (yeah)
Next time you get some wheels, make it a Caddy
In terms of doing good, I know you wish you really could
But listen, brother man, I really think you can
Succeed with the breed of the brothers on your back
It’s the crème de la crème, and you can bounce with that
It’ll take a minute, rice, so take my advice
Trust in us, and thus you trust in your life
Lucin, Lucien, Lucien, Lucien
You should know (what)
Oh shit man, what have you done to me, man
I thought you was a friend, word
Oh man, can’t believe that
Oh, how you do that to me?
I wouldn’t leave like this
I can’t do it by myself
(?) ah
Are you ready, Lu?
This one is for you,
Comin’ from a true-blue, fits like a shoe
“Como estas tu” or “Comment allez vous”?
Lucien, I’ll leave it up to you
Voulez-vous (vous)
Rendez-vous (vous)
Cou-cou (cou)
Les poo-poo (poo)
Watch that lass, gonna backlash fast
Can you get a grip on the crackhead dip?
Sold you a paper bag, guess he saw you comin’
VCR from a neck-bone bummin’
Ten dollars brother, he was hummin’ and strummin’
Only had twenty, he was livin’ like ya slummin’
Gave him the money, well, I thought that was somethin’
Lookin’ like a kid who was lost in crumbin’
Don’t worry about a thing, I won’t get specific
This is a song that is long and prolific
Think of the stuff that I said if you can
Figure it out, compute, understnad
No problemo, I’ll help you with your demo
If you go to the store for me
Lucien, I’m just kiddin’
You should know
Ayo, whassup man? Whats your name?
What kind of accent is that?
It’s a French accent, you know I’m French
I’m from Paris, don’t you think it’s sexy?
No, it’s not sexy accent
Oh, man, give me a try to kiss me enough? Hun?
Oh, please love meean French, French mean love, everybody love my accent
Why nobody like it? Q-Tip would write a story about me? Why is that?
Oh, I’m sexy and I’m French
Everybody love my accent
I am the best yes
Yes, je t’aime means I love you, I love you means je t’aime
Not too, too French, I think you friend’s good
You gotta get a grip on the missions you’ll be takin’
Not so much the mission, but you got crazy ignition
Sure, the sugar-babies want to give you a chance
With the French “savoir faire” and the sexy dance
But is she really fly, or is she a guy?
I won’t ask why, ’cause I know that you try
You try too hard, is that the answer to the riddle?
Instead of doin’ so much, why don’t you do just a little?
Boy, what a cad, I guess we shouldn’t treat him bad
In fact, it would be nice if we understood him like
A case of positioning the feet in the shoes
Sympathetic reason in the case of the blues
Lucien is blue, even though he’s really brown
I had to make the sound, his life is too profound
On the up-and-up, he’s somethin’ like a little pup
Young and naive, it’s hard to believe
As long as you’re strong, you can quest with the questers
Jolly like a jumping bean or a jester
Lucien, Lucien, Lucien, Lucien
You should know
Oh Tip, everything’s gonna be alright, man
I thank you actually for the tour, man
I think I’ll going home, man
Bye-bye, I’ll see you tonight
Oh Tip, I’m not here
In the confluence of beats and rhymes that defines hip-hop, A Tribe Called Quest stands as architects of the genre’s most reflective and soul-searching chapters. ‘Luck Of Lucien,’ a track from their seminal debut ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm,’ presents a narrative that extends beyond the confines of catchy hooks and head-nodding rhythms, exploring themes of identity, friendship, and the immigrant’s odyssey.
To dissect ‘Luck Of Lucien’ is to navigate a labyrinth of layered meanings, interwoven with the cultural threads that Tribe so deftly spins. Through their lyrical craft, Q-Tip and his compatriots offer a glimpse into the life of Lucien, a character whose tribulations become a microcosm of the immigrant experience, diasporic blues, and the quest for self within the kaleidoscopic American dream.
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A Tribute to the Unseen Hero: Lucien’s Lyrical Portrait
The song unfolds as a tribute to a seemingly ordinary individual, Lucien, whose journey from the streets of Paris to the alleys of America encapsulates a universal search for belonging. Through Q-Tip’s vibrant storytelling, Lucien emerges as a protagonist who is ‘like no other,’ battling not just the ‘Crazy Rabbits’—forces of adversity—but also the cultural alienation that accompanies life in a new world.
Lucien’s tale is steeped with caution and camaraderie, a space where stolen goods and jail bail illustrate the societal traps that ensnare many immigrants. Yet, in the same breath, Q-Tip extends a hand of solidarity—acknowledging the shared struggle and assuring Lucien that he has ‘a friend in me,’ underscoring hip-hop’s foundational principle of community support.
Decoding the Saga: The Hidden Meanings Within
Beneath the surface narrative, ‘Luck Of Lucien’ is pregnant with subtext. The reference to ‘the Zulu nation’—a nod to the Universal Zulu Nation, a group at the forefront of hip-hop culture, signifies Lucien’s alignment with a brotherhood that transcends geography. The Zulu ethos of knowledge, unity, and cultural awareness further cements Lucien’s kinship with the tribe, both literal and metaphorical.
The journey from the ‘town called Paris’ to ‘America to find liberty’ draws a parallel to the historical narratives of migration and the pursuit of the ‘American Dream.’ While the dream may reveal ‘misery’ rather than ‘pleasure,’ the song is steadfast in its message of resilience: The power to ‘succeed with the breed of the brothers on your back’ is a testament to the fortitude required to navigate the American socio-cultural landscape.
The Allure of Escapism: A Caution Against Materialism
Q-Tip’s advice for Lucien to ‘make it a Caddy,’ referencing the Cadillac, is laced with irony. It highlights the fickle nature of material success as a measure of societal standing, particularly within communities that grapple with economic disparities.
This contemplation of wealth as an escape from societal woes unspools a broader cautionary tale against the temptations of materialism. Tribe posits that true liberation doesn’t come from indulgence in luxury items, but through the embrace of one’s identity and roots, as seen in Lucien’s grounding through his French identity and snail-eating habits—pointed out with a playful jest.
Striking Lines that Echo the Human Experience
The poignant phrase ‘Lucien is blue, even though he’s really brown’ unpacks layers of racial and emotional complexity. It hints at the blues music tradition—a genre that speaks of the African American struggle—and alludes to the sadness that cloaks Lucien, a metaphorical colorblindness to his true essence hidden behind his external circumstances.
Additionally, the song weaves in a multitude of catchphrases—’trust in us, and thus you trust in your life,’ ‘young and naive, it’s hard to believe,’ each telling its mini-narrative within the grander poetic canvas. These lines act as mantras that resonate with audiences from all walks of life, making ‘Luck Of Lucien’ a lyrically profound ode to the human condition.
The Soul of a Sound: A Tribe Called Quest’s Lyrical Legacy
In capturing the essence of Lucien’s story, A Tribe Called Quest immortalizes the nuanced interplay between personal struggle and collective identity. This track is emblematic of the group’s larger body of work, which continues to influence artists and listeners keenly attuned to music’s ability to reflect the human soul.
The beat, the narrative, and the wisdom woven into ‘Luck Of Lucien’ serve as reminders of A Tribe Called Quest’s indelible mark on hip-hop. A story of friendship, aspiration, and understanding, it transcends time, offering a lens through which we can all re-examine the paths we travel and the luck we find along the way.
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