Rage Against the Machine – I'm Housin

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  Song Meaning:its obvious what this songs means
  
  first 4 lines
  
  Speaks in the perspective of a rich persons TV being stolen by a poor man.
  The meaning relates to inter-generation oppression. Although rich people are safe, eg" horse in the stable" it is at the cost of the poor.
  
  next 4 lines
  speaks of a business racket eg a drug business. . that had to change eg. "you know was strapped"
  and eventually "what a way to go, out like a sucker" emphasizes that poor people have no other safe business than risky business ventures, such as drug, that poor people are setup to do crime just to survive, and al
  
  second part
  use of alcohol to chill out from the 'rat-race' and hardship of life. This also explains, that sometimes you need a break to think and grow as a person, that people need nurture and care, and people cant naturally be seen as "productive economic entities" but indeed, people need space and liberty, space to rest and breath, and not be pushed around. Hence "like a stepchild" Stepchilds are often treated with less love and respect, and given all the tasks of work. Hence, Zac is saying that he dosent want to be anybody's slave, or to be society's pleb or ant worker, but wants to be participate in society the same way a family loves each one its family members, tenderness , gentleness, peace, and patience and unconditional support and liberty.
  
  finally
  
  "i get hip to the scheme", "but for now since everythings calm"
  
  Zac is explaining that life is a game.
  No body cares about you. Race relations dont matter.
  People will rip you off for a dollar.
  Government will put you in prison for a dollar.
  Play it wrong. And end up someones bitch.
  Indirectly, i think, these last lyrics mean that sometimes people's lifes are destroyed by the 'game of life' before they mature enough to understand, process, and make personally responsible decisions, due to lack of love in society, and complete societal breakdown.
  
  The author, Zac, see's living in society as a family living together. But if one would paint a portrait of that picture and relationships, it would be a very disgusting picture indeed.
  
  for example... you can use your imagination
  
  
  the older generations such as, grandparents would be raping their grand children, the parent would be putting their grand parents to live on the street, youths of the family would becoming wise and start to defend themselves from being raped by getting a gun- but then you have people life outsiders and govt coming into the picture, making the picture worse, but really, representing the underlying reason why the picture is so bad in the first place.

  Flag shadowsINTHEmiston March 26, 2009   Link

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    oh. and i nearly forgot
    
    Im housin"
    
    means exactly what it says, and is also totally consistent with the rest of the song
    
    im housin means
    
    - to live without a fixed location, or in uncertainty, to live in the activity of reacting to changing opinions- politics - interests, to the personal detriment to the private individual, and benefit to the corporate world or government, who seem to have an endless supply of money, wealth, and guns to keep the poor man down.
    
    - means a activity of people who are not born into rich families and are servant to the slavery of a poor working life, which is usually concomitant with the rise of more govt and corporate power for interests which are less defined or known.

    Flag shadowsINTHEmiston March 26, 2009  

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    Sorry shadowsinthemist but all of that effort you put into analysing this song so deeply was rather unnecessary and completely wrong. I imagine your aware of this but i'll remind you anyway that this song was originally written by EPMD. Do you really think those chaps we're writing lyrics with vast meanings and political intent like zach does with his original RATM stuff, of course not, they wrote about what they knew; the streets, the song is a snap shot, a story, a day in the life if you will of a young witty thug speaking in the first person, the first version is very simple
    
    he's at a party, he gets into a fight, he shoots at rivals, he gets drunk, he's just housin'
    
    urbandictionary.com/…
    
    the second verse the character is merely talking about his skill on the mic and how poor other MC's are.
    
    The song is very simple and self explanatory. It is certainly not an allegory
    for the "rat race" "life being a game" and "racism". it's just a good story about life as a thug.

    Flag justiceguyon April 15, 2009  
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  General Comment:I hold more respect for the Live @ the Grand Olympic version of this song than the album version.

  Flag Spog Zallagion September 17, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:i want 2 smak sum1 in the face everytym i hear this song

  Flag skraggon April 28, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:FutureFascist, the song is about a drug deal gone bad, or something attemtpedly being stolen. Especially the first verse. "I'm Housin'" refers to the fact he's carrying a gun. Drop The Bomb, would be pullin the trigger/firing.

  Flag Omega6_Viruson April 03, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:rage didn't actually make this song, the whole album this song is on are covers
  
  no idea what this song means

  Flag FutureFasciston April 01, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:from the the whole song it seems that Zack is talking in second person. So Z to the D is Zack De La Rocha. Seems kinda weird I could be wrong but he def. talking in second person. eminem does the same thing. Over the song zack is saying that he is better then MC's that must be dissing his style at the time.

  Flag ell0323on December 28, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:i always imagined two crews running into each other on the street and someone from one of the crew's snatching one of zack's crew-member's chains from off of their necks... hence "fat cable".
  
  that's was always what i pictured... i guess i just can't see a fight over a tv set as being a common thing to rap about.
  
  i definitely don't get "treating me the Z to the D", though... i know it's his initials, but what does that mean?

  Flag bloodoftyrantson December 06, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:yeah tv makes since. first thing that came to my mind was a dong.

  Flag animalawareon November 15, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:cable meaning cable television. and you get cable through a tv. so makes sense kinda.

  Flag ell0323on April 27, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:a fat cable from I heard was a weird way to say a big TV. "A brother got ill and tried to snatch (steal) a fat cable (big TV). If im wrong then ask Zack.lol

  Flag ell0323on April 27, 2007   Link

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