Who funky: Lyrics to 'Pop Your Balloon'

More than a year ago, Beastie Boys fans got to hear "Pop Your Balloon," a new song from Hot Sauce Committee, Pt 1 (and on Pt 2) when it was included as an audio track on the NBA Live 10 video game.

Because I don't like album spoilers, I avoided listening to the song. However, yesterday's announcement from the band made me realize that I've been holding out on listening to the song for no good reason. What the band will eventually release on Pt 2 may not sound or have the same lyrics as the NBA Live 10 track.

Because of my holdout, Beastiemania.com does not have a discography and lyrics page for "Pop Your Balloon." We'll correct the matter now that I have finally broken down and listened to the track. Please help Beastiemania.com by providing feedback on my lyric transcription. The only verse that I had a problem with is Mike D's last one. He spits out too many syllables too quickly. I catch that he's rapping about Tron and Kahn.

Pop Your Balloon (Clean Version/NBA 10 Live)

Rickity-rickity-rickity-rickity-wow!
I got the golden style
You people go wild when I bless this crowd
Ooh to the ahh, to the ooh, to the eee
You want to know who funky and I said 'Je suis'

Well, I give you a wedgie, I give you a noogie
But my [censored] electric boogie
Break dancing at your door on a pile of [censored]
Set the bag on [censored]

I bust into your radio station
Put on my [censored] mask and put my tape on
By the time you figure out what went wrong
Light up my jet pack and I'm gone

Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon

I grab my mic and people lose their minds
And twist their hands in the air and bop their heads in time
Rockin', shoutin' (Do your dance, Mike)
Because I'm built for speed like a Tour de France bike

I got the tape spinnin' in the echoplex
I keep the competition sealed under a hex
And if you waste my time then I get vexed
I never sleep 'cause it's the cousin of death

Like Franz Harary, I'm a magic man
Films in the cam, cat's in the bag, carpet is shag
You can try to take the boast, but you can't take the brag

Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon

We come together upon the mic and rock it
We got styles ain't none of y'all can top it
We in the cut and, yes, we in the pocket
We're getting down and that's right, that's right, that's right, that's right…

Yo, because I'm down in the basement mixin' up
I'm on the edge and I'm on the break
You've got the press, and I've got the plates
We pressin' [censored] by the crate

Yes, we make it happen with the rappin'
With the crunch with the Cap'n and the Boo Berry
With Count Chocula, the sound that you love
We've been getting fly with the highest above

I'm on, the one, the battle tank in Tron
You're too far gone -- ARGH! -- another pawn
Guide searching, what channel is he on?
'Cause there ain't no sunshine when Mike D's gone

Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon…

Yo, the sound man almost lost his soup on that one
He's still contemplating it though
Oh-oh, look out!


Someone please suggest an alternate lyric for "We've been getting fly with the highest above." It's too Christian rock to be Beastie Boys.

🎵 You may listen to the song HERE [DEAD LINK].

11 comments:

11:19 PM Emily said...

You really did not listen to the song for a year??? I am not so strong as you. I wish I could help with the lyrics but I am soooooo bad at that kind of thing. They look good to me.

11:30 PM Saber said...

Looks ok but I think Yauch says 'I'm on the brink'...not 'I'm on the break'. No clue what Mike is saying in the last verse. Only Mike knows.

12:05 AM Fittonia said...

So you haven't listened to Here's A Little Something for Ya either?

12:13 AM Hot Sauce said...

I listened to the mashup of "Here's a Little Something for Ya" once tonight. It was a mistake to listen to it. I don't like mashups. It's like listening to the TV and stereo at the same time.

10:00 AM Shake Your Rump Roast said...

Thanks for translating Adrock's cereal rap. I could not understand what the flip he was sayin. In other news, Adrock rapped about cereal! Who else can do that? I'll tell ya - NO ONE. That's why he's the King.

10:50 AM Graydon said...

In Mike D's part that you aren't sure about I hear the word battle in the first line....at least I think so.

11:55 AM Kevin said...

Sorry I don't have any changes/suggestions for the lyrics. You got as much - actualy more - than I got. I wasn't too impressed with this song. Do you like it Hot Sauce?

3:28 PM Streetwise said...

Except for the Mike D line...which no one seems to know what he is saying...I believe the words are right on. I think Adrock says 'highest above' & I agree it sounds weirdly jesus-y. I didn't like this song when I first heard it but it has grown on me somewhat.

10:01 AM Anonymous said...

I'm on, the one, the battle tank in Tron.
You're too far gone AHHH, another PAWN

5:12 PM Hot Sauce said...

Kewlz. Thanks for that.

10:00 PM Narrator said...

Bust into your radio station and chuck a smoke bomb

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