‘The Way I Are’ by Timbaland (feat. Keri Hilson, D.O.E., Sebastian) — lyrics for English students
Language and culture with music
Welcome to Culture Surf. Who’s all learning English out there, raise of hands? Nice, congratulations! Why am I congratulating you? Well, learning a language is a long and arduous journey. One thing that makes it fun is listening to music, and that’s exactly what we’re here to do! The problem with songs is that sometimes the language used in them can be figurative, metaphoric, or downright informal and full of slang. All of that makes it harder for language learners to understand.
Luckily, we’re here to look at the song “The Way I Are” by Timbaland and a few others. It’s from the 2007 album, Shock Value. Listen to the video and read the lyrics together with some helpful explanations. Ready to rock? (or should I say shock?)
*Warning, bad puns*
“The Way I Are” Lyrics & Explanations
Remember the time, baby?
- Deeper Meanings: A way to bring up and reminisce about old times or better days. Sounds a little romantic. More formally, “Do you remember the time when … ?”
I ain’t got no money
- Informal Speech / Slang: This informal style is used throughout the song. “I don’t have any money.”
I ain’t got no car to take you on a date
I can’t even buy you flowers
But together we could be the perfect soulmates
- Vocabulary / Concepts: “Soulmates” are two people that are destined to be together. I think several other languages have a similar word.
Talk to me, girl
Oh, baby, it’s alright now, you ain’t gotta flaunt for me
- Slang / Vocabulary: “Flaunting” is showing off in front of others, especially with money or physical objects.
If we go Dutch, you can still touch, my love is free
- Expressions: “Going Dutch” is splitting the bill evenly amongst a couple or group, like at a restaurant. She will still love this man even if they have to share the bill.
We can work without the perks, just you and me
- Other Meanings: “Make it work” or “work with it” means to make something function smoothly, like a relationship.
- Vocabulary: “Perks” are bonuses or benefits, as one would get at a job. Or with lovers, in this case.
Thug it out ‘till we get it right
- Informal Expressions: “Thug it out” means to hustle or to do hard, often illegal or illicit work to make a living. It can also mean to be tough and persist.
- Casual Speech: ‘Till is the same as “until” in short form.
Baby, if you strip, you can get a tip
‘Cause I like you just the way you are
I’m about to strip, and I’m well equipped
- Other Meanings / Expressions: “Well-equipped” like “well-endowed” is a reference to a man being “gifted in bed,” let’s just say.
Can you handle me the way I’m are?
- Informal Speech: Again, incorrect colloquial language. “–the way I am?”
I don’t need the G’s or the car keys
- Slang / Dual Meanings: “G’s” usually refer to a “grand,” which is another word for a thousand dollars. Maybe a light reference to G-6 planes, a kind of private jet. It sounds like she could also be saying “cheese” instead of G’s. Either way, the reference is about money.
Boy, I like you just the way you are
And let me see ya strip, you can get a tip
‘Cause I like, I like, I like
I ain’t got no Visa
- Finances / Dual Meanings: He could be talking about both a Visa-flag debit or credit card or an actual visa for traveling to foreign countries.
I ain’t got no Red American Express
- Financial: A special red-colored Business bank card for high-earning cardholders.
We can’t go nowhere exotic
- Double Negatives: “We can’t go anywhere exotic …”
It don’t matter ’cause I’m the one that loves you best
- Grammar: “It doesn’t matter …”
Talk to me, girl
Oh, baby, it’s alright now, you ain’t gotta flaunt for me
If we go Dutch, you can still touch, my love is free
We can work without the perks, just you and me
Thug it out ‘till we get it right
Baby, if you strip, you can get a tip
‘Cause I like you just the way you are
I’m about to strip and I’m well equipped
Can you handle me the way I’m are?
I don’t need the G’s or the car keys
Boy, I like you just the way you are
And let me see ya strip, you can get a tip
‘Cause I like you just the way you are
Yeah, baby girl
I don’t got a huge ol’ house, I rent a room in a house
- Grammar: “I don’t have a huge old house …” or “I haven’t got a huge old house …”
- Regional Expressions: Sometimes people add “old” to adverbs to emphasize them. For example, “big-old house,” “mean-old cat,” “ugly-old car.” Ol’ is a common American abbreviation for “old.”
Listen, baby girl
I ain’t got a motorboat but I can float ya boat
- Expressions: “Float your boat” is a silly way to say you can make someone happy or feel good. Similarly, something or someone can “float my boat” if it makes me feel good. Usually, this is said to be silly or funny, and not taken seriously.
So listen, baby girl
Once you get a dose of D.O.E., you gon’ want some mo’
- Puns: He makes a pun here since D.O.E. rhymes with “dough,” which is a slang term for Money.
- Informal Speech: Gon’ is the same as “going to”, short for “gonna”. Mo’ is the same as “more”.
- Terms / Dual Meanings: “Dose” usually refers to an amount of medicine. Informally, it can mean getting a piece or a taste of something or someone. “Get a dose of this drink.”
So listen, baby girl
When I make it I want you back, want you back, yea
Yeah, my money ain’t aloof like Phil and them
- Vocabulary: “Aloof” means conceptually distant. “Money goes long/far/a long way” are ways to say that you have a lot of money.
- Casual Speech: Saying “… and them” is a way to refer to a group of people associated with some main person. Like “Obama and them” can mean Barack Obama and his family, associates, or close friends.
- Unknown: I don’t know who Phil is supposed to be.
And it’s really not quite low as LSN
- Society: I think LSN is a job search website. His money isn’t so low that he needs to search for a job, maybe.
Your body ain’t Pamela Anderson
- Cultural Figures: Pamela Anderson is a Canadian-born actress and model who was a major sex symbol throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
It’s a struggle just to get you in the caravan
- Jokes / Figurative Speech: He’s making a joke about the woman’s size, and it sounds like her body is not very attractive to him. That was ugly. “Caravan” here is a model of a car, not an actual traveling caravan.
But listen, baby girl
Before I let you lose a pound, I’ll buy a bigger car
- Other Meanings: Even though he said she’s fat, he still wants to do all he can to take care of her. Make up your mind!
So listen, baby girl
I love you just the way ya are, the way ya are
Then the song repeats.
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