Lyrics & Translation
Dive into Joyner Lucas's "Champagne For Everybody," a compelling hip-hop track rich with storytelling that explores the powerful theme of forgiveness and personal growth. This song offers a unique insight into how language can be used to convey complex emotions and narratives, making it an excellent listen for anyone looking to understand profound lyrical expression in English rap.
[English]
Champagne for my real friends.Real pain for my sham friends.
Uh uh uh uh.
Nah.
Champagne for everybody.
Yeah.
Uh.
Champagne dreams for them days I was unemployed.
Selling drugs tryna live, I was stuck in void.
Wasn't like I wanted to, but what the fuck am I posed to do?
When the government ain't giving me no fuckin' choice.
They ain't want to show us love like the mother boys.
I was trying to make a change, they cut my voice.
I was trying to buy range, they underprice on me.
Tried to cut the lights on me like the clubbing boy.
I can tell you things that some people never seen in life.
Living lavish, they say happiness the key to life.
I had a couple bad bitches I ain't treat 'em right.
I had a couple fat bitches I ain't even like.
But the conversations was enough to make me sleep at night.
Never fucked 'em, but I made sure they were eating right.
Only loved 'em cause they taught me how to love myself.
Gave me something to believe when it was nothing else.
Tell me something else, all I know is hell, point me to the riches.
It's funny, all these niggas screaming money over bitches, but
When them niggas going broke, then these bitches over money now, oh.
Woah, that's the fake shit, but that's the world that I know.
She just want attention, that's the girl that I know.
I just want a pension, that's the check that I deserve.
Share it with my niggas, I ain't stressing 'bout the birds.
All you ever wanted in life was to be a legend.
All I ever wanted in life was to be accepted.
All I ever wanted at night was a Lamborghini, 'til I woke up from my dreams and they told me to keep dreaming.
My radio genius, too much new shit without a reason.
Too much music without a meaning.
Like, how the hell do I keep believing without achieving?
And how the hell do I pledge allegiance without allegiance?
Me and John Lennon by the fire singing songs.
Kumbaya, wishing that my Lord sing along.
Reminiscing 'bout every nigga that did me wrong.
Pray to God I don't catch 'em slipping, but this is wrong.
This is wrong.
We ain't supposed to hold grudges, forgiving all my enemies, for they don't know nothing.
Nah.
This is Sunday school church, this is so touching.
It's that old Keisha Cole back in '07.
It's that Bob Marley dreadlock shit, it's that grandma in the kitchen cooking ham hot shit.
Woah.
I warned niggas years ago before they cared about me.
Like if you don't hear me now, then you gon' hear 'bout me.
But I forgive 'em, I can see 'em over there watching.
And I still got champagne for everybody, pour it.
Champagne for everybody.
Yeah.
She said, she said, I thought that you were different.
I thought that you'd be different.
I thought that you would be submissive.
Told you all my secrets, why you just pretend to listen.
Just so you can have a feast while you fuck me in the kitchen, man, you cold blooded.
And maybe other hoes love it, but I ain't no other hoes, my nigga, I'm so stubborn.
Fucking with my heart is like touching the coal oven that should barely work.
You 'bout to get your feelings hurt. Hold up.
Close my eyes and I never get lost again.
Some niggas crossed the line and I never get crossed again.
Pigs pulling triggers, these kids won't walk again and that's the day I promised God that I never eat pork again.
Wait.
No money, no commas, always had them problems.
More money, more problems, wish I had them problems.
I know that's financial stress that had you at the bottom, but at least if you was making dollars, you can have some progress.
They told me only time could tell, but I ain't had no watches.
Eviction notice, I ain't had no options.
Young Jeezy bumping, I was on my trapping shit.
Until I almost seen a ghost, I was Action Bronson.
I just want it.
Champagne while I crack a lobster.
I just want to see your fucking hands at the concert.
I just want to see Meagan Good without the nose job.
I just want to see Eva Mendez without the clothes on.
And so long to my old kin, and my old friends.
And so long to my old bitch, and her whole friends.
Shout out to all them hypocritical Christians who act like just because I use the words niggas and bitches, I can't deliver my message.
Can't deliver my blessing.
Boy, pawn evil, hide yourself up in witness protection.
And I warn niggas years ago before they cared about me.
Like if you don't hear me now, then you gon' hear 'bout me.
But I forgive 'em, I can see 'em over there watching.
And I still got champagne for everybody, pour it.
Champagne for everybody.
Everybody's attention, please.
I need to make a toast.
A toast to every motherfucker that ever did me wrong.
A toast to the basic hoes that played me, and the fuck niggas that slayed me.
A toast to the non-believers, and the money hungry creatures.
Who was sitting down eating steaks and lobsters, crabs, and they ain't even offer me a fucking biscuit with the butter that they give you at the restaurants when you sit at the table, man.
I've been hungry since the days I was able to use music as an escape.
And my mom was on Section 8, got a first apartment.
I want to make a toast to my unborn child.
I can't wait to see your smile when you come out.
A toast to all my old friends who backstabbed me and spread dirt on my name.
Well, I got plenty champagne for y'all.
I got plenty champagne for everybody.
I got champagne for everybody.
Champagne for everybody, oh god.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne for we all go.
Champagne, champagne.
Champagne.
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
|
champagne /ʃæmˈpeɪn/ B2 |
|
|
friends /frɛndz/ A1 |
|
|
pain /peɪn/ A2 |
|
|
dream /driːm/ B1 |
|
|
unemployed /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd/ B2 |
|
|
drugs /drʌgz/ B1 |
|
|
void /vɔɪd/ C1 |
|
|
government /ˈɡʌvərnmənt/ B2 |
|
|
love /lʌv/ A1 |
|
|
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ B1 |
|
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voice /vɔɪs/ B1 |
|
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happiness /ˈhæpinəs/ B2 |
|
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night /naɪt/ A1 |
|
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legend /ˈlɛdʒənd/ B2 |
|
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meaning /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ B2 |
|
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forgiveness /fərˈɡɪvnəs/ C1 |
|
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grudges /ˈɡrʌdʒɪz/ C1 |
|
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church /tʃɜːrtʃ/ A2 |
|
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hypocritical /ˌhaɪpəˈkrɪtɪkəl/ C1 |
|
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toast /toʊst/ B2 |
|
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Key Grammar Structures
-
When the government ain't giving me no fuckin' choice.
➔ double negative
➔ The use of "ain't" (colloquial for "is not") together with the negative word "no" creates a double negative that intensifies the negation.
-
I was trying to make a change, they cut my voice.
➔ past progressive + simple past (compound sentence)
➔ "was trying" shows an ongoing action in the past, while "cut" reports a completed action that happened afterwards.
-
All I ever wanted in life was to be accepted.
➔ past simple + infinitive clause as subject complement
➔ "wanted" is in the past simple and the clause "to be accepted" (infinitive) acts as the complement describing what was wanted.
-
If you don't hear me now, then you gon' hear 'bout me.
➔ first conditional (present simple + informal future "gon'")
➔ "don't hear" uses present simple in the if‑clause, and "gon' hear" (slang for "going to hear") expresses the future result.
-
I just want a pension, that's the check that I deserve.
➔ present simple + that‑clause (noun clause) as complement
➔ "that's" introduces a that‑clause that explains or defines "the check"; the whole clause functions as a noun complement.
-
I forgive 'em, I can see 'em over there watching.
➔ present simple + gerund phrase as object complement
➔ "watching" is a gerund that follows the verb "see" and describes the ongoing action of the people being seen.
-
I can't wait to see your smile when you come out.
➔ modal verb + infinitive + temporal clause
➔ "can't wait" uses the modal "can" with "not" to express strong desire, followed by the infinitive "to see" and the temporal clause "when you come out".
-
I was trying to buy range, they underprice on me.
➔ past progressive + verb + preposition "on" (object‑preposition pattern)
➔ "underprice" is followed by the preposition "on" which marks the affected party ("me"); this pattern is common with verbs like "spend on" or "focus on".
-
I just want to see your fucking hands at the concert.
➔ verb "want" + infinitive of purpose
➔ "want" is followed by the infinitive "to see", which expresses the speaker's purpose or desire.
