Independent – English Lyrics

• By: Salt-N-Pepa

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

(mid-tempo hip-hop music)

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

(Salt yawns)

♪ You're sleepy, go to bed ♪

♪ Wanna step? Go ahead and jet ♪

♪ Now wake up from your dreaming ♪

♪ 'Cause you're dealing with the Pep ♪

♪ Like Oakley from the Knicks ♪

♪ Yes, I'm having a ball ♪

♪ You figure 'cause you're leaving ♪

♪ That I'm gonna take a fall ♪

♪ It was small thing ♪

♪ Oo, it was really too small ♪

♪ Living large, boy ♪

♪ Standing ten feet tall ♪

♪ Now my heart won't dent ♪

♪ Keep the money I lent ♪

♪ And don't forget I pay the rent ♪

♪ This is my apartment ♪

♪ I'm independent, punk ♪

♪ You're loving stunk ♪

♪ This is independent funk ♪

♪ And I'm getting ready for the year 2000 ♪

♪ Independent ♪

♪ Yes, I'm housing ♪

♪ Independent ♪

♪ Yeah, now watch me ♪

♪ Independent ♪

♪ No one can stop me ♪

♪ Woman and I am independent ♪

♪ I make my own money ♪

♪ So don't tell me how to spend it ♪

♪ 'Cause you need me ♪

♪ And I don't need you ♪

♪ So listen close, boy, to my independent funk ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Can you feel it ♪

♪ Yes, it's my, it's my independent funk ♪

♪ Salty the V.I.P. ♪

♪ You should have stuck with me ♪

♪ What are you stupid ♪

♪ Huh, my pockets run deep ♪

♪ So flex the Rolex and the sex that I gave ya ♪

♪ In jail with no bail and now nothing can save ya ♪

♪ You want me to visit ♪

♪ I ain't with it lizard ♪

♪ We had magic now ya lost without the love wizard ♪

♪ Oh, ho, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ When duty call, believe the Pep come hard ♪

♪ Try to diss my girl Salt, up goes my guard ♪

♪ Still feminine ♪

♪ Feminine still, yes ♪

♪ But then next pump a hundred weight bench press ♪

♪ So what it mean, Pep ♪

♪ I'm not impressed ♪

♪ 'Cause I wear the pants ♪

♪ And you wear the dress ♪

♪ You had to cross me ♪

♪ And now you lost me ♪

♪ Get off me softy ♪

♪ I'm the boss, see ♪

♪ You can't disguise the lies in your eyes ♪

♪ You're not a heartbreaker ♪

♪ You're a fraud, and I'm bored ♪

♪ You're a fake faker ♪

♪ It's too late to debate with the moneymaker ♪

♪ After while, crackhead ♪

♪ See ya later, gator ♪

♪ Woman and I am independent ♪

♪ I make my own money ♪

♪ So don't tell me how to spend it ♪

♪ 'Cause you need me ♪

♪ And I don't need you ♪

♪ So listen close, boy, to my independent funk ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ No, no, no more nookie for you ♪

♪ 'Cause I gave ya the boot ♪

♪ Go ahead and go in your Yugo ♪

♪ Gonna miss the Benz Coupe ♪

♪ You're a baby ♪

♪ So maybe you just needed a babysitter ♪

♪ Bitter? I figure I'm rid of a piece of litter ♪

♪ Tiger, tigger, I bounce back ♪

♪ And you're a quitter ♪

♪ Your girl is gone for good ♪

♪ So just forget her ♪

♪ You're blind, you'll never find another better ♪

♪ Your mind stays on a behind in a tight sweater ♪

♪ Burned your flowers and your love letters ♪

♪ Never a tear will I shed ♪

♪ I'm independent ♪

♪ Yes, I am independent ♪

♪ I make my own money ♪

♪ So don't tell me how to spend it ♪

♪ 'Cause you need me ♪

♪ And I don't need you ♪

♪ So listen close, boy, to my independent funk ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, ho, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ It's just an independent funk ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ So funky ♪

♪ It's just an independent funk ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
independent /ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/ A2	adjective - free from outside control; self-reliant
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins or banknotes
spend /spɛnd/ A1	verb - to pay out money for goods or services
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something because it is essential or very important
funk /fʌŋk/ B1	noun - a style of music characterized by a strong rhythmic groove
lizard /ˈlɪzərd/ A2	noun - a small reptile with dry skin and a long tail
magic /ˈmædʒɪk/ A2	noun - the power of apparently influencing events by using mysterious or supernatural forces
fraud /frɔːd/ B1	noun - wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain
babysitter /ˈbeɪbiˌsɪtər/ A2	noun - a person who takes care of children while their parents are away
quitter /ˈkwɪtər/ B1	noun - a person who gives up easily or does not finish what they start
bounce /baʊns/ A2	verb - to spring back after hitting a surface
litter /ˈlɪtər/ A2	noun - rubbish such as paper, cans, and bottles left in an open or public place
bench /bɛntʃ/ A1	noun - a long seat for more than one person, typically made of wood or metal
pant /pænt/ A2	noun - a type of clothing worn from the waist to the ankles, covering each leg separately
disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/ B1	verb - to change one's appearance in order to conceal one's identity
wizard /ˈwɪzərd/ A2	noun - a person who is skilled in magic or who has magical powers

Key Grammar Structures

• Go ahead and jet

  ➔ Imperative Mood + Phrasal Verb

  ➔ "Go ahead" is an imperative giving permission, "jet" is slang meaning "leave"

• I'm getting ready for the year 2000

  ➔ Present Continuous (Future plan)

  ➔ Present continuous "getting ready" indicates preparation for a future event (year 2000)

• Wanna step?

  ➔ Informal Contraction

  ➔ "Wanna" = "want to" (casual/colloquial speech)

• I'm rid of a piece of litter

  ➔ Passive Structure (Be + Rid Of)

  ➔ Fixed expression "be rid of" means "free from" something unwanted. "Litter" metaphorically refers to worthless people

• You should have stuck with me

  ➔ Past Regret (Should Have + Past Participle)

  ➔ "should have stuck" expresses criticism/correction for past behavior

• No more nookie for you

  ➔ Zero Quantity (No More + Noun)

  ➔ "no more" completely terminates something (nookie = slang for sex)

• Don't tell me how to spend it

  ➔ Negative Imperative + Object Clause

  ➔ Command "don't tell" followed by "how" clause showing defiance against unsolicited advice

• I bounce back

  ➔ Phrasal Verb (Resilience imagery)

  ➔ "bounce back" means recover quickly from setbacks (physical metaphor)