p u n c h i n ' . t h e . c l o c k – English Lyrics

• By: J. Cole
• Album: The Off-Season

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the language of ambition and perseverance with J. Cole's 'Punchin' the Clock.' This track offers a deep dive into themes of dedication, hard work, and overcoming past struggles, all while showcasing J. Cole's lyrical prowess and storytelling ability, using basketball references to enrich the song's meaning.

[English]

It ain't nothin' I want more

Ain't nothin' I want more

I ain't c-, I told you when I first came here

I said, "I ain't come here to waste my time"

I came here

They gave us a chance to get in like we asked for

And that's, that's what we here to do (yeah, n-, 26)

The job still ain't done (straight up)

But I, I said, "You, you know what I'm here for"

Back on top, punchin' the clock, clutchin' sanity

I got more cribs than Habitat for Humanity

Pro-profound, we propagating more profanity

Paid off collections from recollections of calamity

The shit pop off, I learned to duck under the canopy

'Til it cool off, they murked a n- right in front of me

Told him to come off his chain for tryna floss

Died over a cross just like the start of Christianity

When I was a boy, the teacher often reprimanded me (Jermaine)

Thought it was toys, it was a Glock this n- handed me

I busted the trees, was barely strong enough to squeeze

Bullets traveled through leaves, it probably k- somebody randomly

Ran in the crib and played it off amongst the family

Nightmare scenes, the police finally apprehended me

Woke up screamin', seen a demon had his hand on me

Still sport the scar on my arm from where he branded me

Like a Que Dog, my n- burnin' with the mute off

Loud pack smoke through the cracks, I catch a contact

Triggerin' a paranoid mindset, now I'm back

Teeterin' between enlightened and insanity

Now that I'm rich, I feel nobody understandin' me

All I can do is cut the mic on, holler at you

Can't let the fame scare me off from speaking candidly

All them n- is so Kane, they started singin' like Danity

Now I'm left here, paid like I planned to be, damn

A lot of times, those situations are, um, are handled way before the time comes

In the summer, I think when you truly prepare yourself, and

With training and conditioning, and things like that

When you cheat yourself, you fail in those moments

You know, you crash, and when you really put the time in and

Whether people see it, or whether people know it or not

You know, it always come to light

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
clock /klɒk/ B1	noun - a device that shows the time verb - to record the time of an event
sanity /ˈsænɪti/ B2	noun - the state of being mentally healthy
calamity /kəˈlæmɪti/ C1	noun - a disastrous event causing damage or distress
propagating /ˈprɒpəˌgeɪtɪŋ/ B2	verb - spreading ideas, information, or beliefs widely
collections /kəˈlɛkʃənz/ B1	noun - groups of items collected for a purpose
canopy /ˈkænəpi/ B2	noun - a covering that provides shelter, often formed by the upper branches of trees
murked /mɜːrkt/ C2	verb (slang) - to kill or cause death, often violently
brandished /ˈbrændɪʃt/ C1	verb - to wave or exhibit prominently, often a weapon
reprimanded /ˌriːprɪˈmændɪd/ C2	verb - to scold or correct someone firmly

Key Grammar Structures

• It ain't nothin' I want more

  ➔ Contraction (ain't) and Double Negative

  ➔ 'Ain't' is a contraction of 'am not' or 'is not,' and the double negative ('nothin', ain't') emphasizes the speaker's certainty.

• I said, 'You, you know what I'm here for'

  ➔ Contraction (I'm) and Direct Speech

  ➔ 'I'm' is a contraction of 'I am,' and the use of quotation marks indicates direct speech, showing exactly what was said.

• Back on top, punchin' the clock, clutchin' sanity

  ➔ Gerund (-ing form) and Present Participle

  ➔ Words like 'punchin'' and 'clutchin'' are gerunds, used to describe actions as nouns or continuous actions.

• I got more cribs than Habitat for Humanity

  ➔ Comparative Structure

  ➔ The phrase uses 'more...than' to compare the number of 'cribs' to those provided by Habitat for Humanity.

• Paid off collections from recollections of calamity

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase and Past Participle

  ➔ 'From recollections of calamity' is a prepositional phrase explaining the source of the 'collections,' and 'paid off' is the past participle.

• Now that I'm rich, I feel nobody understandin' me

  ➔ Subordinating Conjunction and Contraction

  ➔ 'Now that' is a subordinating conjunction introducing a dependent clause, and 'I'm' is a contraction of 'I am.'