Wannabe Gangstar – English Lyrics

• By: Wheatus

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the witty world of Wheatus' "Wannabe Gangstar"! This song offers a unique opportunity to explore English through its satirical lyrics, which cleverly comment on cultural appropriation and youthful identity. Its direct language and ironic tone make it an engaging piece for understanding nuance and social commentary in song.

[English]

I am a wannabe,

You better be careful around me,

I come from far away;

Where mustang dreams are made,

And we are fashioned in the image of the Don's-

Who have come before us,

We all kiss the rings of sand like our fathers told us.

C h o r u s

'Cause i'm a wannabe gangstar, better go back to Commack,

I'm a wannabe gangstar, ya better go back to Commack,

I'm a wannabe gangstar, ya better go back to Commack,

Better go back to far away.

Like a lemon pie a le mode,

My nine is easy to load,

All Hail Jericho;

Turnpike Teck- that's where i go...

.To learn the things about the universe i'll need so i can build a stampede,

'Cause i'm all up in your face again,

I'm all up in your face.

'Cause i'm a wannabe gangstar, better go back to Commack,

I'm a wannabe gangstar, ya better go back to Commack,

I'm a wannabe gangstar, ya better go back to Commack,

Better go back to far away.

(R a p)

A wannabe gangstar, A victim of the chromosone prankster, I thanks ya,

I sit back in my chair to contemplate my hair 'ooh damn, i reak of cologne'.

But yo i'm lookin' snappy, i'm nappy, i'm crappy, got jimmy hats from pappy-

So now i'm trigger happy."Girl did he just rhyme 'happy' with 'crappy'?" Yeah.

So you girlies wanna get wit this nit wit, got cheese whizz or not?

Then ima hafta blow up ya mail box BIATCH! Or toilet paper ya front yard,

Show the cops my Suburbs card, they gotta let me go cause they know that i'm hard,

It's the deal. It's for real, ya betta listen what i'm tellin' ya... Cause i'm a wannabe gangstar.

C h o r u s...

(The End)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wannabe /ˈwɒnəˌbi/ B2	noun - a person who aspires to be someone else or to belong to a particular group
gangster /ˈɡæŋstər/ B2	noun - a member of an organized crime group
mustang /ˈmʌstæŋ/ B1	noun - a free‑roaming horse of the American west
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep verb - to imagine or aspire to something
image /ˈɪmɪdʒ/ B1	noun - a visual representation of something
don /dɒn/ B2	noun - a Spanish or Italian title for a man, often used for a crime boss
kiss /kɪs/ A1	verb - to press one's lips against someone or something noun - an act of kissing
ring /rɪŋ/ A1	noun - a circular band, often worn as jewelry
sand /sænd/ A1	noun - fine particles of rock or mineral
stampede /stæmˈpiːd/ C1	noun - a sudden panicked rush of a herd of animals
universe /ˈjuːnɪvɜːrs/ B2	noun - all existing matter, space and energy regarded as a whole
chromosome /ˈkrəʊməˌsoʊm/ C1	noun - a thread‑like structure of DNA that carries genetic information
prankster /ˈpræŋkstər/ C1	noun - someone who plays practical jokes
trigger /ˈtrɪɡər/ B2	noun - a device that initiates an action or mechanism verb - to cause something to happen or start
suburb /ˈsʌbɜːb/ B1	noun - a residential area on the outskirts of a city
hail /heɪl/ B2	verb - to call out to; to greet enthusiastically noun - small balls of ice that fall from the sky
Jericho /ˈdʒɛrɪkəʊ/ B2	noun - an ancient city mentioned in the Bible, located in the West Bank
Commack /kəˈmæk/ B2	noun - a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States

Key Grammar Structures

• I am a wannabe

  ➔ Present simple tense for stating facts or characteristics

  ➔ The phrase "I am" uses the **present simple** tense to describe a current state or identity.

• You better be careful around me

  ➔ Using 'better' with 'you' as a modal-like expression for advisement or obligation

  ➔ The phrase "You better be careful" uses a **modal-like structure** indicating advice or warning.

• My nine is easy to load

  ➔ Use of 'to load' as an **infinitive verb** describing the ease of action

  ➔ The phrase uses the **infinitive form** 'to load' to indicate the ease of using or handling the 'nine.'

• I'm lookin’ snappy, I’m nappy, I’m crappy

  ➔ Use of *contractions* in informal speech; repeated 'I am' forms with adjectives

  ➔ The singer uses **contractions** like "I'm" to reflect casual speech, and repeats **states of being** with adjectives for emphasis.

• Cause i'm a wannabe gangstar

  ➔ Use of 'Cause' as a colloquial contraction of 'Because' for informal speech

  ➔ The word "Cause" is a colloquial form of **because**, often used in informal speech to mean 'because'.

• Show the cops my Suburbs card

  ➔ Imperative form used as a command or directive

  ➔ The phrase uses the **imperative mood** to give a direct command to 'show' the police something.