Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?) – English Lyrics

• By: Wham!
• Album: The Singles: Echoes From The Edge Of Heaven

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the origins and meaning behind Wham!'s debut single, "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)." Dive into the song's playful exploration of unemployment, its fusion of musical styles, and its impact on 1980s pop culture. Learn how the song's contradictory lyrics and energetic delivery made it an anthem for a generation .

[English]

♪ You got soul on the dole ♪

♪ You're gonna have a good time down on the line ♪

♪ You got soul on the dole ♪

♪ You're gonna have a good time down on the line ♪

♪ I said I get, get, get on down I said I get, get, get, on down♪

♪ I said I get, get, get on down I said I get, get, get, on down♪

♪ Hey, everybody, take a look at me, I’ve got street credibility♪

♪ I may not have a job but I have a good time ♪

♪ With the boys that I meet down on the line ♪

♪ I said, D-H-S-S ♪

♪ Man the rhythm that they're givin' is the very best ♪

♪ I said, B one, B two ♪

♪ Make the claims, on your name, all you have to do ♪

♪ Well, folks don't be a drag, if work ain't your bag ♪

♪ And when you let them know ♪

♪ You're more dead than alive, in a nine to five ♪

♪ Then they say you'd got to go♪

♪ And get yourself a job, or get out of this house ♪

♪ Get yourself a job, are you a man or a mouse? ♪

♪ A finger in each ear, you pretend not to hear ♪

♪ Gotta get some space, get out of this place ♪

♪ Wham, bam! ♪

♪ I am a man ♪

♪ Job or no job, you can’t tell me that I’m not ♪

♪ Do you enjoy what you do? ♪

♪ If not, just stop ♪

♪ Don’t stay there and rot ♪

♪ In the streets, in the cars, on the underground ♪

♪ If you listen real hard, you can hear the sound ♪

♪ Of a million people, switching off for work ♪

♪ Well listen Mr. Average, you're a jerk ♪

♪ Not me, you can't hold me down ♪

♪ Not me, I'm gonna fool around♪

♪ Gonna have some fun, look out for number one ♪

♪ You can dig your grave, I'm staying young ♪

♪ Wham, bam! ♪

♪ I am a man ♪

♪ Job or no job, you can’t tell me that I’m not ♪

♪ Do you enjoy what you do? ♪

♪ If not, just stop ♪

♪ Don’t stay there and rot ♪

♪ If you’re a pub man or a club man ♪

♪ Maybe a jet black guy with a hip hi-fi ♪

♪ A white cool cat with a trilby hat ♪

♪ Maybe leather and studs is where you’re at ♪

♪ Make the most of every day ♪

♪ Don’t let hard times stand in your way ♪

♪ Give a wham, give a bam but don’t give a damn ♪

♪ ‘Cause the benefit gang are gonna pay ♪

♪ Now reach up high and touch your soul ♪

♪ The boys from Wham! will help you reach that goal ♪

♪ It’s gonna break your mama’s heart (So sad) ♪

♪ It’s gonna break your daddy’s heart (Too bad) ♪

♪ But you’ll throw the dice and take my advice ♪

♪ Because I know that you’re smart ♪

♪ Can you dig this thing? (Yeah!) ♪

♪ Are you gonna get down? (Yeah!) ♪

♪ Say wham! (Wham!) ♪

♪ Say bam! (Bam!) ♪

♪ Wham, bam! ♪

♪ I am a man ♪

♪ Job or no job, you can’t tell me that I’m not ♪

♪ Do you enjoy what you do? ♪

♪ If not, just stop ♪

♪ Don’t stay there and rot (D-H-S-S) ♪

♪ Wham, bam! ♪

♪ I am a man ♪

♪ Job or no job (D-H-S-S), you can’t tell me that I’m not ♪

♪ Do (D-H-S-S) you enjoy what you do? ♪

♪ If not (D-H-S-S), just stop ♪

♪ Don’t stay there and rot (D-H-S-S) ♪

♪ Wham, bam! ♪

♪ I am a man ♪

♪ Job or no job (D-H-S-S), you can’t tell me that I’m not ♪

♪ Do (D-H-S-S) you enjoy what you do? ♪

♪ If not (D-H-S-S), just stop ♪

♪ Don’t stay there and rot ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dole /doʊl/ B2	noun - money received from the state by unemployed people; welfare.
credibility /ˌkrɛdɪˈbɪlɪti/ B2	noun - the quality of being trusted and believed in.
claim /kleɪm/ B1	verb - to state or assert that something is true, often without proof; to request something officially because you have a right to it. noun - a demand or request for something, especially money, that you believe you have a right to.
drag /dræɡ/ B2	noun - (informal) a boring or annoying person or thing; an obstacle.
bag /bæɡ/ B2	noun - (informal) a person's particular interest or specialty; something one is good at or enjoys (e.g., 'not my bag').
rot /rɒt/ B1	verb - to decay or cause to decay by the action of bacteria and fungi; (informal) to stay in an unpleasant place or situation for a long time, becoming bored or depressed.
jerk /dʒɜːk/ B2	noun - (informal, offensive) a contemptibly foolish or obnoxious person.
grave /ɡreɪv/ B1	noun - a place of burial for a dead body, typically a hole dug in the ground and covered with a mound.
trilby /ˈtrɪlbi/ C1	noun - a type of soft felt hat with an indented crown and a narrow brim, typically worn by men.
studs /stʌdz/ B2	noun - small, round, decorative metal objects attached to clothing or accessories (e.g., leather jackets).
damn /dæm/ B2	verb - (informal) to condemn; to express anger or frustration (often used in 'not give a damn', meaning not to care at all).
benefit /ˈbɛnɪfɪt/ B1	noun - an advantage or profit gained from something; financial help received from the state, especially for unemployment or illness.
gang /ɡæŋ/ B1	noun - an organized group of criminals; a group of friends or associates (often used informally).
dice /daɪs/ B1	noun - small cubes with 1 to 6 spots on each side, used in games of chance (e.g., 'throw the dice' meaning to take a risk).
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being, regarded as immortal; emotional or intellectual energy or intensity.
underground /ˌʌndərˈɡraʊnd/ B1	noun - a subway system; a railway system in which electric trains run in tunnels below the ground. adjective - situated or operating beneath the surface of the ground.
switch /swɪtʃ/ B1	verb - to change from one thing to another; to turn an electrical device on or off (e.g., 'switching off for work' meaning to stop working or not engage with it).
mouse /maʊs/ A1	noun - a small rodent, typically with a pointed snout, large ears, and a long thin tail; (informal) a timid or weak person (e.g., 'man or a mouse?').
advice /ədˈvaɪs/ A2	noun - guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action.
goal /ɡoʊl/ A2	noun - the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.