"When They Come for Me" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. It is the fifth track on their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns. It was released on September 8, 2010, through Warner Records and Machine Shop.
Background[]
A mostly-rapped song, "When They Come For Me" is an uptempo industrial metal track featuring elements from Eastern and Southern Asian music genres, especially bhangra, often cited as the most characteristic elements of the song, as well as electronic and dubstep elements, with the very recognizable 'glitches', present in some other of the record's tracks.
Its mechanical, glitchy production—reminiscent of industrial acts from the 2000s—merges with Middle Eastern-tinged bass drones and polyrhythmic percussion, creating a protest anthem that defies Western music structures. Mike Shinoda’s staccato rap delivery blends hardcore hip-hop with an almost Sufi qawwali-like cadence, contrasting Chester Bennington’s chant-like vocal hook, which evokes recitations.
Lyrics[]
Yeah
I am not a pattern to be followed
The pill that I'm on is a tough one to swallow
I'm not a criminal, not a role model
Not a born leader, I'm a tough act to follow
I am not the fortune and the fame
Nor the same person tellin' you to forfeit the game
I came in the ring like a dog on a chain
And I found out the underbelly's sicker than it seems
And it seems ugly, but it can get worse
'Cause even a blueprint is a gift and a curse
'Cause once you got a theory of how the thing works
Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first
And I'm not a robot, I'm not a monkey
I will not dance even if the beat's funky
Opposite of lazy, far from a punk
Y'all oughta stop talkin', start tryin' to catch up, motherfucker
And all the people say
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
Try to catch up, motherfucker
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
Lauryn said, "Money change a situation"
Big said, "It increase the complication"
Kane said, "Don't step, I ain't the one"
Chuck said, "That Uzi weigh a motherfuckin' ton"
And I'm just a student of the game that they taught me
Rockin' every stage in every place that it brought me
I'm awfully underrated, but came here to correct it
And so it ain't mistaken, I'ma state it for the record
I am the opposite of wack, opposite of weak, opposite of slack
Synonym of heat, synonym of crack
Closest to a peak, far from a punk
Y'all oughta stop talkin', start tryin' to catch up, motherfucker
And all the people say
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
Try to catch up, motherfucker
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
Oh, when they come for me, come for me, I'll be gone
Oh, when they come for me, come for me, I'll be gone
Oh, when they come for me, come for me, I'll be gone
And all the people say
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
Try to catch up, motherfucker
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
And all the people say
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
Try to catch up, motherfucker
Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah...
(Escuchénme, preste atención)
(Escuchénme ahora, escuchénme ahora)
(Escuchénme todos)
(Toda la gente, preste atención)
(Escuchénme ahora mismo)
[Listen to me, attention]
[Listen to me now, Listen to me now]
[Everybody listen to me]
[Everybody, attention]
[Listen to me right now]
Eh, eh-eh-eh, eh-eh-eh-eh...
Trivia[]
- There are many references to other Hip-Hop artists in this song, including Eminem, Jay-Z, Lauren Hill, Notorious B.I.G, Chuck D., and Big Daddy Kane.
- The line, "Nor the same person telling you to forfeit the game," could be a reference to Points of Authority.
- Near the end of the song (around 4.08) features guitarist Brad Delson shouting frantically through a megaphone in another (spanish) language.
- The line, 'Once you got a theory on how the thing works, everyone wants the next thing to be just like the first', could be a reference to fan's responses to later Linkin Park albums which have changed musical direction, when compared to their debut album, 'Hybrid Theory'.
- Another line says 'cause even a blueprint is a gift and a curse', which could be a reference to Jay Z's album 'The Blueprint 2, The Gift And The Curse'.
- The line, "Lauryn said money change a situation" refers to Lauren Hill's song "Lost Ones".
- The line, "Big said it increase the complication" refers to "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G.
- The line "Kane said don't step / I ain't the one" refers to "Ain't No Half Steppin'" by Big Daddy Kane.
- The line "Chuck said that uzi weigh a motherfuckin' ton" is a reference to "My Uzi Ways a Ton" by Public Enemy.
- The line "I'm not a criminal / not a role model" could be a shoutout to Eminem's "Role Model".