"Through The Wire" is the nineteenth track from Kanye West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), the fifth track from Kanye's 2002 mixtape, Get Well Soon..., and the thirty-first and final track from Kanye's 2003 mixtape, I'm Good....[1][2][3] It is the lead single for The College Dropout, releasing on September 30, 2003.[4]
Due to the backstory behind the song, it is considered by many fans to be one of Kanye's most inspiring songs of his career.
A remix of the song is featured on Kanye's 2003 mixtape, Akademiks (Jeanius Level Musik Vol 2). The remix was later extended on Kanye's 2004 mixtape, Kon The Louis Vuitton Don.[5] An orchestral version of the song was featured on Kanye's live album, Late Orchestration (2006).[6]
Production[]
The song heavily samples Chaka Khan's 1985 song, "Through the Fire". It also samples its drums from OutKast's 1993 song, "Player's Ball".[7]
Background[]
On October 23, 2002, at around 3:00 AM, Kanye was driving home after a long day of work at the studio when he fell asleep at the wheel, leading to his car drifting into another lane and crashing head-on into another car. Kanye was transported to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with a completely shattered jaw, forcing the doctors to wire his jaw shut.[8] However, this wouldn't keep Kanye from rapping. Consequence recalled that Kanye started rapping lyrics for the song just three days after the accident and eventually recorded the lyrics two weeks after the crash.[9]
The song was first released on Kanye's 2002 mixtape, Get Well Soon... under the name "Through The Wire (Still Standing)", where it was incredibly noticeable that his jaw was wired shut. The version on Get Well Soon... also featured an audio sample from Elton John's song, "I'm Still Standing", hence the "(Still Standing)". After Kanye recovered from the accident, he decided to rerecord the song so the lyrics were easier to understand. He also changed a lyric from the original version:
"In the same hospital where B.I.G. and 2Pac died"
Only The Notorious B.I.G. died in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, so Kanye corrected his mistake in the single:
"In the same hospital where Biggie Smalls died"
Due to the success of the song, he was able to convince Roc-A-Fella Records to make a rap album.[10]
Music video[]
The music video, which was directed by Coodie and Chike, premiered on August 3, 2003.[11] In the video, several photos and clips of Kanye before and after the car crash are shown in a slideshow style. Kanye stated that he was inspired by an Adidas commercial. The video was also released on The College Dropout Video Anthology.
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Yo, G, they can't stop me from rappin', can they?
Can they, Hop?
[Chorus]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
For a chance to be with you, I'd gladly risk it all
Through the fire, through whatever, come what may
For a chance at loving you, I'd take it all the way
Right down to the wire, even through the fire
[Post-Chorus]
I spit it through the wire, man
There's too much stuff on my heart right now, man
I'd gladly risk it all right now
It's a life-or-death situation, man
Y'all, y'all don't really understand how I feel right now, man
It's your boy, Kanye to the…
Chi-Town, what's goin' on?
Uh-huh, yeah, yeah
[Verse 1]
I drink a Boost for breakfast, an Ensure for dessert
Somebody ordered pancakes, I just sip the sizzurp
That right there could drive a sane man berserk
Not to worry, Mr. H-to-the-Izzo's back to wizzerk
How do you console my mom or give her light support
Tellin' her her son's on life support?
And just imagine how my girl feel
On the plane scared as hell that her guy look like Emmett Till
She was with me before the deal, she'd been tryna be mine
She a Delta, so she'd been throwin' that Dynasty sign
No use in me tryna be lyin', I been tryna be signed
Tryin' to be a millionaire, how I used two lifelines
In the same hospital where Biggie Smalls died
The doctor said I had blood clots, but I ain't Jamaican, man
Story on MTV and I ain't tryna make a band
I swear, this, right here, history in the makin', man
[Chorus]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
For a chance to be with you, I'd gladly risk it all
Through the fire, through whatever, come what may
For a chance at loving you, I'd take it all the way
Right down to the wire, even through the fire
[Post-Chorus]
I really apologize for everything right now
If it's unclear at all, man
They got my mouth wired shut
For like… I dunno, the doctor said like six weeks
Y'know, he had, I had reconstructive surgery on my jaw
I looked in the mirror
And half my jaw was in the back of my mouth, man
I couldn't believe it
But I'm still here for y'all right now, man
This what I got to say right here, dawg
Yeah, turn me up, yeah, uh
[Verse 2]
What if somebody from the Chi' that was ill got a deal
On the hottest rap label around?
But he wasn't talkin' 'bout coke and birds
It was more like spoken word, 'cept he's really puttin' it down?
And he explained the story 'bout how Blacks came from glory
And what we need to do in the game
Good dude, bad night, right place, wrong time
In the blink of a eye, his whole life changed
If you could feel how my face felt
You would know how Mase felt (Mason Betha!)
Thank God I ain't too cool for the safe belt
I swear to God, driver two wanna sue
I got a lawyer for the case, to keep what's in my safe safe
My dawgs couldn't tell if I…
I looked like Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky, it was televised
There's been an accident like GEICO
They thought I was burnt up like Pepsi did Michael
I must got a angel, ‘cause look how death missed his ass
Unbreakable, what, you thought they'd call me Mr. Glass?
Look back on my life like the Ghost of Christmas Past
Toys "R" Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash
And I still won't grow up, I'm a grown-ass kid
Swear I should be locked up for stupid **** that I did
But I'm a champion, so I turned tragedy to triumph
Make music that's fire, spit my soul through the wire
[Chorus]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
For a chance to be with you, I'd gladly risk it all
Through the fire, through whatever, come what may
For a chance at loving you, I'd take it all the way
Right down to the wire, even through the fire
[Over Chorus]
Y'know what I'm sayin'?
When the doctor told me I had, um
That I was gonna have to have a plate in my chin
I said, "Dawg, don't you realize I'll never make it on a plane now?"
"It's bad enough I got all this jewelry on!"
You can't be serious, man
[Intro]
Yo, G, they can't stop me from rapping, can they?
Can they, Hop?
[Chorus]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
(I spit it through the wire, man)
For a chance to be with you
I'd gladly risk it all
(There's too much stuff on my heart right now, man)
Through the fire (I'd gladly risk it all right now)
Through whatever, come what may (It's a life-or-death situation, man)
For a chance at loving you (Y'all, y'all don't really understand how I feel right now, man)
I'd take it all the way
(It's your boy Kanye to the...)
Right down to the wire
(Chi-town, what's goin' on?)
Even through the fire
[Verse 1]
I drink a Boost for breakfast, an Ensure for dessert
Somebody ordered pancakes, I just sip the sizzurp
That right there could drive a sane man berserk
Not to worry, Mr. H-to-the-Izzo's back to wi-zerk
How can you console my mom or give her light support
When you're telling her her son on life support?
And just imagine how my girl feel
On the plane, scared as hell that her guy look like Emmett Till
She was with me before the deal, she'd been trying to be mine
She a Delta, so she'd been throwing that Dynasty sign
No use in me tryin' to be lyin', I been tryin' to be signed
Tryin' to be a millionaire, how I used two lifelines
In the same hospital where B.I.G. and 2Pac died
The doctor said I had blood clots, but I ain't Jamaican, man
Story on MTV and I ain't trying to make a band
I swear this right here, history in the making, man
[Chorus]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall (I really apologize for everything right now if it's unclear at all, man)
For a chance to be with you (They got my mouth wired shut for like I dunno)
I'd gladly risk it all (The doctor said like six weeks, y'know he had, I had reconstructive surgery on my jaw)
Through the fire
Through whatever, come what may
(I looked in the mirror)
For a chance at loving you
(And half my jaw was in the back of my mouth, man, I couldn't believe it)
I'd take it all the way (But I'm still here for y'all right now, man)
Right down to the wire (This what I got to say right here, dawg)
Even through the fire (Yeah, yeah, turn me up, yeah, up)
[Verse 2]
What if somebody from the Chi' that was ill got a deal
On the hottest rap label around?
But he wasn't talking about coke and birds
It was more like spoken word
Except he's really putting it down?
And he explained the story about how blacks came from glory
And what we need to do in the game
Good dude, bad night, right place, wrong time
In the blink of a eye, his whole life changed
If you could feel how my face felt
You would know how Mase felt
Thank God I ain't too cool for the safe belt
I swear to God, Driver 2 wants to sue
I got a lawyer for the case to keep what's in my safe safe
My dawgs couldn't tell if I...
I looked like Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky
All they heard was I was in an accident like GEICO
They thought I was burnt up like Pepsi did Michael
I must got a angel, ‘cause look how death missed his ass
Unbreakable, what, you thought they'd call me Mr. Glass?
Look back on my life like the Ghost of Christmas Past
Toys "R" Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash
And I still won't grow up, I'm a grown-ass kid
Swear I should be locked up for stupid shit that I did
But I'm a champion, so I turned tragedy to triumph
Make music that's fire, spit my soul through the wire (Woo!)
[Chorus]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall (Y'know what I'm saying?)
For a chance to be with you (When the doctor told me I had, um, that I was gonna have to have a plate in my chin, I said)
I'd gladly risk it all ("Dawg, don't you realize I'll never make it on a plane now?")
Through the fire ("It's bad enough I got all this jewelry on!")
Through whatever, come what may
For a chance at loving you (She can't be serious, man)
I'd take it all the way
Right down to the wire
Even through the fire
[Outro]
I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Intro]
Through the wire
To the wall
All my rhymes is raw
All these beats beats beats beats beats
All of 'em coulda been lost
I always got to floss
I almost paid the cost
So before I go...
[Verse 1]
Every sunset feel righter, sunshines feel brighter
Please light ya lighter for the producer and the writer
Feel like God wrote this, I'm just here to quote this
I don't know if you noticed, them accident pictures is bogus
Doctor, doctor, would you please say somethin'?
I know I almost was the final destination
I musta had a blessin' from Pastor Mason
Cause that trip to L.A. coulda been my last vacation
And, man, I know I can
Drop a down payment on that Porsche Cayenne
But, what, I went along with the plan
Paid for my own video, directed by my man
I know God was holdin' my hand
Wouldn't let me go before I went before Def Poetry Jam
Wouldn't let me throw in the towel 'fore I got to throwin' some vowels
'Bout what we goin' through now
Out the blue girls got a crush on me like I did beats for Mr. Cheeks
And since the accident, they tellin' me that it's the cheeks
But if you look at history, the last rapper that almost died
Sold 6.5 'cept I'm comin' from the Chi
[Chorus]
Through the wire
To the wall
All my rhymes is raw
All these beats beats beats beats beats
All of them coulda been lost
I always got to floss
I almost paid the cost
So before I go to sleep sleep sleep
Always thank the Lord
For this mic and my keyboard
Hecky naw that boy is raw
[Verse 2]
Now even though I ain't wired up
We-we-we fired up
You ain't seen my concerts lately, they be linin' up
You ain't seen my girls lately, they be tryin' to cut
And they heard about my girl so I still chill
Cause Monica Lewinsky already killed Bill
And that girl that was with Kobe tried to go for the kill
I think he put it in the wrong Holyfield
Can I take a minute with y'all to be totally real?
Far as my jaw and all, it ain't totally heal
If I would have died, 10/23 of last year
That would have threw a monkey wrench in my whole career
But me, I took the worst thing, turn it into the best thing
I'm from the Chi, I guess it's just a Midwest thing
Times like this make life interesting
Times like this make me count my blessings
Cause you could run around like King of the Chi
But God could take that in a blink of a eye
I remember Cedars-Sinai and all those cryin'
Mama, I'm sorry for almost dyin'
Tell Alwe G and Hip Hop man
Tell Don I'ma John Monopolize the game
Add on Benny Medina, we gon' take 'em to the cleaners
I'm Kanye West, the college dropout slash genius
[Chorus]
Through the wire
To the wall
All my rhymes is raw
All these beats beats beats beats beats
All of them coulda been lost
I always got to floss
I almost paid the cost
So before I go to sleep sleep sleep
Always thank the Lord
For this mic and my keyboard
Hecky naw that boy is raw
[Outro]
Now if the Roc is in the building say, "Hell yeah!"
Throw your diamonds in the air
If the Roc is in the building say, "Hell yeah!"
Throw your diamonds in the air
If the Roc is in the building say, "Hell yeah!"
Throw your diamonds in the air
Throw your diamonds in the air
Throw your diamonds in the air
Now keep 'em in the air
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
We outta here
College Dropout
Trivia[]
- This is the first single that Kanye has ever released.
References[]
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/album/4Uv86qWpGTxf7fU7lG5X6F
- ↑ https://genius.com/Kanye-west-through-the-wire-original-lyrics
- ↑ https://genius.com/Kanye-west-through-the-wire-lyrics
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_the_Wire
- ↑ https://genius.com/Kanye-west-through-the-wire-remix-lyrics
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/track/5FRNP7NPI6DWvAkSJeH2eY
- ↑ https://www.whosampled.com/Kanye-West/Through-the-Wire/
- ↑ https://www.newsweek.com/kanye-west-car-crash-accident-what-happened-broken-jaw-through-wire-1681165
- ↑ https://www.complex.com/music/2014/02/kanye-west-college-dropout-making-of/through-the-wire
- ↑ http://159.54.226.237/07_issues/070819/070819kanye_west.html
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_the_Wire#Music_video
| Kon The Louis Vuitton Don | ||
|---|---|---|
| "Intro" • "Better Than Yours" • "Chase The Devil" • "Chase You Outta Here" • "Lucifer" • "Encore" • "You Don't Know My Name" • "Slow Jamz" • "Knock Knock (Remix)" • "Wouldn't You Like To..." • "Me Against the Music (Kanye West Remix)" • "No More For Me" • "Throw Ya Hands" • "Keep The Receipt" • "Freestyle" • "Stand Up (Remix)" • "Dogs Out" • "Doin' My Job" • "Turn Yaself In" • "03' Til Infinity" • "Defense" • "Through The Wire (Remix)" • "You" • "Certified Gangstas" | ||
|
| The College Dropout | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Late Orchestration |
|---|
| "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" • "Touch The Sky" • "Crack Music" • "Drive Slow" • "Through The Wire" • "Workout Plan" • "Heard 'Em Say" • "All Falls Down" • "Bring Me Down" • "Gone" • "Late" • "Jesus Walks" • "Gold Digger" |