Sure Shot

Producers

This is the first song on the Ill Communication LP, and 3rd single, released a few days after the album, on May 31, 1994. Songwriting credit is shared by Beastie Boys… Read More

May 31, 19941 viewer144.9K views

Sure Shot Lyrics

[Intro]
I love you

[Refrain: Beastie Boys]
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Well, you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Mike D, come and rock the sure shot

[Verse 1: Mike D, Ad-Rock, MCA]
I've got the brand new doo-doo, guaranteed like Yoo-hoo
I'm on like Dr. John, yeah, Mr. Zu Zu
I'm a newlywed, not a divorcee (yeah)
And everything I do is funky like Lee Dorsey
Well it's the taking of the Pelham 1, 2, 3
If you want a doo-doo rhyme, then come see me
I've got the savoir faire with the unique rhymin'
I keep it on and on, it's never quitting time, and
Strictly handheld is the style I go
Never rock the mic with the pantyhose
I strap on my ear goggles, and I'm ready to go
‘Cause at the boards is the man they call the Mario
You pull up at the function, and you know I Kojak
To all the party people that are on my Bozac
I've got more action than my man, John Woo
And I've got mad hits like I was Rod Carew (yeah)

[Refrain: Beastie Boys]
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Because you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
You know you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Ad-Rock, come and rock the sure shot

[Verse 2: Mike D, Ad-Rock, MCA]
Hurra-, Hurra-
Cane will cross fade on your ass and bust your eardrums
Listen, everybody, 'cause I'm shifting gears
I'm fresh like Dougie when I get my specs
And on the microphone, I come correct
Timing like a clock when I rock the hip-hop
Top notch is my stock on the soapbox
I've got more rhymes than I've got gray hairs
And that's a lot because I've got my share (oohh, weee)
I've got a hole in my head, and there's no one to fix it
I gotta straighten my thoughts
I'm thinking too much (yeah) sick shit
Everyone just takes and takes, takes, takes, takes
I'll have to step back, I gotta contemplate
Well, I'm like Lee Perry, I'm very on
Rock the microphone, and then I'm gone
I'm like Vaughn Bode, I'm a Cheech Wizard
Never quittin', so won't you listen

[Interlude]
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, yes, indeed, it's fun time

[Refrain: Beastie Boys]
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Well, you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
MCA, come and rock the sure shot

[Verse 3: Mike D, Ad-Rock, MCA]
I want to say a little something that's long overdue
The disrespect to women has got to be through
To all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and friends
I want to offer my love and respect to the end
Well, you say I'm twenty-something, then I should be slacking
But I'm working harder than ever, and you could call it macking
So I'm supposed to sit upon my couch just watching my TV
I'm still listening to wax, I'm not using the CD
Well, I'm that kid in the corner
All fucked up, and I wanna, so I'm gonna (yeah)
Take a piece of the pie, why not, I'm not quittin'
Think I'm-a change up my style just to fit in
I keep my underwear up with a piece of elastic
I use a bullshit mic that's made out of plastic
To send my rhymes out to all the nations
Like Ma Bell, I got the ill communication

[Refrain: Beastie Boys]
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Well, you can't, you won't, and you don't stop
Keep on and rockin' the sure shot

[Outro]
B-boys, b-girls...
Tick-tock, tick-tick...tock-tock

Embed

About

Genius Annotation

This is the first song on the Ill Communication LP, and 3rd single, released a few days after the album, on May 31, 1994. Songwriting credit is shared by Beastie Boys, Wendell Fite (DJ Hurricane) and producer, Mario Caldato, Jr. It was recorded and mixed at G-Son Studios, Atwater Village, CA and Tin Pan Alley, New York, NY. In the UK, “Sure Shot” reached #27 in late 1994.

Several remixes of this song were released:

Prunes — “Sure Shot (European B-Boy Mix)”
Large Professor — “Sure Shot (Large Professor Remix)”
Mike Nardone & Dred Scott — “Sure Shot (Nardone Remix)”

Samples include:

“Howlin' for Judy“ by Jeremy Steig from the album, Legwork (1970)
The Funny Sides of Moms Mabley by Moms Mabley (1964)
“Rock the House“ by Run-DMC from the album, King of Rock (1985)

Beastiemania reports that “Sure Shot” has been performed in 262 known concerts.

1st Known Performance: 4.29.1994 — California State University, Dominguez Hills, US
Last Known Performance: 6.12.2009 — Great Stage Park, Manchester, TN, US

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Beastie Boys say about "Sure Shot"?

Genius Answer

In the liner notes for their greatest hits anthology, Ad-Rock shared:

I like this cut a lot. Just straight up hip hop. Like a lot of our songs, it’s arranged like a hardcore [punk] song. Mathematical. Intro – verse – chorus – verse – chorus – break – chorus – verse – chorus – end. Nice. The flute line is from the elusive Jeremy Steig. Off the SP1200 it sounds nice.

Jeremy Steig was thrilled to have his flute lick sampled:

I looked at it like winning the lottery. I don’t know what it did for my career – I haven’t really seen any signs of it. But they paid me pretty well, and it helped me through some hard times, so I was really happy.

Who produced “Sure Shot” by Beastie Boys?

When did Beastie Boys release “Sure Shot”?

Who wrote “Sure Shot” by Beastie Boys?