Me & my cousins like to rap the Beastie Boys' 'Paul Revere' when we're drunk & hanging. We all got into the Beasties in the mid to late eighties when cousin Wade introduced 'Licensed To Ill' to us & it's been a family favourite ever since. We don't just sing the blues around here ya know.
It occurred to me that finally recording some possibly drunken & impromptu versions of this tune would be a good idea, so here's part one.
This is the only one I have so far. It was done sometime between 2004-2006 at Slemon Park, Summerside, PE with cousins Robert & Kevin Gallant. Rob's on rhythm guitar playing a riff I think he got from a Pearl Jam tune, Kev's tapping periodically, I'm playing guitar & we're all singing. Rob was recording on his computer using the n-track software. The mp3 is at 64kbps (Rob emailed it to me) so we're talking some real low-fi here. You can even hear Kev move the mic around to pick up my guitar. If you crank your speakers it sounds alright tho'.
My memory is that we were talking to our cousin Troy who was out West working in the oil industry & we decided to record 'Revere' & send it to him to make him feel like he was home with the boys. Don't think we were drunk on this one.
How could I not enjoy playing this tune when one of its heroes shares a name with me? Me MIKE D! I don't know what we were going for here but I enjoy it a lot. Rob remembers us doing a Johnny Cash-like version but I have no recollection of that. We usually just rap this in a circle typa thing but we were feeling creative this night.
By the way . . . Robert & Kevin are mostly known for their film making ventures & their comedy short series' 'The Cock-Eyed Adventures of Denim Dugay' & ' The Muddy Crick'.
Home page of the Boys' videos at
Paul Revere Link
Paul Revere (Beastie Boys) [Dixon/Gallant/Gallant]
Here's a little story I'd like to tell
'Bout three bad brothers you know so well
It started way back in history with Ad-Rock, MCA & me, Mike D
Had a little horsey named Paul Revere
Just me & my horsey & a quart of beer
Ridin' 'cross the land, kickin' up sand
Sheriff's posse's on my tail cause I'm in demand
One lonely Beastie I be, all by myself with nobody
The sun is beating down on my baseball hat
The air is getting hot, my beer is getting flat
Looking for a girl I ran into a guy
His name was MCA, I said 'Howdy', he said 'Hi'
He told a little story that sounded well-rehearsed
Four days on the run & that he's dying of thirst
The brew was in my hand & he was on my tip
His voice was hoarse, his throat was dry
He asked me for a sip
He said 'Can I have some?'
I said 'You can't get none'
Had a chance to run, he pulled out his shotgun
Quick on the draw I thought I'd be dead
He put the gun to my head & this is what he said
'My name is MCA I got a license to kill
I think you know what time it is, it's time to get ill
Now what do we have here? An outlaw & his beer
I run this land [band], you understand, I make myself clear?'
We stepped into the wind, he had a gun, I had a grin
You think this story's over but it's ready to begin
'Now I got the gun & you got the booze
You got two choices of what you can do
It's not a tough decision as you can see
I can blow you away or you can ride with me.'
I said 'I'll ride with you if you can get me to the border
The Sheriff's after me for what I did to his daughter
I did it like this, I did it like that
I did it with a wiffle ball bat, so . . . .
I'm on the run, the cops got my gun
& right about now it's time to have some fun
The King Ad-Rock, that is my name
& I know the fly spot where they got the champagne.'
We rode for six hours then we hit the spot
The beat was a-bopping & the girlies was hot
This dude was staring like he knows who we are
So we took the empty spot next to him at the bar
MCA said, 'Yo, do you know this kid?'
I said I didn't but I know he did
The kid said, 'Get ready, 'cause this ain't funny
My name is Mike D & I'm about to get money!'
He pulled out the jammy, aimed it at the sky
He yelled 'Stick 'em up!' & let two fly
Hands went up & people hit the floor
He wasted two kids that ran for the door
'I'm Mike D & I get respect
Your cash & your jewelry is what I expect'
MCA was winning & he's my ace
So I grabbed the piano player & I punched him in the face
The piano player's out, the music stopped
This boy had a beef & he got dropped
Mike D grabbed the money
MCA grabbed the gold
I grabbed two girlies & a beer that's cold!
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