Sometimes there is a song that just gets lost in the shuffle, or a group that's passed over even though they were so much better than those who made it bigger. How is it that The Pharcyde didn't go on to be one of the best hip-hop cliques in the world? "Ya Mama" was an absolute gem, full of witty insults that should have taken the world by storm. The video for "Drop" directed by Spike Jonze is awesome and features Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys in it, along with a sample of him saying, "mmm, DROP" over and over. However, the song I'm here to talk about today is "Passin' Me By".
Released in March of 1993, it's a awesome mix of jazz, hip-hop and even a little rock thrown in. The samples are from Quincy Jones, The Weather Report and a guitar riff that can only be Jimi. The mix, along with the storytelling keep it interesting and strangely up to date in the sound. You could put this song on the radio today and I think it'd be a hit.
Lyrically, it's the story of unrequited love. (And since I've already talked numerous times about my numerous encounters with unrequited love, I think you can understand why I dig this song so much.) The song is the four MCs (Bootie Brown, Slimkid3, Imani and Fatlip) all talking about how they've fallen for different girls, but the girls keep passing them by. (Hence the name of the song.) This is a very old formula, and one that has been mined significantly in music history, especially recent music history. Heck, "Happy Together" by The Turtles is just about this sort of thing. However, this was one of the first times it appeared in Hip-Hop.
Each story is different, with the outcome the same in all four scenarios. Bootie Brown talks about being in love with his teacher, who was married, and he had to give up on it. First crushes can be brutal, and every one alive has had that same feeling, so this one is universal. Imani talks about his crush, but realizes that letting her get away will probably make him a better person in the end. Slimkid3 discusses this girl he's friends with and has a crush on that he thinks likes him, but that she in the end doesn't. Hey, the friend zone sucks, but sometimes that's the way it is. Everyone, I think, can understand that. You get close to someone and you think that maybe you have a chance, but it turns out that they don't see you that way and in the end you're better off being friends.
The last verse is something that can tear at you, since it involves opening yourself up to really having your heart torn out. Fatlip's verse talks about writing a letter to his prospective lady, telling her that he's in love with her and wants to make her happy. He sends her the letter, and then 3 days later he receives it back labeled "return to sender". Talk about a gut punch! I actually do have experience on that one as well, and I can tell you there is nothing worse when you're young that laying yourself out there emotionally and having the person completely reject you. I was a sophomore in high school and sent this girl a rose for valentines day, along with a note. Needless to say, it didn't end with her running into my arms, and boy was I embarrassed. It isn't their fault you opened yourself up to it, but that doesn't stop the pain.
It's got some great lyrics in it as well, including, "My dear my dear you do not know me but I know you very well now let me tell you all the things/ now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you." A little creepy, but still full of feeling. The chorus is almost a wail of, "She keeps on passing me by!" It's full of emotion and you can definitely understand the feelings behind it.
There are songs out there that anyone can listen to and suddenly relate to it. Back in 1991, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was one of those songs, even though no one back then had any idea what Kurt Cobain was saying. The biggest problem is that this song was released when there was a bit of a fight for the soul of Hip-Hop. Gangsta Rap was out and getting all the headlines, while critical praise was coming out for groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Nas. While those three groups still ended up being very popular, the G-Funk and Bad Boy production basically took over for Hip Hop. Some groups got lost in the shuffle, and that's kind of what happened to The Pharcyde, I think.
However, it's not like this song hasn't gotten some acclaim. Pitchfork named it number 41 on the Top 200 tracks of the 90s. It beat out songs like "Closer" by NIN and "Mind's Playing Tricks On Me" by The Ghetto Boys. Heck it was even referenced in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" by T.I. with the line, "In a hundred years, not dare would I/ Pull a Pharcyde, let you pass me by."
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