Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys & DJ Hurricane
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Released in 1986 on Licensed to Ill, this song helped make the Beastie Boys–it’s the tale of how they got acquainted. The title is a little misleading, as it has nothing to do with the American figure, Paul Revere; that’s just the name of Adrock’s horse, a reference to the song “Fugue for Tinhorns,...
[Produced by Rick Rubin and Beastie Boys]
[Verse 1: Ad-Rock, MCA, (Mike D)]
Now here's a little story I've got to tell
About three bad brothers you know so well
It started way back in history
With Ad-Rock, MCA, (And me) Mike D
Been had a little horsey named Paul Revere
Just me and my horsey and a quart of beer
Riding across the land, kicking up sand
Sheriff's posse's on my tail 'cause I'm in demand
One lonely Beastie I be
All by myself without nobody
The sun is beating down on my baseball hat
The air is getting hot, the beer is getting flat
Looking for a girl, I ran into a guy
His name was MCA, I said, "Howdy," he said, "Hi"
[Verse 2: Ad-Rock, MCA]
He told a little story that sounded well-rehearsed
Four days on the run and that he's dying of thirst
The brew was in my hand, and he was on my tip
His voice was hoarse, his throat was dry, he asked me for a sip
He said, "Can I get some?", I said, "You can't get none!"
Had a chance to run, pulled out his shotgun
Quick on the draw, I thought I'd be dead
He put the gun to my head, and this is what he said:
"Now my name is MCA, I've got a license to kill (Yeah)
I think you know what time it is, it's time to get ill (Yeah)
Now what do we have here, an outlaw and his beer? (Uh-huh)
I run this land, you understand? I've made 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
[Verse 3: Ad-Rock, MCA, (Mike D)]
Now I got the gun, you got the brew
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 wiffleball bat
So I'm on the run, the cop got my gun
And right about now it's time to have some fun
The King Ad-Rock, that is my name
And I know the fly spot where they got the champagne
We rode for 6 hours, then we hit the spot
The beat was a-bumping, and the girlies was hot
This dude was staring like he knows who we are
We took the empty spot next to him at the bar
MCA said, "Yippie Yo, 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's Mike D, and I'm about to get money"
Pulled out the jammy, I aimed it at the sky)
He yelled ("Stick 'em up!") and let two fly
Hands went up, and people hit the floor
He wasted two kids that ran for the door
("I'm Mike D, and I get respect
Your cash and your jewelry is what I expect")
MCA was with it, and he's my ace
So I grabbed the piano player, and I punched him in the face
Piano player's out, the music stopped
His boy had beef, and he got dropped
Mike D grabbed the money (MCA snatched the gold)
I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold
Paul Revere was written by Ad-Rock & Rick Rubin & D.M.C. & Rev Run.
Paul Revere was produced by Beastie Boys & Rick Rubin.
Beastie Boys released Paul Revere on Sat Nov 15 1986.
Ad-Rock said,
I wrote that sitting on the steps of St. Marks Sounds record store on Eighth Street. We actually went to the recording studio and we were actually going to record with Run-DMC one night. We were waiting outside up on 20-something street, and … all of a sudden we see Run running down t...
A horse named “Paul Revere” is a reference to “Fugue for Tinhorns,“ the opening number of Guys and Dolls:
I got the horse right here
The name is Paul Revere
And here’s a guy that says if the weather’s clear
Can do, can do, this guy says the horse can do