Geto Boys is a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill. The Geto Boys have earned notoriety for their lyrics which cover controversial topics such as misogyny, gore, psychotic experiences, and necrophilia. They have broken new ground with their soulful southern sound, which was a precursor to the Dirty South style. About.com ranked them #10 on its list of the 25 Best Rap Groups of All-Time, describing them as “southern rap pioneers who paved the way for future southern hip-hop acts” (taken verbatim from Wikipedia).
In “My Mind Playing Tricks on Me”, The Geto Boys describe the mental stress and paranoia that often accompanies the violent life of a gangster.
At night, I can’t sleep. I toss and turn.
Candlesticks in the dark, visions of bodies being burned.
Four walls just staring at a nigga.
I’m paranoid, sleeping with my finger on the trigger.
Grammar
But I don’t know who it is, so I’m watching my back.
I can see him when I’m deep in the covers.
When I awake, I don’t see the motherfucker.
English has three very similar verbs that are sometimes confusing: look at, see and watch.
If you see something, it means your eyes are open and something enters your eyes. You do not have to pay careful attention in order to see something.
- I can’t see anything without my glasses.
- Do you see the girl in the red dress? She’s gorgeous!
- My Internet connection is very slow, and I can’t see you very well on Skype.
Watch is similar to look at. Use watch for something that is happening now or is going to happen. People especially use watch for TV shows and films.
- Do you want to watch a movie later?
- You watch too much TV!
- Can you watch my luggage while I use the restroom?
Use look at if you are concentrating and paying attention. If you look at something, it is deliberate and on purpose. A similar verb is stare. If you stare at something, it means you look at it for a long time.
I know the Lord is looking at me.
But yet and still it’s hard for me to feel happy.
- Do you see the man over there? Look at his fat dog!
- I looked at the photo album on Facebook, but I couldn’t find any offensive pictures.
- She looked at the painting for half an hour.
Discussion Questions
Have you ever felt paranoia or depression? How did you cope and deal with it? What are some of the causes of stress and anxiety? Is it normal to have some stress and anxiety? When should you see a doctor or psychologist? Please write your comments below!