What It's Like

Album: Whitey Ford Sings The Blues (1998)
Charted: 34 13
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Songfacts®:

  • This song tells three different stories. The first is about a man who lives on the street. The second is about a girl who gets pregnant by her boyfriend and then he ditches her and she has to go and get an abortion. The third is about a drug dealer trying to support his family; he is shot one night and the family wakes up to see it on the news and finally finds out what their husband/father has been doing. The song speaks about how society is so quick to label people. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    lynz - Ontario, Canada
  • This was Everlast's first solo single after leaving House Of Pain. When he left the band, he quit alcohol and cigarettes and became a Muslim.

Comments: 33

  • Robert from St Petersburg, FlStacey, right? It's such a wonderful and melancholy song, I mean I really feel for their plights, but it's still a wonderful song!
  • Bill B from WisconsinWho's the young lady who plays the girl in this video?
  • Anonymouswho is the girl in the video!
  • Jml from Boston This song is as poetic as any Dylan or Stones song! So happy this guy survived his heart attack and found peace and clean living. Religion is the cause of most of the world’s wars and murders but if converting to muslin got him to a higher place then all praise to a higher being!
  • Smiley from Florida I have lost a loved one who liked this song.I never really knew what it was about but I am glad I know now I always thought it was about people in general dying and still being put down even after death.
  • MeWhy does everyone always bring religion into everything?
  • Blake from Arlington, VaJust because you are not born into a religion doesn't mean that they can bar you from accepting their teachings. Just because someone tells me I'm not allowed to believe in something doesn't mean I'm going to shirk my belief system for some jackass control freak. The great thing about belief is that it's yours no one can take it away from you and if they try all you have to do is tell them is to shove it.
  • Kad from NonyaNo offense Eric - ,PA. Your kind of a jerk you don't need to say that people suck when you could have just said he wasn't Muslim and all that.
  • Kent from Greensburg, PaWas THAT Willie Nelson in the video?
  • Penny from Falls City, NeThis song sums up the blues in an honest & direct way. Terrific lyrics, music, & vocals.
  • Mohammed from Walsall, United Kingdomok i just came across this little thread concerning everlast, plz certain people get ur facts right before u ever say anything, u can become a muslim no matter what religion u previously were or even if u had no belief in anything, muslims come in all colours black white yellow brown etc etc, and as for the person who said there are small groups of muslims who dont accept new people into the islamic faith thats another falsehood, its so funny and yet so tragic that people just believe any crap they see and then spread it lol how sad
  • Nicole from Orlando, FlI love this song. It makes me appreciate what I have, even when its dark. It reminds me that it could always be worse
  • Harold from University Park, PaI love the censor bleep sounds in this song!
  • Victor from Vienna, VaSongs like these are why I'm a Democrat
  • Pam from Taylor, MiThis song tells what "real" life in this world is all about. Not all of us have it as easy as we do. My heart goes out to people who stuggle. I happen to like the song. It opens my eyes to the "real" world out there. There is always a good side, bad side and all the in between's in this world.
    smiles...
  • Denise from Lapuente, CaI love this song !!! yea it speaks the turth about how people are quick to judge others with looking at them selfs first
  • Michael from San Antonio, TxOne of my favorite songs.
  • D from Waterloo, Iathis is a really good mello song. i like it
  • Gf from A-town, VaThis is by far my favorite song. Its the most honest and meaningful song that i have ever heard. Keep arguing about whatever it is there but regardless everlast awesome
  • Kane from Wytheville, VaOK READ WHAT LALAH from walisaki or where ever
    said i believe that is what the song HOTEL CALIFORNIA'S ABOUT OBVIOSLY RELIGON
    and by the way you can turn muslum if you want any time you want the only weird thing about it is that he's white!
    and had a song called black jesus and not black alla
  • John from Beaumont, Txum no. Lalah, Wasilla, AK, your wrong. you can stop being catholic if you want to. im catholic, i know. ive had friends who changed religions. it just isnt encouraged to switch from catholicism to something else. please dont say things unless you actually know about what your talking about.
  • Alyssa from Forney, TxReally good song =]
  • Lalah from Wasilla, AkThe problem with Islam in not that you have to be born into it. It's that you can never, never leave. But, you're not allowed to leave the Catholic Church either. This song makes you think. These are the most worthy songs.
  • Trish from Morgantown , Wvi really like this song...it has a deep meaning to it and it really tells people how some people dont have a perfect world..which no one should think they do!
  • Zach from Seattle, WaJohn, stating that "Muslims do not accept anybody who is not born into the religion, and they're very strict on enforcing that rule" is false. Muslims and Islam in general is completely fine with accepting others into their religion. There are some more radical extremists out there who don't, but just like other religions such as Christianity, that's the minority.
  • Steve from Long Island, NyInformation about Everlast courtesy of Wikipedia:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everlast_(singer)
  • Steve from Long Island, NyReal name is Erik Schrody born August 18, 1969 in Valley Stream, New York, Information courtesy of [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everlast_(singer)]Wikipedia[/url]
  • Eric from , Paall you guys suck
  • John from Medicine Hat, CanadaOK, before we allow this to go on, Everlast put out White Trash Beautiful and Black Jesus long before he ever put out What It's Like.
    Secondly, he did not become a muslim. Muslims do not accept anybody who is not born into the religion, and they're very strict on enforcing that rule.
  • The Last Dj from Hell.a., CaHouse of Pain sucked but I dug his solo move. I think everyone wrote this guy off after this song though. He put out some good stuff like "Babylon Feeling" & "White Trash Beautiful" which is my personal favorite. Does anyone remember when this guy tried to make a name for himself by ragging on Eminem & then Em ripped him a new one on a couple of songs? That was embarrassing.
  • Tiffany from Conroe, TxThis song is awesome! The underlying message is so overwhelming, I love it. People in today's society are so horrible to each other. People are so greedy, and they only think about themselves. I think Everlast is shaming them. It's like Mother Theresa when she said, "Be Kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."
  • Stacey from St.petersburg, FlGreat song tells the truth
  • Joel from Nottawa, Canadahe became a Muslim, really? That's interesting... Anywho, this is a pretty sweet song!! Good story.
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