Lumberjack

Album: Call Me If You Get Lost (2021)
Charted: 48 45
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Lumberjack" is a 2:18 minute braggadocios cut where Tyler the Creator addresses his haters by flexing about his fame and fortune.

    That's my nuance, used to be the weirdo
    Used to laugh at me, listen to me with their ears closed
    Used to treat me like that boy from Malcolm in the Middle
    Now I'm zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero


    Many thought Tyler was an eccentric oddity who would never make it in the music game. Now he's worth millions.
  • The song title comes from Tyler using the word "would" as a homophone for "wood."

    Call me lumberjack 'cause I wish a ni--a would race

    The popular expression "I wish a ni--a would" means to challenge someone to perform a disrespectful action. Here, Tyler is daring a hater to try to cut him down like a lumberjack fells trees.
  • Tyler released the song as the lead single from his sixth studio album, Call Me If You Get Lost. Although his last record, Igor, primarily featured singing, "Lumberjack" is all rapping.
  • Atlanta based hip-hop artist DJ Drama and Odd Future founding member Jasper Dolphin contribute the mixtape-style shout-outs.
  • Tyler produced the abrasive beat himself. Because it heavily samples the August 1994 Gravediggaz cut "2 Cups of Blood," group members Prince Paul, Frukwan, Poetic and RZA are all credited as co-writers of "Lumberjack." "2 Cups" itself samples jazz pianist Larry Willis' 1973 instrumental "Inner Crisis," so Willis also gets credited.
  • Tyler (as his alter ego Wolf Haley) directed the music video, which is a collection of surreal vignettes.
  • Call Me If You Get Lost debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Tyler, the Creator's second chart-topping album after Igor. Ten months later, the record surged from #120 back to the summit following its release on vinyl through Tyler's web store.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Jay, Peaches, Spinderella and other Darrining Victims

Jay, Peaches, Spinderella and other Darrining VictimsSong Writing

Just like Darrin was replaced on Bewitched, groups have swapped out original members, hoping we wouldn't notice.

Who Did It First?

Who Did It First?Music Quiz

Do you know who recorded the original versions of these ten hit songs?

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.