The Art of the Handshake Songtext
von Hilltop Hoods

(Golden Era Records
In conjunction with Hilltop Hoods
Proudly presents
The Art Of The Handshake)


I used to wake up, bathroom, face wash, cartoons
My toots far too smart to start to
Talk to this awful swine where the score to
Settle with the world the only crime is that I bought you
Walk to the train it was covered from the floor to
Ceiling in graff and stickers and bad notes
So sick I can′t afford to, life of the payroll
Lie rolled up made my eyes and my (brain roll)
Headphones wrapped like a vine around my Kangol
Walk like a Bengal Tiger when the train rolled
And the train rolled, and the train rolled, and the train rolled on
Then I was stopped by these two cops who got mad rude
I'm like ′what" there's not a whole lot you can do then
(A wop bop a wo bop a lop bam boom)
Next up, what ya got the whole damn crew
So I grabbed them by the wrist and
Switched to a grip, thumbs flipped
And we clicked and we finished with a fist bump
This chump tried to get cute with me and diss us
About my handshake I said ("man what?")

There used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went
And they just went, and they just went
On, used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went
And they just went, and they just went on

(The handshake is thought to have developed as a gesture to demonstrate that neither party at an encounter is carrying a weapon or poses a threat
Over hundreds of years this simple act has developed into a sometimes complex ritual
And a way to convey status
Mutual affiliations or just plain respect)


I used to wake on a Saturday play in the matinee
Game get faded on the train down to Adelaide
Headphones playing looking at the fresh painted walls
Rakim saying "we're about to get paid in full"
A man entered, cap and black sweater
Jacks get all up on a fella that act clever
Train tracks looking graffed with back to back letters
But we came to rap and that was back when
A DJ would supply the wax, stage had a liner mat
Place full of write in a Raiders or a Giants cap
Casing with minors at the crates, hard, of bar by the beak
Any time and hit the stage and freestyle attack
Walk in like I′m possessed by the beatniks
Clean kicks full of more heart than a Phoenix
Move right away ′til my crew's at the stage
Nothing new just this groove how we do night and day
Bring it back, no high five shit is wak
We bringing that old sucka side finger snap
Fist poke stop ′em lock just don't stop the rock
With the way handshake body rock

There used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went
And they just went, and they just went on
Used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went
And they just went, and they just, went on

(Not all cultures consider a firm handshake as a sign of respect
In fact a grip that′s too tight can often be considered as offensive
Scientists at the university of Manchester, taking into account twelve different variables
Developed a mathematical formula for the handshake to which people would be the most receptive)

There used to be a time like way before this song
When the DJ could put put the record right (on),put the record right (on)
Put the record right (on), put the record right, put the record right

There used to be a time like way before this song
When the DJ could put put the record right (on,) put the record right (on)
Put the record right (on), put the record right (on), put the record right (just keep on bringing it)