Passin' Me By

The Pharcyde

About Passin' Me By

"Passin' Me By" is a song by American hip-hop group The Pharcyde, released in March 1993 through Delicious Vinyl Records. The song was the second single released from the group's 1992 debut Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. The song, produced by J-Swift, utilizes samples from "Summer in the City" by Quincy Jones, "125th Street Congress" by Weather Report and "Are You Experienced?" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. "Passin' Me By" was in turn sampled by Joe for his number 1 single "Stutter". A popular line from the song, "My dear my dear my dear you do not know me but I know you very well now let me tell you," was also repeated in the same manner in "Stutter" with the only difference between the lines being that the words "about the feelings I have for you" were changed to "that I caught you" in "Stutter." The group's four emcees, Bootie Brown, Slimkid3, Imani, and Fatlip, all use the track to recount schoolboy crushes which all eventually led to heartbreak, and the chorus features a male vocalist singing "She keeps on passin' me by" against a soprano saxophone riff. The song peaked at #1 on the Hot Rap Singles, #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #28 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts. Pitchfork Media's included the song at number 41 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s. 


Year:
1995
118 

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Now in my younger days I used to sport a shag
When I went to school I carried lunch in a bag
With an apple for my teacher cause I knew I'd get a kiss
Always got mad when the class was dismissed
But when it was in session, I always had a question
I would raise my hand to make her stagger to my desk and
Help me with my problem, it was never much
Just a trick, to smell her scent and try to sneak a touch
Oh, how I wish I could hold her hand and give her a hug
She was married to the man, he was a thug
His name was lee, he drove a z
He'd pick her up from school promptly at three o'clock
I was on her jock, yes indeedy I wrote graffiti on the bus
First Id write her name then carve a plus
With my name last, on the looking glass
I seen her yesterday but still I had to let her pass

She keeps on passing me by

When I dream of fairy tales I think of me and Shelly
See shes my type of hype and I cant stand when brothers tell me
That I should quit chasing and look for something better
But the smile that she shows makes me a go-getter
I haven't gone as far as asking if I could get with her
I just play it by ear and hope she gets the picture
I'm shooting for her heart, got my finger on the trigger
She could be my broad, and I could be her 
But, all I can do is stare
Back as kids we used to kiss when we played truth or dare
Now shes more sophisticated, highly edu-ma-cated
Not at all over-rated, I think I need a prayer
To get in her boots and it looks rather dry
I guess a twinkle in her eye is just a twinkle in her eye
Although shes crazy stepping, Ill try to stop her stride
Cause I wont have no more of this passing me by

And I must voice my opinion of not even pretending she didn't have me
Strung like a chicken, chase my tail like a doggie
She was kind of like a star, thinking I was like a fan
Dude, she looked good, down side, she had a man
He was a rooty-toot, a nincompoop
She told me soon your little birdies gonna fly the coop
She was a flake like corn, and I was born not to understand
By letting her pass I had proved to be a better man

She keeps on passing me by 

Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian
And now the world around me be gets moving in slow motion
When-ever she happens to walk by, why does the apple of my eye
Overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try? 
Wait, no, I did not really pursue my little princess with persistence
And I was so low-key that she was unaware of my existence
From a distance I desired, secretly admired her
Wired her a letter to get her, and it went
My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me but I know you very well
Now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you
When I try, or make some sort of attempt, I symp
Damn I wish I wasn't such a wimp!
Cause then I would let you know that I love you so
And if I was your man then I would be true
The only lying I would do is in the bed with you
Then I signed sincerely the one who loves you dearly, PS love me tender
The letter came back three days later, return to sender
Damn!

She keeps on passing me by

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The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde /ˈfɑrsaɪd/ is an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani (Emandu Wilcox), Slimkid3 (Trevant Hardson), Bootie Brown (Romye Robinson) and Fatlip (Derrick Stewart). DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla.[citation needed] The group is best known for the hit singles "Drop", "Passin' Me By" and "Runnin'", as well as their first album, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. more »

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Written by: Derrick Stewart, Emandu Wilcox, John Martinez, John Sebastian, Mark Sebastian, Romye Robinson, Steve Boone, Trevant Hardson

Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Artist Information
The song "Passin' Me By" is performed by "The Pharcyde", an American alternative hip-hop group from South Central Los Angeles.
Release Details
This popular hip-hop song was released on March 18, 1993, as the second single from The Pharcyde’s debut album "Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde."
Music Genre
"Passin' Me By" is regarded as a quintessential 90’s alternative hip-hop song. It blends jazz-infused samples with a classic hip-hop beat.
Track Inspirations
The song samples multiple tracks, including Quincy Jones' "Summer in the City," and Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced?"
Lyrics and Theme
The lyricists Slimkid3, Fatlip, and Imani recount their unrequited high school crushes, metaphorically represented by women who are "passin' [them] by."
Critical Acclaim
“Passin’ Me By” is often hailed as one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all-time. It reached the 52nd position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Influence in Popular Culture
The song has been covered, sampled, and remixed by many artists across multiple genres, showcasing the tune's lasting influence in the music world.
Music Video
The music video for "Passin' Me By" is iconic for its unique shooting angle. The entire video was filmed from a low angle, depicting The Pharcyde members as giants traversing a city.
Song Ranking
In 2008, it was ranked number 41 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Involved Personnel
The song was produced by J-Swift and the group itself. The Pharcyde members who performed on the track include Bootie Brown, Slimkid3, Imani, and Fatlip.

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    Passin' Me By

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1993

    Billboard #52


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