The Wire, season 1: Brown Sugar ambiguous lyrics help Baltimore policemen to arrest dealers
Date: February 26, 2007 18:25
Extract from the Wire, season 1, episode 7 "One Arrest"
Four policemen listen to drug dealers recorded phone conversation. Among them, there are two savvies translating for the others ignorant
Dealer speaking:
LOW MAN SCRAPPED, YO. HE ALL THE WAY DOWN
Savvy policeman 1 translating:
"He says they are sold out in the low-rises"
Savvy policeman 2 translating:
"Low man meaning low-rise-pit"
Dealer speaking:
BUT WE GOING TO START FRESH ON THE LATEST TOMORROW, DOWN FROM UP NORTH
Savvy policeman 1 translating:
"So tomorrow they start fresh with a new package"
Ignorant policeman 1
"Damned! How you learn it so good?"
Savvy policeman 1
"Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
Sold in the market down in New Orleans"
Ignorant policeman 2
"What the @#$%& is this?"
Savvy policeman 2
"Rolling Stones first two lines to Brown Sugar. I bet you have heard that song 500 times, but you never knew, right? I used to put my head on the stereo phone and play the record over and over".
Ignorant policeman 1, smiling
"Now I start to understand you are".