Peak
9
Weeks
33
Score
4,858
Chart Year
2011
The music video for "The Show Goes On" was released on December 25, 2010. It was directed by Hiro Murai and shows Lupe backstage preparing for a performance.[8] Contrary to popular belief[who?], the skull and crossbones glove is actually associated with Mastermind Japan and not Lupe Fiasco's post-punk band, Japanese Cartoon. It was MTV's last Jam Of The Week of 2010. The video itself was nominated for MTV's VMA Award for Best Hip Hop Video.
This is the first single by American rapper Lupe Fiasco from his third studio album, Lasers. It was released on October 26, 2010. The song was produced by Kane Beatz and written by Lupe Fiasco and Jonathan Keith Brown. The latter, who additionally contributed backing vocals, is also known as JRGETMONEY. The song's melody is based on Modest Mouse's 2004 hit "Float On" and the chorus is sung to the same rhythm. Lasers is a backronym for "Love Always Shines, Everytime Remember 2 Smile." Fiasco endured a public battle with his label, Atlantic Records, over the direction of L.A.S.E.R.S., including a fight over his lead single. "I was literally told for 'The Show Goes On' that I shouldn't rap too deep," he told the Chicago Tribune. "I shouldn't be too lyrical. It just needs to be something easy on the eyes. Like a record company telling Picasso that we don't need these abstract interpretations of life, where people have to sit down and look at it and break it down. It was better to paint the Upper West Side lady and her poodle so everyone could look at it right away and understand what was going on. I felt like I was painting poodles." Originally intended for release in June 2009, Lasers was held back by Fiasco's label for a perceived lack of hits. The album finally debuted after fans across the world protested, but Fiasco has disassociated himself from this song and claimed in interviews he was told how to rap on it. He told Complex Magazine: "There's nothing really to tell about that record, to be honest. I didn't have nothing to do with that record. That was the label's record. That wasn't like I knew the producer or knew the writer or anything like that. That was one of those records the record company gave me, [they even gave me] stuff they wanted me to rap about. It wasn't like, 'Hey I did this and I went to a mountain and found inspiration and it was this.' I had to do 'Show Goes On,' that was like the big chip on the table. I had to do it and it had to be the first single if the record was going to come out." The song includes intriguingly the line "They treat you like a slave, put chains all on your soul." Hiro Murai directed the video, which shows Lupe backstage preparing for a performance. The clip is intended to illuminate all of the mechanisms involved in getting the star to the stage. Fiasco explained to MTV News: "We already know what the performance is, we already know [who] you are, let's give it a little more of a personal feel, so we can see the route taken behind the scenes, literally, from the dressing room to the stage. We already know what is onstage. We already know what the public life is, so let's see what goes on behind the scenes. And [the video] speaks to a lot of the stuff on the album, beyond 'The Show Goes On.'"
La-ser Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder, when they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder, when they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! Have you ever had the feeling That you was being had Don't that shit that make you mad They treat you like a slave With chains all on your soul And put whips up on your back They be lying through they teeth Hope you slip up off your path I don't switch up I just laugh Put my kicks up on they desk Unaffected by they threats Than get busy on they ass See that's how that Chi-Town made me That's how my daddy raised me That glittering may not be gold Don't let nobody play me If you are my homeboy You never have to pay me Go on and put your hands up When times are hard you stand up L-U-P the man, 'cause a brand that the fans trust So even if they ban us They'll never slow my plans up! Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder When they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder When they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! One in the air for the people that ain't here Two in the air for the father that's there Three in the air for the kids in the ghetto Four for the kids who don't wanna be there None for the niggas trying to hold them back Five in the air for the teacher not scared to tell those kids that's living in the ghetto That the niggas holdin' back that the world is theirs! Yeah yeah, the world is yours I was once that little boy Terrified of the world Now I'm on a world tour I will give up everything Even start a world war For these ghettos girls and boys I'm rapping round' the world for! Africa to New York Haiti then I detour Oakland out to Auckland Gaza Strip to Detroit Say hip-hop only destroy Tell em' look at me, boy! I hope your son don't have a gun and never be a D-boy Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder When they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder When they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! So no matter what you been through No matter what you into No matter what you see when you look outside your window Brown grass or green grass Picket fence or barbed wire Never ever put them down You just lift your arms higher Raise 'em 'til your arms tired Let em' know you're there That you struggling and survivin' That you gonna persevere yeah Ain't no body leavin' No body goin' home Even if they turn the lights out the show is goin' on! Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder When they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on! Alright, already the show goes on All night, till the morning we dream so long Anybody ever wonder When they would see the sun up Just remember when you come up The show goes on!
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 27, 2010 | 57 | 69 |
| 2 | Dec 4, 2010 | 86 | 40 |
| 10 | Jan 29, 2011 | 92 | 34 |
| 11 | Feb 5, 2011 | 71 | 55 |
| 12 | Feb 12, 2011 | 57 | 69 |
| 13 | Feb 19, 2011 | 51 | 75 |
| 14 | Feb 26, 2011 | 57 | 69 |
| 15 | Mar 5, 2011 | 44 | 82 |
| 16 | Mar 12, 2011 | 41 | 85 |
| 17 | Mar 19, 2011 | 39 | 87 |
| 18 | Mar 26, 2011 | 40 | 86 |
| 19 | Apr 2, 2011 | 31 | 95 |
| 20 | Apr 9, 2011 | 31 | 95 |
| 21 | Apr 16, 2011 | 24 | 102 |
| 22 | Apr 23, 2011 | 16 | 110 |
| 23 | Apr 30, 2011 | 15 | 111 |
| 24 | May 7, 2011 | 14 | 112 |
| 25 | May 14, 2011 | 14 | 112 |
| 26 | May 21, 2011 | 16 | 110 |
| 27 | May 28, 2011 | 12 | 114 |