Come on let's go everybody oh we share the music
This is the part where I post lyrics to a song no one's probably ever heard before, and then explain the meaning behind each line. Why? Because this is my blog and I can do what I want!
The song is "Goku vs Superman. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 3." You can find it on YouTube.
(Note: I'm writing these lyrics exactly as they appear in the video, just to explain the lack of capital letters)
Verse 1: Superman
- Just before this verse, we see Clark Kent transform into Superman by spinning rapidly on the spot, which he often did in old TV shows as well.
Who can stop
this constipated jock
- A common humourous observation about Dragon Ball Z is that the characters all seem like they're constipated, referring to all the grunting and yelling they do while powering up/transforming etc.
with the awful animation
- Dragon Ball Z is often criticised for its sub-par animation, featuring extensive use of stock footage and copy-pasting, particularly during its many fight scenes.
and the complicated plot
- While Dragon Ball Z's plot isn't much more complicated than most anime, it can still be hard for non-anime fans to wrap their head around.
who's got the rap bombs
to drop on Japan
- Dragon Ball Z was made in Japan. This is also a reference to the Superman comics that were released during World War II, which depicted Superman on the cover proudly claiming that "you can slap a Jap" (as Japan and America were on opposite sides in the war).
this looks like a job for the OG
Superman
- OG is short for Original Gangster, a rap slang term used to describe a veteran gang member. Superman may be riffing on the fact that Goku and Dragon Ball Z were inspired by his comics, claiming that he's the original and Goku is an imitation of him.
I'm killin' it you're Krillin it
- Krillin is Goku's best friend since childhood in Dragon Ball Z. While a strong Z-Fighter, his power is nowhere near close to Goku's and he often ends up getting killed in fights (death is not permanent in Dragon Ball Z, thankfully). Superman is probably using "Krillin" here as a pun on "losing", referencing Krillin's apparent inability to actually win any fights.
I'm villainous to vegetables
- Most of the Saiyan characters' names are puns on vegetables - for instance, Raditz is "radish" but with a "tz" instead of an "sh". The word "Saiya" is an anagram of "yasai", which means "vegetable" in Japanese.
who dance around in hammer pants
that hide their tiny genitals
- Hammer pants refers to the large, baggy pants that M.C. Hammer wore - Goku wears a similar style of trousers. "Tiny genitals" might be a reference to the stereotype that Asians (i.e. Japanese) have small penises, or Superman might be implying that Goku's muscular body is compensating for something.
my level is incredible
I'm out of your league
- Characters' "power levels" in Dragon Ball Z roughly indicate how strong they are. A commonly used phrase in Dragon Ball Z to describe a powerful foe was "He's out of our league!" or a variation on such.
you want justice
- Superman is a member of the Justice League, a team of DC superheroes. It might also reference the Superman catchphrase "Fighting for truth, justice and the American way".
I'll bust this
nut up in your Chi Chi
- Chi Chi is Goku's wife in Dragon Ball Z and the mother of his two children. Superman probably means he's going to have sex with her.
greasy slick emcee from DC
- "Greasy slick" refers to his slicked-back hair, and "slick" means "smooth" or "cool". "Emcee" is an alternate spelling of "MC", as in Master of Ceremonies, another word for a rapper. DC refers to DC Comics, originally Detective Comics, the comics company that created Superman.
with one breathe I'll freeze
- Yes, the misspelling of "breath" was actually in the video.
your whole measly species
- Superman's "Superhuman Breath" power allows him to exhale air in great force. When pursing his lips as he does so, the exhaled air drops rapidly in temperature, creating a "Freeze Breath" that can freeze anything solid. Since Goku is a member of a dying race, "your whole measly species" consists of approximately five people, so freezing them all in one breath would be entirely possible for Superman (assuming they didn't manage to dodge or nullify the breath, that is).
you're primitive and limited
- Goku has never had a proper education, and at most has a child's level of intelligence even in his adult years.
you live in a village of idiots
step in Metropolis
- Metropolis is the fictional American city where Superman lives.
I'll snap a carrot period
- Goku's Saiyan name, Kakarot, is a pun on "carrot". "Period" is a way of saying "absolutely, no questions asked".
Verse 2: Goku
How many times
are they gonna rewrite your story
- Let's just say Superman's origin story has been rewritten a LOT in the comics.
your powers have been boring
since the nineteen fucking forties
- Superman debuted in Action Comics in 1938, so Goku is saying it took roughly two years for Superman to become stale and boring. Since Superman was the codifier for superheroes in general, his powers that seemed cutting edge at the time were mercilessly copied and quickly became stereotypical and cliché, forcing DC to invent new powers for him that sometimes bordered on the ridiculous (I swear, he actually had Super Weaving as a power in one comic). Goku is probably referring to the "classic" Superman powers of super strength and super speed here.
Goku
defeat me with heat beams
- Superman attacks Goku with his Heat Vision, rays of solar energy emitted from his eyes. It was initially introduced as a by-product of his earlier-established X-Ray Vision power, before being made a separate power in its own right.
you're crazy
- Goku was able to neutralise or absorb the Heat Vision. This could also be a reference to the Death Battle series by ScrewAttack, which featured a battle between Goku and Superman that Superman eventually won by using his Heat Vision to incinerate Goku. This ending was hotly debated by fans, with many claiming Goku should have won.
cause I'm a Super Saiyan
- Super Saiyan is a powered up state that certain members of the Saiyan race can achieve, when their anger and rage reaches such a point that it actually increases their power considerably. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks and Broly have all achieved this state in the series, and there are even levels beyond Super Saiyan, going all the way up to Super Saiyan 4.
you're a flying Miss Daisy
- Referencing the play Driving Miss Daisy, which was later adapted into a film, about an old lady and her relationship with her chauffeur. Goku is also riffing on Superman's traditional flying pose, where he would have both arms outstretched in front of him as if driving a car.
you're pretty pasty
to be powered by the sun
- Yes, Superman is literally solar powered. The rays from Earth's sun give him strength. When people are exposed to the sun's rays, they usually either get sunburned or get a tan, either of which would cause their skin to cease being pale. Goku is therefore implying that Superman probably hasn't been doing much "powering up" from the sun.
you can't flow to Son Goku
- Son Goku is Goku's full name. It's rarely (if ever) used in the English dub of the anime, though it is used all the time (somewhat awkwardly) in the British dubs of the movies and occasionally in the Japanese version of the anime. It's the Japanese reading of Sūn Wùkōng, the main character in the Chinese epic Journey to the West, on which Dragon Ball was based.
I kaio-ken get it done
- Kaio-Ken (meaning "King Kai's Fist") is a powerup technique taught to Goku by King Kai (North Kai-O) early in the series. By focussing his energy, Goku is able to increase all his attributes, including power, speed and even hearing and vision, and can even multiply the Kaio-Ken to further increase his power, though at the risk of damaging his body. The name is obviously a pun on "can", as in "I can get it done".
when I see your movies
all I do is watch the clock
- Implying that the movies are so boring, he just watches the clock until the movie is over, because even that is more interesting than the movie itself. Or just that he's so bored that he keeps looking at the clock, waiting for the time to pass.
cause there's nothing fun about
a super hero scared of green rocks
- "Green rocks" refers to Kryptonite, the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. The green (most common) form of it weakens Superman when he is exposed to its radiation.
look at those panties
- Superman's costume is often poked fun of since it looks like he's wearing tights, which are typically women's clothing. Goku might also be getting back at Superman for that "hammer pants" comment he made earlier.
you got that camel toe
- Camel toe is a slang term for when the outline of a woman's genitalia is visible through tight-fitting clothing. Yet another riff on Superman wearing women's clothing, as well as his spandex pants being rather tight.
I'll report to Lois Lane
- Lois Lane is Clark Kent's love interest in the Superman franchise. She is a journalist for the fictional newspaper the Daily Planet, for whom Clark also works as a reporter.
and Superman that ho
- "Ho" is a rapper slang term for a prostitute, particularly one owned and paid by a pimp. Goku is again getting back at Superman for implying he'll have sex with Chi Chi by implying that he'll have sex with Lois Lane.
Verse 3: Superman
Your rapping is weaker
than your fight scenes
just one punch
and over nine thousand screams
- Fight scenes in Dragon Ball Z are often criticised for being dragged out, and featuring more yelling, screaming and grunting (from powering up, usually) than actual blows being exchanged. "Over nine thousand" is a popular meme from the show, referencing an enraged Vegeta exclaiming that Goku's power level was over nine thousand at the time of the Saiyan Saga.
I'll make your nose bleed
like Roshi sniffing panties
- Roshi (Muten Roshi, also known as Kame-sennin or the Turtle Hermit) is an old man in Dragon Ball Z who trained Goku in Dragon Ball and who developed the iconic Kamehameha attack that most of the characters in the show use. He is rather openly perverted and has something of a fetish for panties. Nosebleeds are commonly used to show arousal in anime.
from Z to GT
- Dragon Ball GT (Grand Tour) was the anime-only continuation to Dragon Ball Z. A lot of fans hated it, and Akira Toriyama (the creator of the series) actually agrees with them. (Note that he had very little involvement in it).
you can Dragon Ball deez
- "Dragon Ball" is a pun on "eyeball", meaning "look at" or "check out". Superman points to his crotch on "deez", so it's pretty obvious what he means.
Verse 4: Goku
Don't lecture me about fights
you caped coward
you got your ass beat
by a bat with no powers
- Batman and Superman have fought many times in the comics, and somehow Batman always manages to win, or at least end the match in a draw, despite being essentially a normal human with no superpowers going up against someone who could liquify someone's head with a punch if he chose to.
there's only one way
that this battle's gonna end
one more Superman
who's never gonna walk again
- Christopher Reeve was the first actor to portray Superman in the movies, beginning with the 1978 movie Superman, and going on to star in the sequels Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. In 1995, he fell off a horse and shattered his first and second vertebrae, leaving him paralysed from the neck down.
The song is "Goku vs Superman. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 3." You can find it on YouTube.
(Note: I'm writing these lyrics exactly as they appear in the video, just to explain the lack of capital letters)
Verse 1: Superman
- Just before this verse, we see Clark Kent transform into Superman by spinning rapidly on the spot, which he often did in old TV shows as well.
Who can stop
this constipated jock
- A common humourous observation about Dragon Ball Z is that the characters all seem like they're constipated, referring to all the grunting and yelling they do while powering up/transforming etc.
with the awful animation
- Dragon Ball Z is often criticised for its sub-par animation, featuring extensive use of stock footage and copy-pasting, particularly during its many fight scenes.
and the complicated plot
- While Dragon Ball Z's plot isn't much more complicated than most anime, it can still be hard for non-anime fans to wrap their head around.
who's got the rap bombs
to drop on Japan
- Dragon Ball Z was made in Japan. This is also a reference to the Superman comics that were released during World War II, which depicted Superman on the cover proudly claiming that "you can slap a Jap" (as Japan and America were on opposite sides in the war).
this looks like a job for the OG
Superman
- OG is short for Original Gangster, a rap slang term used to describe a veteran gang member. Superman may be riffing on the fact that Goku and Dragon Ball Z were inspired by his comics, claiming that he's the original and Goku is an imitation of him.
I'm killin' it you're Krillin it
- Krillin is Goku's best friend since childhood in Dragon Ball Z. While a strong Z-Fighter, his power is nowhere near close to Goku's and he often ends up getting killed in fights (death is not permanent in Dragon Ball Z, thankfully). Superman is probably using "Krillin" here as a pun on "losing", referencing Krillin's apparent inability to actually win any fights.
I'm villainous to vegetables
- Most of the Saiyan characters' names are puns on vegetables - for instance, Raditz is "radish" but with a "tz" instead of an "sh". The word "Saiya" is an anagram of "yasai", which means "vegetable" in Japanese.
who dance around in hammer pants
that hide their tiny genitals
- Hammer pants refers to the large, baggy pants that M.C. Hammer wore - Goku wears a similar style of trousers. "Tiny genitals" might be a reference to the stereotype that Asians (i.e. Japanese) have small penises, or Superman might be implying that Goku's muscular body is compensating for something.
my level is incredible
I'm out of your league
- Characters' "power levels" in Dragon Ball Z roughly indicate how strong they are. A commonly used phrase in Dragon Ball Z to describe a powerful foe was "He's out of our league!" or a variation on such.
you want justice
- Superman is a member of the Justice League, a team of DC superheroes. It might also reference the Superman catchphrase "Fighting for truth, justice and the American way".
I'll bust this
nut up in your Chi Chi
- Chi Chi is Goku's wife in Dragon Ball Z and the mother of his two children. Superman probably means he's going to have sex with her.
greasy slick emcee from DC
- "Greasy slick" refers to his slicked-back hair, and "slick" means "smooth" or "cool". "Emcee" is an alternate spelling of "MC", as in Master of Ceremonies, another word for a rapper. DC refers to DC Comics, originally Detective Comics, the comics company that created Superman.
with one breathe I'll freeze
- Yes, the misspelling of "breath" was actually in the video.
your whole measly species
- Superman's "Superhuman Breath" power allows him to exhale air in great force. When pursing his lips as he does so, the exhaled air drops rapidly in temperature, creating a "Freeze Breath" that can freeze anything solid. Since Goku is a member of a dying race, "your whole measly species" consists of approximately five people, so freezing them all in one breath would be entirely possible for Superman (assuming they didn't manage to dodge or nullify the breath, that is).
you're primitive and limited
- Goku has never had a proper education, and at most has a child's level of intelligence even in his adult years.
you live in a village of idiots
step in Metropolis
- Metropolis is the fictional American city where Superman lives.
I'll snap a carrot period
- Goku's Saiyan name, Kakarot, is a pun on "carrot". "Period" is a way of saying "absolutely, no questions asked".
Verse 2: Goku
How many times
are they gonna rewrite your story
- Let's just say Superman's origin story has been rewritten a LOT in the comics.
your powers have been boring
since the nineteen fucking forties
- Superman debuted in Action Comics in 1938, so Goku is saying it took roughly two years for Superman to become stale and boring. Since Superman was the codifier for superheroes in general, his powers that seemed cutting edge at the time were mercilessly copied and quickly became stereotypical and cliché, forcing DC to invent new powers for him that sometimes bordered on the ridiculous (I swear, he actually had Super Weaving as a power in one comic). Goku is probably referring to the "classic" Superman powers of super strength and super speed here.
Goku
defeat me with heat beams
- Superman attacks Goku with his Heat Vision, rays of solar energy emitted from his eyes. It was initially introduced as a by-product of his earlier-established X-Ray Vision power, before being made a separate power in its own right.
you're crazy
- Goku was able to neutralise or absorb the Heat Vision. This could also be a reference to the Death Battle series by ScrewAttack, which featured a battle between Goku and Superman that Superman eventually won by using his Heat Vision to incinerate Goku. This ending was hotly debated by fans, with many claiming Goku should have won.
cause I'm a Super Saiyan
- Super Saiyan is a powered up state that certain members of the Saiyan race can achieve, when their anger and rage reaches such a point that it actually increases their power considerably. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks and Broly have all achieved this state in the series, and there are even levels beyond Super Saiyan, going all the way up to Super Saiyan 4.
you're a flying Miss Daisy
- Referencing the play Driving Miss Daisy, which was later adapted into a film, about an old lady and her relationship with her chauffeur. Goku is also riffing on Superman's traditional flying pose, where he would have both arms outstretched in front of him as if driving a car.
you're pretty pasty
to be powered by the sun
- Yes, Superman is literally solar powered. The rays from Earth's sun give him strength. When people are exposed to the sun's rays, they usually either get sunburned or get a tan, either of which would cause their skin to cease being pale. Goku is therefore implying that Superman probably hasn't been doing much "powering up" from the sun.
you can't flow to Son Goku
- Son Goku is Goku's full name. It's rarely (if ever) used in the English dub of the anime, though it is used all the time (somewhat awkwardly) in the British dubs of the movies and occasionally in the Japanese version of the anime. It's the Japanese reading of Sūn Wùkōng, the main character in the Chinese epic Journey to the West, on which Dragon Ball was based.
I kaio-ken get it done
- Kaio-Ken (meaning "King Kai's Fist") is a powerup technique taught to Goku by King Kai (North Kai-O) early in the series. By focussing his energy, Goku is able to increase all his attributes, including power, speed and even hearing and vision, and can even multiply the Kaio-Ken to further increase his power, though at the risk of damaging his body. The name is obviously a pun on "can", as in "I can get it done".
when I see your movies
all I do is watch the clock
- Implying that the movies are so boring, he just watches the clock until the movie is over, because even that is more interesting than the movie itself. Or just that he's so bored that he keeps looking at the clock, waiting for the time to pass.
cause there's nothing fun about
a super hero scared of green rocks
- "Green rocks" refers to Kryptonite, the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. The green (most common) form of it weakens Superman when he is exposed to its radiation.
look at those panties
- Superman's costume is often poked fun of since it looks like he's wearing tights, which are typically women's clothing. Goku might also be getting back at Superman for that "hammer pants" comment he made earlier.
you got that camel toe
- Camel toe is a slang term for when the outline of a woman's genitalia is visible through tight-fitting clothing. Yet another riff on Superman wearing women's clothing, as well as his spandex pants being rather tight.
I'll report to Lois Lane
- Lois Lane is Clark Kent's love interest in the Superman franchise. She is a journalist for the fictional newspaper the Daily Planet, for whom Clark also works as a reporter.
and Superman that ho
- "Ho" is a rapper slang term for a prostitute, particularly one owned and paid by a pimp. Goku is again getting back at Superman for implying he'll have sex with Chi Chi by implying that he'll have sex with Lois Lane.
Verse 3: Superman
Your rapping is weaker
than your fight scenes
just one punch
and over nine thousand screams
- Fight scenes in Dragon Ball Z are often criticised for being dragged out, and featuring more yelling, screaming and grunting (from powering up, usually) than actual blows being exchanged. "Over nine thousand" is a popular meme from the show, referencing an enraged Vegeta exclaiming that Goku's power level was over nine thousand at the time of the Saiyan Saga.
I'll make your nose bleed
like Roshi sniffing panties
- Roshi (Muten Roshi, also known as Kame-sennin or the Turtle Hermit) is an old man in Dragon Ball Z who trained Goku in Dragon Ball and who developed the iconic Kamehameha attack that most of the characters in the show use. He is rather openly perverted and has something of a fetish for panties. Nosebleeds are commonly used to show arousal in anime.
from Z to GT
- Dragon Ball GT (Grand Tour) was the anime-only continuation to Dragon Ball Z. A lot of fans hated it, and Akira Toriyama (the creator of the series) actually agrees with them. (Note that he had very little involvement in it).
you can Dragon Ball deez
- "Dragon Ball" is a pun on "eyeball", meaning "look at" or "check out". Superman points to his crotch on "deez", so it's pretty obvious what he means.
Verse 4: Goku
Don't lecture me about fights
you caped coward
you got your ass beat
by a bat with no powers
- Batman and Superman have fought many times in the comics, and somehow Batman always manages to win, or at least end the match in a draw, despite being essentially a normal human with no superpowers going up against someone who could liquify someone's head with a punch if he chose to.
there's only one way
that this battle's gonna end
one more Superman
who's never gonna walk again
- Christopher Reeve was the first actor to portray Superman in the movies, beginning with the 1978 movie Superman, and going on to star in the sequels Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. In 1995, he fell off a horse and shattered his first and second vertebrae, leaving him paralysed from the neck down.
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