Positivity has always been one of those favorites of mine where it usually never crosses my mind to play it, but I just love it when I do. One of, if not his best album closer. But there's one verse in particular that has confounded me for years: Is that all your gold? Where did it come from? What did you have to do? Can you sleep nights? Do you dream straight up or do you dream in W's (or double yous? Dont have the album booklet in front of me, and some lyric websites are shoddy at best)? I can't tell if its one of the most brilliant lyrics of his career, or utterly absurd. I'm thinking the former. What does gold and how you tend to rest at night have to do with each other? Is the gold an allegory for happiness (like the good man with the money in his hand from verse one), and that happiness giving you piece of mind enough to sleep well at night? From reading the lyrics, it seems like a lot of frustration was let out, especially the Spooky Electric part (and perhaps letting off the steam to reach that + sign today perhaps?). Is this song overall just a train of thought with lyircs tied together with no relation to each other whatsoever, or something else entirely? Or am I overthinking this far too much and looking like a buffoon while doing it? Do you have any knowledge or an interpretation of your own?

seems like it is a basic scrutiny of judging others and questioning morals

I think the part about gold ranges from 'regular' dudes(who may be drug dealers or wanna be celebs) 2 rappers 2 higher society people

Gold ie wealth possession (gotten from illegal means or not) can cause people not to rest mentally

.

Is that a good man
Walking down that street with that money in his hand
Is that a good man?

.

Is that all your gold?
Where did it come from? What did U have 2 do? (did U have 2 do)
Can U sleep nights?
Do U dream straight up or do U dream in W's?
.

Who's 2 blame when he's got no place 2 go
And all he's got is the sense 2 know
That a life of crime'll help him beat U in the race

Such a great song, and overall message!

I love the line "Do you sleep nights, do you dream in W's"

.

I can literally picture someone in their bed contemplating their successes and the moral path they chose to reach them.

TheKid94 said:

Such a great song, and overall message!

I love the line "Do you sleep nights, do you dream in W's"

.

I can literally picture someone in their bed contemplating their successes and the moral path they chose to reach them.

I agree with you. The "Drean in W's" always seemed so Prince. Instead of ups and downs, go for straight up. Love the lyrics of this song. Would have loved to be around when he created and recorded this track, just to get his vibe and state.

OldFriends4Sale said:

seems like it is a basic scrutiny of judging others and questioning morals

I think the part about gold ranges from 'regular' dudes(who may be drug dealers or wanna be celebs) 2 rappers 2 higher society people

Gold ie wealth possession (gotten from illegal means or not) can cause people not to rest mentally

.

Is that a good man
Walking down that street with that money in his hand
Is that a good man?

.

Is that all your gold?
Where did it come from? What did U have 2 do? (did U have 2 do)
Can U sleep nights?
Do U dream straight up or do U dream in W's?
.

Who's 2 blame when he's got no place 2 go
And all he's got is the sense 2 know
That a life of crime'll help him beat U in the race

Sorry for the slow reply! That's an interesting take on the Gold aspect. Never thought of it like that. Also, the dreaming in W's is odd as well. I used to think he was saying since floating Z's are associated with sleep, W's was his way of communicating uneasy rest, since W's and Z's are kind of similar, like if you flip the Z vertically you know? Like I said before, thinking way too much about this lol.