Bootsy Collins

Released: November 19, 2002

Featuring: Snoop Dogg Rosie Gaines Till Brönner

Songwriter: Bootsy Collins Snoop Dogg Rosie Gaines Dana Bailey Francis Jules Oliver Dommaschk Marco Quast

Producer: Royal Garden

[Intro: Bootsy Collins & Rosie Gaines]
Rosie G. and Bootsy are in the house
You got to do it
You got to do it, ah yeah, baby
Tell 'em what we talkin' 'bout, Snoop

[Verse 1: Snoop Dogg]
Pullin' and grabbin' you
Rattlesnakin' and stabbin' you
Things you wouldn't imagine
Simply because you like havin' people
Talkin' about you but you can't pay no attention
They say, that's how it is
Even when you be livin' presidential
They always funkin' with you
Especially when you go official
Take it from me, a GC
'Cause people are so fictitial
Sticks and stones do break bones
And talk make the weak fall off
While the strong keep keepin' on

[Verse 2: Rosie Gaines]
I take two steps forward
They try to knock me four steps back
Whenever I see color
They only see white or black
Whenever I speak my mind
They put words in my mouth
Do they really think that I'm lyin'
When I know what they're all about?

[Chorus: Background Singers & Rosie Gaines]
Don't let them put you down
No, don't let 'em
Don't let them put you down
Don't let 'em
Don't let them put you down
Don't let them put you down
Don't let 'em

[Verse 3: Rosie Gaines]
When I'm in my sunshine
They bring their rain to fall
I'm lookin' at this picture
But they can't see it at all
I'm steppin' on the gas
And I wanna move ahead
They said I'll never make it
But that's what they always said

[Chorus: Background Singers & Rosie Gaines]
Don't let them put you down
Don't let 'em
Don't let them put you down
Don't let 'em
Don't let them put you down
Don't let 'em
Put ya foot on the gas, step on fast, oh

[Bridge: Bootsy Collins]
You say "In God We Trust"
While you promote hate, fear and lust
And love, joy and pain
Is in a constant struggle for superior gain

[Chorus: Background Singers & Rosie Gaines]
Don't let them put you down
Don't just stand there
Don't let them put you down
Sound so funky to me, yeah
Don't let them put you down
Oh, don't let 'em
Don't let them put you down
Don't let 'em put you down

Down
Don't let 'em

[Outro: Bootsy Collins & Snoop Dogg]
Oh yeah, just another dog day afternoon, baby
Have you ever been on a trip
And found out that you was from another time, baby
Where unconditional love takes root
And our intelligence is absolutely color-blind, baby
(Don't you let 'em, don't let 'em)
Twinkle, twinkle little star
You got your hands up in my cookie jar (Don't let'em)
Don't doubt it, don't doubt it
Don't talk about it, be 'bout it
Don't doubt it, don't doubt it
Don't talk about it, be 'bout it
(Don't let them put you down)
Tell 'em what we talkin' bout, Snoop
See, I was once told that
To be talked about was one of the greatest forms of flattery
And I'm flattered that you're talkin' about me (Yeah)
For you to talk about me
Is something fun to do, baby
Yeah you keep doin' what you do
'Cause I'm definitely gon' keep doin' what I do
Don't doubt it, don't doubt it
I'm not gon' talk about it, I'm gon' be about it
Can you dig it? (Yeah)
I don't know nothin' but to do it (Do it, baby)
Nothin' to it but to do it
And I'ma do it with the Do-It-Fluid, baby, can you dig it? (I can dig it!)
It's dug (Uh, we outta here, baby)
The People's Choice there you have it
The most valuable players, baby
(Don't let 'em)
Finger funkin', just finger funkin', baby
(Don't let 'em)
Uh, let the fingers do the funkin'
(Don't let 'em)
(We out, baby...)

Bootsy Collins (born William Earl Collins in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 26, 1951) is a singer-songwriter and guitar player known as one of the pillars of the funk sound in his work with James Brown and George Clinton. His nickname was given to him by his mother, who told him, “You looked like Bootsy.”

Along with his brother Phelps “Catfish” Collins, Bootsy joined James Brown’s backing band, The J.B.’s, in the early 1970s and played on a number of Brown’s hits, including “Super Bad”, “Soul Power”, and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” among others. After nearly a year, Collins left Brown’s band and connected with George Clinton and his Parliament Funkadelic P-Funk movement in 1972. During his run with the group, Bootsy also branched off to produce solo work with Bootsy’s Rubber Band.

Bootsy was also instrumental in the career of electro-funk legend Roger Troutman and his group Zapp in the early 1980s. Bootsy’s work also became a major sample source by a number of hip-hop stars, and his style was a big inspiration to Snoop Dogg a.k.a. Snoopy Collins. His signature vocals were featured in Grand Theft Auto V as the DJ for radio station Space 103.2, as well as featured on the 2018 hit “After the Storm” with Kali Uchis. As a member of Parliament Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

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