“Sour Patch Kids” was inspired by the stress and burdens of being an adult and a desire to go back to the simpler times of childhood. I’ve always been super nostalgic (perhaps to a fault) about 90’s pop culture, especially the cartoons and video games I grew up on, like Rugrats and Sonic The Hedgehog, and I wanted to make a song that captured that magic vibe.
When my producer Nolan showed me an early version of the beat – pretty much just the guitar riff – I already had a concept for a song called “Sour Patch Kids” in my phone. I wrote the hook that day in the studio, and the Coke can reference in the chorus inspired me to make the song the ultimate nostalgic trip thru my childhood. While the song started with the idea of Sour Patch Kids, I did consider using Toe Jam and Earl – another classic video game reference – as the title.
For the video, we wanted to include classic images and artifacts from the same era and the time machine concept became the perfect vehicle for showcasing more throwbacks like the Michael Jordan cardboard standup, old school Nintendo and Sega systems, and Supersoakers.
Long as you spread your wings, I know one day you’ll be great
Just wait, soon you’ll aim up at the sky and I’ll watch you float away
But, now that I am older, I’ll admit that I am over all the stress and shit that comes from holding life up on your shoulders
It’s a chore, I’m sick of being bored, I’m sick of always stressin over shit I could ignore
I guess it’s just my own immaturity, burnin’ through me internally, take imagination and making it a reality
So, pause. Yo, fuck it, I’ll be right back
Pay a visit to the past, tell them all to kiss my ass for a secondI don’t wanna worry bout nothin for a while, I just wanna play around livin’ like a child
With old tunes jammin on my Walkman, and some Sour Patch Kids and a Coke can
I don’t wanna think about anything at all, I just wanna run around doin what I want
With a pretty ass girl and a slow jam, and some Sour Patch Kids and a Coke canI just wanna go back to the old school, old news, road rules, fresh prince, cartoons, good raps, dope tracks
I’m not tryin to be on it, I’m just tryin’ to be honest. Packed lunch, school crush, Bus home and play Sonic
I have been there, I have done that, made my mark up on the town
Been stupid, I’ve been lucid, been a menace and a clown
Wow, I’m chillin watchin’ Rocko’s modern livin’ wishin I could find a way to bring back Music Television
No more Jersey Shore’n whorin’ or horribly borin’ versions of shows from Great Britain, they’re written with no vision
Damn, so fuck it I’ll be right back
Pay my tribute to the past, you can all just kiss my ass for a second
I don’t wanna worry bout nothin for a while, I just wanna play around livin’ like a child
With old tunes jammin on my Walkman, and some Sour Patch Kids and a Coke can
I don’t wanna think about anything at all, I just wanna run around doin what I want
With a pretty ass girl and a slow jam, and some Sour Patch Kids and a Coke can
