I can’t remember when I first saw and heard this but do remember how tickled I was by it. As a person who loves to go yard-saling and thrift-shopping, it felt like validation and feels like an anthem for all people who do.
“Thrift Shop” is a song written and performed by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring vocals from American singer Wanz, released in 2012, as the fourth single from the former’s debut studio album, The Heist (2012). The lyrics tell of Macklemore’s esteem for thrift shops and saving money, rather than flaunting expensive items like many rappers. The song was met with universal acclaim, with various music reviewers praising its humorous lyrics and social critique.
The single was a sleeper hit. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has since sold over 6 million copies in the US alone. The song also reached number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. The song would go on to become the number one song of 2013 by Billboard and in 2019, it was named by Billboard as the number one song of the 2010s on both the Hot Rap Songs and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
A music video was released simultaneously with the song on August 27, 2012, and has more than 1.8 billion views on YouTube as of November 2023. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014, the single won for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. — wikipedia
Hey, Macklemore, can we go thrift shopping?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
Oh!
Oh!
Ow!
I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got 20 dollars in my pocket
I’m, I’m, I’m hunting, looking for a come up
This is fucking awesome
Now, walk into the club like, “What up? I got a big cock”
Nah, I’m just pumped, I bought some shit from a thrift shop
Ice on the fringe is so damn frosty
The people like, “Damn, that’s a cold-ass honky”
Rolling in hella deep, headed to the mezzanine
Dressed in all pink ‘cept my gator shoes, those are green
Draped in a leopard mink, girl standing next to me
Probably shoulda washed this, smells like R. Kelly’s sheets (piss)
But shit, it was 99 cents (bag it)
Copping it, washing it, ’bout to go and get some compliments
Passing up on those moccasins, someone else’s been walking in
Bummy and grudgy, fucking it, I am stunting and flossing and
Saving my money and I’m hella happy, that’s a bargain bitch
I’ma take your grandpa’s style
I’ma take your grandpa’s style
No, for real, ask your grandpa
Can I have his hand-me-downs? (Thank you)
Velour jumpsuit and some house slippers
Dookie brown leather jacket that I found, dig it
They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard
I bought a skeet blanket, then I bought a knee board (yeah)
Hello, hello, my ace man, my Mello
John Wayne ain’t got nothing on my fringe game, hell no
I could take some Pro Wings, make ’em cool, sell those
The sneaker heads would be like, “Ah, he got the Velcros”
I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got 20 dollars in my pocket
I’m, I’m, I’m hunting, looking for a come up
This is fucking awesome, ow
I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got 20 dollars in my pocket
I’m, I’m, I’m hunting, looking for a come up
This is fucking awesome
What you know about rocking a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowing about wearing a fur fox skin?
I’m digging, I’m digging, I’m searching right through that luggage
One man’s trash, that’s another man’s come up
Thank your granddad for donating that plaid button
Up shirt, ’cause right now, I’m up in here stuntin’
I’m at the Goodwill, you can find me in the (bins)
I’m not, I’m not stuck on searchin’ in that section (men’s)
Your grammy, your aunty, your momma, your mammy
I’ll take those flannel zebra jammies, secondhand and rock that motherfucker
The built-in onesie with the socks on that motherfucker
I hit the party and they stop in that motherfucker
They be like, “Oh that Gucci, that’s hella tight”
I’m like, “Yo, that’s 50 dollars for a t-shirt”
Limited edition, let’s do some simple addition
50 dollars for a t-shirt, that’s just some ignorant bitch shit
I call that getting swindled and pimped, shit
I call that getting tricked by a business, that shirt’s hella dough
And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don’t
Peep game, come take a look through my telescope
Trying to get girls from a brand, man, you hella won’t
Man, you hella won’t
(Goodwill, poppin’ tags, yeah)
I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got 20 dollars in my pocket
I’m, I’m, I’m hunting, looking for a come up
This is fucking awesome
I’ll wear your granddad’s clothes
I look incredible
I’m in this big-ass coat
From that thrift shop down the road
I’ll wear your granddad’s clothes (damn right)
I look incredible (uh, come on, man)
I’m in this big-ass coat (big ass coat)
From that thrift shop down the road (let’s go, we coming)
I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got 20 dollars in my pocket
I’m, I’m, I’m hunting, looking for a come up
This is fucking awesome (hahaha)
(Is that your grandma’s coat?)
Written by: Ben Haggerty, Ryan Lewis
Album: The Heist
Released: 2012
Jim is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. Today, Jim is asking for a song that mentions clothing accessories, as suggested by Christine of Stine Writing and Miniatures. Great suggestion, Christine! I sure hope that shoes and/or coats count as accessories!
Tao Talk 
I, too, prefer secondhand shops over shopping malls, but have never heard this song before. I’m so out of it!!
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You can find a lot of creative bits and pieces to make things with in them. Judy, join the “out of it club” with me. Weird chance brought it to my attention.
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This certainly fits the theme, Lisa. Not all that bad for a hip hop song.
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Cool, Jim. Glad you think it’s ok, and I agree.
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How did I miss this great song and video….and it got to number one in the UK ….and I didn’t notice? Love it ! I have done thrift shopping in my time too…
Haven’t we all 💜💜
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Well you’ve seen it now. Glad you enjoyed it :)
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“Dookie brown leather jacket” LOL! I’m not a big rap/hip hop fan and my experience pretty much ends with the Beastie Boys but I enjoyed this song.
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Michael, I’m not either, for the most part, but I got a kick out of the song and the video. Macklemore has made some pretty good music and music videos, one about his grandma and one about drug addiction.
Grandma video: https://youtu.be/7OrLroFa0AI?si=MzHNsMuqy-uAG0PQ
Drug addiction video: https://youtu.be/fYN14UfO-Uc?si=OtZdMSZ5xWJJ_fz3
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This is fucking awesome!
Great choice, Lisa; you cornered the market with this one!
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Love your comment, Nancy!
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I love this song! Great choice.
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Happy you do, Marina :)
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Yes, such a great song, I concur, thrifting is so good too.
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I remember the summer before my first son was born. My mom and I would go yard-saling every Tuesday (not sure what day it was exactly) in Jenison, which is a burb of Grand Rapids. I was all set for baby clothes and other items by the time he was born in December. Good times. My mom showed me the way to dicker the prices down too, and many times they accepted my offers!
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Yes, I love a bargain, a find and haggling – such fun, and many I’ve encountered working there just love it too. I had charge of a few so sometimes I could spy out a bargain ahead of sale.
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That’s the best ever, Paul!
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Thank you I did 💜
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You’re welcome, Willow <3
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I enjoy having a rummage in thrift shops. I’ve not heard the song before, even though it reached #1 in the UK.
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Glad you like thrift shops and happy to introduce you to the song, Glyn :)
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You just brought me back. Mick loved this crazy song.. Volume would go way up in the car when it came on!
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Glad to have brought you back to Mick and driving with him in the car. I’m embarrassed to say how many times I have watched that video. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling :)
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It doesn’t take much to bring him back. :)
I love this song.
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:)
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😊
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The lyrics of this song are hilarious. Hip hop and rap are music genres I usually don’t listen to, though the name Macklemore immediately rang a bell.
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I don’t usually do hip hop or rap but Macklemore is one I can get into. I also like Sir Mix-a-Lot, Dirt Nasty, Mickey Avalon, and Andre Legacy. All of them in small doses.
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p.s. There are also some English rappers or something close to rap that I like including joe unknown.
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I love that song! and the video is the best. Now if only I knew where my CD was…(one of my few rap purchases also) We have several good thrift shops in the neighborhood, and I always take a look around…you never know. (K)
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K, love that you know and love the song and bought the CD! We don’t have many good thrift shops around here, but GR has some.
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I think they tend to cluster in metropolitan areas.
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I do remember this…I do like the video.
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Glad to hear it :)
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I love this s song too. We call them Opp Shops here in Victoria. There is no better place to go shopping!
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Glad you know it and love it, Sean. You’re right, and I’m sure you know the mantra, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” I’ve found a lot of treasure along the way :)
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This is such a fun song. I heard it a long time ago, and it’s just exactly right, and I do love finding bargains at the thrift stores and yard sales. :)
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Heck yes it is, Barbara, and isn’t finding good deal thrilling :)
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