Thrift Shop

Song Meaning of Thrift Shop by Macklemore & Ryan

The song's lyrics describe Macklemore's love of thrift stores and his preference for saving money over flashing fancy stuff like many rappers.

Macklemore was interviewed by MTV about the meaning of the song. "Rappers talk about, oh I buy this and I buy that, and I spend this much money and I make it rain, and this type of champagne and painting the club, and this is the kind of record that's the exact opposite," he explained. "It's the polar opposite of it. It's kind of standing for like let's save some money, let's keep some money away, let's spend as little as possible and look as fresh as possible at the same time."

When asked why the sing was so successful, Macklemore stated, "I think hip-hop goes in waves, and it's something that's different. It's a concept. It's obviously against the status quo of what people normally rap about. This is a song that goes against all of that. How much can you save? How fresh can you look by not looking like anybody else? And on top of that, you have an infectious beat and a hook that gets stuck in people's heads."

More than 6 million copies have been sold in the US alone since it peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. In addition to those countries, the song also peaked at number one in the UK, Ireland, Canada, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand. The song would go on to be ranked as 2013's most popular song by Billboard.

Thrift Shop lyrics by Macklemore & Ryan

Hey, Macklemore, can we go thrift shopping?

What-what, what, what?

What-what, what, what?

What-what, what, what?

What-what, what, what? (Da)

What-what, what, what? (Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

What-what, what, what? (Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

What-what, what, what? (Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

What-what, what, what? (Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

(Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

(Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

(Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

(Da-dum, ba-dum, ba-da-do-da)

I'm gonna pop some tags

Only got twenty dollars in my pocket

I'm, I'm, I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up

This is fucking awesome (now)

Walk up to 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 honkey"

Rollin' in hella deep, headed to the mezzanine

Dressed in all pink, 'cept my gator shoes, those are green

Draped in a leopard mink, girls standin' next to me

Probably should've washed this, smells like R. Kelly's sheets

(Piss)

But shit, it was ninety-nine cents (bag it)

Coppin' it, washin' it, 'bout to go and get some compliments

Passin' up on those moccasins someone else has been walkin' in

Bummy and grungy, fuck it, man, I am stuntin' and flossin'

And savin' 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 diggin'

They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard

I bought a skeet blanket, then I bought a kneeboard

Hello, hello, my ace man, my mellow

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'll be like "Ah, he got the Velcros"

I'm gonna pop some tags

Only got twenty dollars in my pocket

I'm, I'm, I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up

This is fucking awesome

I'm gonna pop some tags

Only got twenty dollars in my pocket

I'm, I'm, I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up

This is fucking awesome

What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?

What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?

I'm diggin', I'm diggin', I'm searchin' right through that luggage

One man's trash, that's another man's come up

Thank your grandad for donatin' 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 auntie, your mama, your mammy

I'll take those flannel zebra jammies second hand 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 fifty dollars for a T-shirt"

Limited edition, let's do some simple addition

Fifty 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 dope

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

Tryna 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 twenty dollars in my pocket

I'm, I'm, I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up

This is fucking awesome

I'll wear your grandad's clothes

I look incredible

I'm in this big-ass coat

From that thrift shop down the road

I'll wear your grandad's clothes (damn right)

I look incredible (now come on, man)

I'm in this big-ass coat (big-ass coat)

From that thrift shop down the road (let's go, come on)

I'm gonna pop some tags

Only got twenty dollars in my pocket

I'm, I'm, I'm huntin', lookin' for a come up

This is fucking awesome

Hahaha

Is that your grandma's coat?