"I got more rhymes than the Bible's got Psalms"

This is a prominent quote written more than twenty years ago by the American poet Erik Francis Schrody.  Schrody, aka Everlast, was the front man for the hip hop group House of Pain, where they rapped this line in their 1992 single, "Jump Around."

I've always enjoyed this song, ever since I first heard it in a scene in Mrs. Doubtfire, where Daniel throws a surprise party for his son.  Whenever I'm driving alone and this song comes up on my mp3 player, I like to pretend I'm the baddest, toughest, Irish American hooligan I know and throw it down as loud and as gangsta as I can (within reason, I don't want people staring at me).

However, this quote has always bugged me because I don't think it's true.  The Bible has 150 Psalms.  Schrody probably means that as a whole, as long as he has breath in his lungs, he'll be able to make more than 150 rhymes in his life, but ambiguity rules and I always thought he meant that he has more than 150 rhymes in this one song.

So to satisfy my curiosity, I've decided to find out the exact number of rhymes and number all of them in "Jump Around."  I've decided to be generous and include rhymes that used the same word (eg. "up" and "up") as well as duplicate rhymes, for example when the chorus is repeated throughout the song.  Repeated phrases were counted at discretion.  An asterisk denotes the start of the rhyme scheme.  You have been warned.

Verse 1

Pack it up, pack it in*
Let me begin¹
I came to win²
Battle me that's a sin³
I won't tear the sack up*
Punk you better back up⁴
Try and play the role* and yo, the whole⁵ crew will act up⁶
Get up⁷, stand up⁸ (Come on!)
Come on, throw your hands up⁹
If you've got the feeling*
Jump up touch the ceiling¹⁰
Muggs is a funk* fest,
Someone's talking junk¹¹, yo*
I'll bust 'em in the eye
And then I'll take the punks¹² home¹³
Feel it, funk it¹⁴
Amps in the trunk¹⁵

And I got more rhymes than there's cops at a Dunkin'¹⁶
Donut shops¹⁷
Sure 'nuff I got props¹⁸
From the kids on the Hill
Plus my mom and my pops¹⁹

Chorus

I came to get down*
I came to get down²⁰
So get out your seat and jump around²¹
Jump around²²
Jump around²³
Jump around²⁴
Jump up, jump up and get down²⁵
Jump [x17]

Verse 2

I'll serve your _ss like John MacEnroe^*
If your girl steps up, I'm smackin' the ho²⁶
Word to your moms*
I came to drop bombs²⁷
I got more rhymes than the Bible's got Psalms²⁸
And just like the Prodigal Son I've returned*
Anyone stepping to me you'll get burned²⁹
'Cause I got lyrics, but you ain't got none*
If you come to battle bring a shotgun³⁰
But if you do* you're a fool³¹
'Cause I duel³² to the death*
Try and step to me you'll take your last breath³³
I gots the skill*
Come get your fill³⁴
'Cause when I shoot to give, I shoot to kill³⁵


Chorus

I came to get down*
I came to get down³⁶
So get out your seat and jump around³⁷
Jump around³⁸
Jump around³⁹
Jump around⁴⁰
Jump up, jump up and get down⁴¹
Jump [x17]


Verse 3

I'm the cream of the crop*
I rise to the top⁴²
I never eat a pig 'cause a pig is a cop⁴³
Or better yet a terminator*
Like Arnold Schwarzenegger⁴⁴
Try'n to play me out like as if my name was Sega⁴⁵
But I ain't goin' out like no punk b_tch*
Get used to one style and you know I might switch⁴⁶
It up, up and around*
Then buck, buck you down⁴⁷
Put out your head* then you wake up in the Dawn of the Dead⁴⁸
I'm comin' to get ya*, comin' to get ya⁴⁹
Spitting out lyrics homie I'm wit' ya⁵⁰

Chorus

I came to get down*
I came to get down⁵¹
So get out your seat and jump around⁵²
Jump around⁵³
Jump around⁵⁴
Jump around⁵⁵
Jump up, jump up and get down⁵⁶
Jump [x33]




Grand Total of Jumpin' Rhymes: 56

Conclusion:
1. There are 150 Psalms in the Bible.
2. There are 56 rhymes in "Jump Around."
3. 150 > 56
4. Therefore, Everlast does not have more rhymes than the Bible has Psalms.

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Saw gas for 138.5¢/litre.