George Washington vs William Wallace/Rap Meanings

George Washington:
There's a difference between you and me, Willy

(Washington opens saying there's a difference between him and his opponent, William Wallace, which is explained in the next line.)

I fought 'till I was actually free, Willy

(Washington fought the American Revolutionary War against the British, for the autonomy of the British colonies. He led the Americans to victory and their freedom. For Wallace, it would take several years after death for the Scots to win independence. They would later confederate with England and Wales to form the UK. "Willy", short form of William, is being used as a pun; it's a reference to "Free Willy", the story of an orca's journey from captivity to freedom in the wild.)

I got my face on a quarter

(George Washington's face is carved on the American quarter, the 25-cent coin.)

You got drawn and quartered

(As a sentence to his crimes, Wallace got publicly hanged, choking to near death, then eviscerated, emasculated and disemboweled before being chopped in four bits—"quartered". The sentence, of which Wallace was one of the first victims, matches the actions; it is named "Hanged, Drawn and Quartered." Washington makes the contrast between his legacy found in every American's pocket and Wallace's horrible and disrespectful fate.)

Tortured on the orders of a king, really?

(Before being executed, the King of England, Wallace's nemesis, got him brutally tortured.)

How'd you get beat by a dude named Longshanks?

(Longshanks is the nickname of Edward I of England, the king Wallace fought. Wallace successfully won against Edward several times, being a serious threat, but was ultimately defeated during the battle of Falkirk in 1298. Washington finds it ridiculous that Wallace got beat by a king with such a ridiculous nickname.) 

You hot dogged and he cut off your bean franks

(A reference to the Hanged, Drawn and Quartered sentence where Wallace got his testicles (bean franks) cut out. Washington also says Wallace got hot dogged. Hot dogging is a sexual action where one man puts his penis between the butt cheeks of another person without penetrating it.)

I'm money like a national bank

(Again, George Washington refers to how he appears on the quarter and the dollar bill. A National Bank has a lot of cash, Washington is saying he is much like a bank. George Washington also signed the bill allowing a National Bank to be created, even though many founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson disagreed and wanted it to be taken apart. The National Bank later became a huge success in American government decisions, even though many economists still claim Washington only did it for personal gain.)

Ain't nobody more street than Big G

(Washington says he's got a lot of street cred. He has a massive reputation, which he details next.)

Stone face with a grill of sheep teeth!

(Washington is often depicted as a stone-faced, or expressionless man. He also literally has his face carved into the stone on the side of Mount Rushmore, along with Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abe Lincoln. Reports indicate that he may have had dentures (a "grill") fashioned from wood and/or animal bone.)

A Mel Gibson movie is your legacy

(In 1995, Mel Gibson created a film called Braveheart about William Wallace which got great reception and even won Best Picture at the Oscars. Washington is saying that this film is the only surviving legacy of William Wallace's life.)

I got a state and a day and a DC

(After stating that the only thing Wallace left behind was the "Braveheart" movie, Washington names several of his great homages: Washington is a state in the United States named after George. Washington's Birthday is a U.S. federal holiday, celebrated on the third Monday of February. Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States, named in honor of George Washington.)

Stroke, roll up in a boat

("Stroke" is a word shouted by one person of the group rowing a boat to keep the rhythm, and Washington is shouting it as he was among these people. It is a reference to Washington crossing the Delaware River in the night of December 25th-26th, 1776 with several boats.)

Stroke, you're sleeping, cut your throat

(The reason behind crossing the Delaware was to eliminate the garrison of British soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey. The battle happened early in the morning, so the British were either sleeping, drunk or celebrating Christmas, leaving little resistance for the rebels. Washington says he'll cut the throat of Wallace while he sleeps like he did in Trenton.)

Stroke, I watch the blood flow, now who's got that red coat?

(With his throat cut, Wallace will bleed out to death, drenching his coat in red while Washington watches. There is a pun on the English soldiers during the Revolutionary War, who were nicknamed the redcoats. (This nickname is also mentioned by Billy Mays in Billy Mays vs Ben Franklin), rapping against Ben Franklin, another Founding Father of the US.))

William Wallace:
Look at ya in your little blousy outfit,

(Wallace starts his verse by calling attention to, then mocking Washington's 18th-century dress. The well-to-do in this era would wear frilly clothing (sound familiar?). Wallace implies this to be very feminine.)

Looking like a stiffer white dick than your monument

(The Washington Monument is an obelisk monument located in Washington D.C., built in honor of George Washington. Wallace makes fun of it by comparing it to an erect white penis, and says that Washington looks like a boring jerk.)

I'll knock you the fuck out, mate, you died owning slaves, I died setting men free (Scot free!)

(Wallace threatens to beat Washington senseless. He then says that while Washington owned African slaves, he fought to free the Scots from their bondage to English rulers.)

That's the Highland way, this powdered prick couldn't beat me in a foot race

(Scottish men, particularly those in the Highlands region, are cast as strong and iron-willed. Wallace says that based on this, he is manlier than Washington. Mocking his hair, which Washington powdered white, Wallace says that he'd win a foot race against Washington easily.)

I was emasculated, eviscerated, I had my head chopped off and they put it on a pike

(Wallace mentions how he was hanged, drawn, and quartered.)

And I still find time to bust a Gaelic rhyme

(Continuing from the line above, despite being hanged, drawn, and quartered, he is still able to rap against Washington.)

And rip your Yankee Doodle arse on the mic!

(Wallace claims he can rap well enough to beat Washington. "Yankee Doodle" is an old American folk tune originally composed by the British to poke fun at colonists. "Yankee Doodle", or just "Yankee" is a derogatory term for Americans especially those in the North Eastern region of the United States.)

'''I'll knock your face off your moola, Alba gu bràth (Gu bràth!) Hoo-rah! (Hoo-rah!)'''

(George's face is on the American $1 banknote. "Alba gu bràth" is a Scottish Gaelic phrase meaning "Scotland Forever". Wallace is saying he will thrash Washington so hard that he'll wipe his face off the banknote. The "hoo-rah!" line in the background is Wallace's army cheering him on.)

Founding father but no children,

(Washington is labelled one of the most known Founding Fathers of the United States of America. However, this is his only legitimate "father" title as he didn't have any biological children with his wife, Martha. The only children he got to raise were those of Martha's older husband.) 

Crossed the Delaware, but your soldiers can't swim

(One of Washington's most famous exploits was that of crossing the Delaware River, but, a common case in Washington's years, most of the soldiers he got with him were unable to swim. Wallace pokes fun at the idea of crossing a river when most of your soldiers are unable to swim. This is also another jab at Washington not having any biological children of his own, a sex joke with the 'soldiers' being the sperm and 'swimming' being the ejaculation in the womb.)

That's Washington, such a shite tactician

(Wallace says his previous line was typical of Washington's ideas, demonstrating the General's lack of experience and skills.)

The fucking British Army didn't even want him

(Washington never received a commission in the British Army, Wallace is saying even The British Army didn't want George in.)

'''I'm Wallace! And I'm flawless!'''

(Wallace reminds Washington of who he is facing and simply says he's flawless.)

Stay hid in your office or suffer great losses!

(Washington was the first president of the United States. Being president can be referred to as "being in office". Wallace suggests Washington to stay in his office instead of meeting Wallace and his army on the battlefield, because if he would, he would lose badly or 'suffer great losses'.)

I pop my kilt, strap my sword in my hilt, step on the battlefield and I'm ready to kill!

(Simply put, Wallace says he's gearing up to take Washington down.)

Send all you politicians straight down to hell!

(Wallace is referencing how American politicians tend to be corrupt and says that Washington is one of them; thus, they all must be punished for their corruption.)

The only Washington I trust is Denzel!

(Wallace references the American actor Denzel Washington, saying that he trusts him rather than George Washington. This could also reference an interview with Denzel Washington where he says that he and Mel Gibson are friends.)

George Washington:
Is that the best you got for me?!

(Washington brushes off Wallace's insults as pity by asking if his lines are the best disses that Wallace can come up with.)

I'll chop down an emcee like a cherry tree!

(In a legend, Washington is said to have chopped down his father's cherry tree, and Washington honestly admits to his father about his wrongdoing. Washington is saying that he will chop down Wallace like he did to the cherry tree.)

'''See, power! That's what the meaning of my flag is!'''

(Washington says that the American flag is a symbol of power.)

Your nation's famous for golf and haggis!

(Scotland is stereotypically associated with golf and haggis, which is a pudding made of a sheep's heart, liver and lungs and prepared in the sheep's stomach.)

I'm fabulous from my head to my shoe buckle!

(In Washington's times, many people dressed very strict and well-fashioned, and shoes often had a buckle on them to keep them on. Washington is saying he is stylish. He is also comparing himself to Wallace's more wild and homely appearance.)

Step to me, you catch a knee to the moose knuckle!

(A moose knuckle is a male counterpart of the camel toe, where the shape of a man's genitals and penis are seen through his pants. In other words, Washington is threatening to knee him in the crotch.)

'Cause I know you don't wear no draws

(Men in William Wallace's day and status didn't wear underwear, and George Washington is aware of this.)

I'm dressed like a pimp, best moves in at the ball

(Another reference to how well-fashioned he and people of his time were.)

McGlavin, McGliven, McSchool you all

Cock block more Scots than Hadrian's Wall!

(Hadrian's Wall was a wall made by the Roman to defend Rome. Cock blocking is a term used when someone decreases or prevents someone's chances of getting with someone, and by extent getting laid.)

William Wallace:
I don't give a shite bout your fancy clothes!

(Refering back to Washington's line about his fancy dressing, Wallace says he doesn't care about how Washington fashions himself.

You whipped all of those out of slave black folks

(From its founding until 1865, Americans made heavy use of slave labor from Africa. Many of these slaves had to work on plantations, where they'd grow cotton and other materials to make clothing from. Continuing from his previous line, Wallace says he does not care about Washington's clothes because he disapproves of the way they were made.)

Grew weed, then you made hemp rope,

(Washington owned a plantation farm at Mount Vernon, VA on which he grew a number of crops, including varieties of cannabis. Weed is the drug form, commonly known as marijuana. Hemp isn't nearly as potent, but is a strong material for ropes and textiles.)

But if you think you'll beat me, you must be having a smoke!

'''No joke! Don't tee off with me, laddy!'''

(Another golf pun; to tee off is to hit the ball off of the tee holding it in place, and also to make someone pissed. Wallace is warning Washington not to piss him off.)

If you held my balls, you couldn't be my caddy!

(A caddy is a person who follows a golf player with their equipment, including the player's golf balls. Balls is also a slang word for testicles. Wallace is saying that even if he were to carry his balls, he still wouldn't be near the level he is on.)

My style's ice cold, yours is old and shabby

You're the father of your country, but I'm your daddy!

(The expression "I'm your daddy" indicates superiority and "owning" someone. Wallace is saying that while George is known as the father of the U.S.A, he is still better than him.)