U-God's Resume #49, "Careful (Click, Click)"

--Official Stats--
Artist: Wu-Tang Clan
Song: "Careful (Click, Click)"
Producer: RZA
Album: The W
Release Date: November 21, 2000

Can I live?

I was oblivious to Wu music when this album was released, despite being a major fan. Somehow I completely missed the first single from this album ("Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)") and then I was caught by surprise when I discovered "The W" had dropped.

On one hand, the bad hand, I was out of the loop. On the other hand, the good hand, I was able to listen to this album fresh without knowing which song the single was, or if a single had even come out. I honestly thought that this song would have been the first single. It's very good and has some element of mass appeal, not from pandering, but from natural Wu Charisma. Plus it has an interesting structure and a clever chorus. Rare shit!


This is the second song on the album, and the third (and final single) from this album. In an odd turn, all three singles from this album feature U-God, so we'll get to cover all the hits with this U-God series.

This track does come with a stacked roster, but there is no way this could have been the first single. Why? Even though it has almost the whole clan, it does not have the GZA, Method Man, or ODB, so the biggest hype men in the clan sat this one out (along with the best MC in the Clan), meaning the most marketable guys were mostly absent (but we do get Cappadonna). Oh, and I guess no Raekwon.

U-God appears twice on this track, he gets a verse and an interlude. So that's good! But he's sandwiched between Ghost and Deck. Uh-Oh, he better bring his A+ game. Private school A+, no public school shit. Oh, and I know that this song has a video, but I'm not going to watch it because it's so boring and I want to hear the real lyrics today.

"Careful (Click, Click)"





After a garbage beat intro, the real beat kicks in and the whole shit is ill. One of Wu's best.

RZA starts things off with a verse that would be tough for anyone to top. It's got mad energy, a reference to the eight point sun, and a mad team echos. Nice. U-God is next with a simple bridge:

Something in the slum went rum-pum-pum-pum

Something in the slum went rum-pum-pum-pum

Fine. Then we get a quick spit from Masta Killa, who is easily one of my favorite MCs in the group. He comes in strong and his flow is perfect on this beat. "It's been a long time son, since we bust gun." Word.

Cappadonna is next with a variation on U's bridge "Something in the street went BANG BANG...", which I guess is the chorus. Then he spits a verse. Before Wu's album Forever I would have been irritated with the Masta Killa / Cappadonna line up, as I thought Masta Killa was boring and Cappa was a bad rapper. However, now that I am older and wiser, this combo is perfect. Two of my favorite MCs spitting rough back to back.

The next verse goes to Ghost, who delivers his version of the chorus, and the shit is violent. It's a great counterpoint to Cappa's loud "BANG! BANG!"l Ghost's version is mad laid back: "Something in the hall went click, click....the boxcutter when click click." Sinister. His verse is dope, of course, then we have U.

These in the camera guys, cause, tear in your eye
Sweat on the hammer fly, ways, of the Samurai
Newsflash bulletin, Gods on the prowl
We full again, ruff men scuff Timbs
Sonic bionic lens, RZA console
Is it Bush or the Dole, front row of the superbowl
Black gold in my soul, on a hoe stroll
Don't go boy you on parole you don't know?

Topical polotical stuff from like twenty years ago aside, this is a dope verse. But it's only like twenty seconds long. Just like all the other verses on this track. That's about right for U, but for everyone else I want require a real verse. No shorts.

Someone in the back went, clack clack.

Money in stack, now bust ya gunz, clap clap.

That's Deck's variation on the chorus, and while it's not as nice as Ghost's, it's still good. And what a surprise, Deck's verse is the best of the song and he dominates everyone.

Made 'em throw they hands up / but then lay flat

Rat pack eat up the average alley cat

Prepare for the impact when we contact

Known to drop facts to crack your hardhats

After Deck repeats his version of the chorus, everyone runs through their special version, and U repeats his bridge and everything ends over a fancy guitar.

IN CONCLUSION: This is one of the Wu's best and U helps make it that way. Word 'em up! The variations on the chorus is brilliant and Deck wins best verse over very strong competition. Keep this up Wu Tang Clan!

CAREFUL (CLICK, CLICK) SCORE: 9/10

U-God’s Score: 9/10

Impact on Rep (+,-,=): Improves



Next Week: "Gravel Pit" is the second single from The W, but it appears last on the album. So it marks U-God's last appearance on the album (except for the song "Clap", which was not a single).


About this series: “U-God’s Resume" is a series of posts which looks at each line of U-God’s entire career to determine if his status as ‘wack’ is justified (as labeled by internet morons). I think it is not. U-God is dope. We'll prove it. Leave it to the Tort Team.