This song is about Fred Durst's old girlfriend who betrayed him. Durst was sending money home to his girlfriend to pay the bills when he was starting his career in Los Angeles. Instead, she spent the money on drugs and hotel rooms for herself and another man. Durst explains in this song that he knew what was going on but stayed with her for the sex - that's the "Nookie." Jennie dated Fred Durst briefly before joining Limp Bizkit.)
Wes Borland, guitarist for Limp Bizkit, explained:
"'Nookie' occurred at the conclusion of another song. We started jamming on one of the other songs on the album. Lethal [Limp Bizkit's DJ] was playing a beat while I was playing guitar. We started playing, making up an outro to a different song on the spot, and went, 'Whoa, this is really cool,' and made up a quick verse/chorus. And we were like, 'Okay, what's the working title for this one?' The beat was sampled from an Italian porn movie from the 1970s that Lethal had in his library. It was as if they were saying, 'That beat is from a porn movie; we should call this song 'Nookie.'
The next day, Fred came into the studio, and I told him, 'We've got to show you a song, we're calling it 'Nookie' for the time being.' And he said, 'Okay.' 'Dude, that's the name of the song! I'm going to use that as the lyrics,' he exclaimed. That was the end of it."
"Nookie" was Limp Bizkit's breakthrough song and a defining track of the nu metal era. They landed a spot on Ozzfest the following year after releasing their first album, Three Dollar Bill Y'all, in 1997, where they memorably performed in front of a giant toilet (a nod to their haters, who said they were s—t). Rap-metal, led by Korn, was still a niche genre in 1999, when "Nookie" was released as the first single from Limp Bizkit's second album, Significant Other, the genre was gaining both acceptance and derision. Fred Durst and company embraced the mockery with gusto, ushering in a new generation of goateed, baseball-cap-wearing young men into the nu metal revolution. "Nookie" was played on modern rock radio and MTV, propelling the album to the top of the charts in the United States. It is still the band's most popular song.
Lyrics
Check, one, one, two
I came into this world as a reject
Look into these eyes, then you'll see the size of the flames (size of 'em!)
Dwellin' on the past, (past!) it's burnin' on my brain (hot!)
Everyone that burns has to learn from the pain
Hey, I think about the day (days!)
My girlie ran away with my pay when fellas came to (play!) play
Now she's stuck with my homies that she fucked (ooh!)
And I'm just a sucker with a lump in my throat, hey
Like a chump
(Hey!) I'm like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!) I'm like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!)
Should I be feelin' bad? (no!) Should I be feelin' good? (no!)
It's kinda sad, I'm the laughin' stock of the neighborhood
And you would think that I'd be movin' on (move it!)
But I'm a sucker, like I said – fucked up in the head, not!
And maybe she just made a mistake and I should give her a break
My heart'll ache either way
Hey, what the hell, what you want me to say?
I won't lie, that I can't deny
I did it all for the nookie (come on!)
The nookie (come on!)
So you can take that cookie
And stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your…
I did it all for the nookie (come on!)
The nookie (come on!)
So you can take that cookie
And stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your…
Why did it take so long?
Why, did I wait so long, huh?
To figure it out, but I did it
And I'm the only one underneath the sun who didn't get it
I can't believe that I could be deceived (but you were!)
By my so-called girl, but in reality
Had a hidden agenda
She put my tender, heart in a blender
And still I surrendered, hey
Like a chump
(Hey!) I'm like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!) I'm like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
(Hey!) like a chump
I did it all for the nookie (come on!)
The nookie (come on!)
So you can take that cookie
And stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your
I did it all for the nookie (come on!)
The nookie (come on!)
So you can take that cookie
And stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your
I'm only human
It's so easy for your friends to give you their advice
They'll tell you, "Just let it go!"
It's easier said than done
I appreciate it, I do, but
Just leave me alone, leave me alone
Just leave me alone
And nothing gonna change
You can go away
I'm just gonna stay here
And always be the same
And nothing gonna change
'Cause you can go away
And I'm just gonna stay here
And always be the same
And nothing gonna change
'Cause you can go away
And I'm just gonna stay here
And always be the same
I did it all for the nookie (come on!)
The nookie (come on!)
So you can take that cookie
And stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your
I did it all for the nookie (come on!)
The nookie (come on!)
So you can take that cookie
And stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your (yeah!)
Stick it up your…