I Am On One

[Talib] Yeah.. my Lord.. yeah [Verse 1: Talib] We sell, crack to our own out the back of our homes We smell the musk at the dusk in the crack of the dawn We go through "Epidodes II," like "Attack of the Clones" Work 'til we break our back and you hear the crack of the bone To get by.. just to get by Just to get by, just to get by We commute to computers Spirits stay mute while you eagles spread rumors We survivalists, turned to consumers To get by.. just to get by Just to get by, just to get by Ask Him why some people got to live in a trailer, cuss like a sailor I paint a picture with the pen like Norman Mailer Me and Willa raised three daughters all by herself, with no help I think about a struggle and I find the strength in myself These words, melt in my mouth They hot, like the jail cell in the South Before my nigga Core bailed me out To get by.. just to get by Just to get by, just to get by We do or die like Bed-Stuy through the red sky With the window of the red eye Let the lead fly, some G. Rap shit, "Livin' to Let Die" [Chorus: Background singers) This morning, I woke up Feeling brand new and I jumped up Feeling my highs, and my lows In my soul, and my goals Just to stop smokin, and stop drinkin And I've been thinkin - I've got my reasons Just to get (by), just to get (by) Just to get (by), just to get (by) [Talib and background singers] (ba ba ba, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da badahh Just to get (by), just to get (by) Just to get (by by by by by by) (ba ba ba, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da badahh Just to get (by), just to get (by) Just to get (by by by by by by) [Verse 2: Talib] We keeping it gangster say "fo shizzle", "fo sheezy" and "stayin crunk" Its easy to pull a breezy, smoke trees, and we stay drunk Yo, I activism - attackin the system, the blacks and latins in prison Numbers of prison they victim black in the vision Shit and all they got is rappin to listen to I let them know we missin you, the love is unconditional Even when the condition is critical, when the livin is miserable Your position is pivotal, I ain't bullshittin you Now, why would I lie? Just to get by? Just to get by, we get fly The TV got us reachin for stars Not the ones between Venus and Mars, the ones that be readin for parts Some people get breast enhancements and penis enlargers Saturday sinners Sunday morning at the feet of the Father They need somethin to rely on, we get high on all types of drug When, all you really need is love To get by.. just to get by Just to get by, just to get by Our parents sing like John Lennon, "Imagine all the people watch" We rock like Paul McCartney from now until the last Beatle drop [Chorus: Background singers] This morning, I woke up Feeling brand new and I jumped up Feeling my high's, and my low's In my soul, and my goals Just to stop smoking, and stop drinking And I've been thinking - I've got my reasons Just to get (by), just to get (by) Just to get (by), just to get (by) [Talib: repeat 2X - with background singers] Yoyoyo, yo Some people cry, and some people try Just to get by, for a piece of the pie You love to eat and get high We decieve when we lie, and we keepin it fly Yoyoyo, yo When, the people decide, to keep a disguise Can't see they eyes, see the evil inside But there's people you find Strong or feeble in mind, I stay readin the signs Talib Kweli Get By