Mockingbird

[Verse 1]

Hailie, I know you miss your Mom, and I know you miss your Dad

When I'm gone, but I'm tryin' to give you the life that I never had

I can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh

I can see it in your eyes, deep inside you wanna cry

'Cause you're scared, I ain't there, Daddy's wit' you in your prayers

No more cryin', wipe them tears, Daddy's here, no more nightmares

We gon' pull together through it, we gon' do it

Lainie, Uncle's crazy, ain't he? Yeah

Well, all we got in this world when it spins, when it swirls

When it whirls, when it twirls, two little beautiful girls

Lookin' puzzled, in a daze, I know it's confusin' you

Daddy's always on the move, Mama's always on the news

I try to keep you sheltered from it, but somehow it seems

The harder that I try to do that, the more it backfires on me

All the things growin' up as Daddy that he had to see

Daddy don't want you to see, but you see just as much as he did

We did not plan it to be this way, your mother and me

Things have got so bad between us, I don't see us ever bein'

Together ever again, like we used to be when we was teenagers

Then, of course, everything always happens for a reason

I guess it was never meant to be

But it's just somethin' we have no control over, and that's what destiny is

But no more worries, rest your head and go to sleep

Maybe one day we'll wake up, this'll all just be a dream

[Chorus 1]

Now hush, little baby, don't you cry

Everything's gonna be alright

Stiffen that upper lip up, little lady, I told you

Daddy's here to hold ya through the night

I know Mommy's not here right now and we don't know why

We feel how we feel inside

It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby

But I promise Mama's gon' be alright

[Verse 2]

It's funny

I remember back one year when Daddy had no money

Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and stuck 'em under the tree

And said some of 'em were from me 'cause Daddy couldn't buy 'em

I'll never forget that Christmas, I sat up the whole night crying

'Cause Daddy felt like a bum—see, Daddy had a job

But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and Mom

And at the time, every house that we lived in

Either kept gettin' broken into and robbed or shot up on the block

And your Mom was savin' money for you in a jar

Tryna start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college

Almost had a thousand dollars, 'til someone broke in and stole it

And I know it hurt so bad it broke your Mama's heart

And it seemed like everything was just startin' to fall apart

Mom and Dad was arguin' a lot

Mama moved back on to Chalmers in the one-bedroom apartment

Dad moved back to the other side of 8 Mile in Novara

And that's when Daddy went to California with his CD

And met Dr. Dre, and flew you and Mama out to see me

But Daddy had to work, you and Mama had to leave me

Then you started seein' Daddy on the TV

Mama didn't like it

And you and Lainie were too young to understand it

Papa was a rolling stone, Mama developed a habit

It all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it

I'm just sorry you were there and had to witness it firsthand

'Cause all I ever wanted to do was just make you proud

Now I'm sittin' in this empty house just reminiscin'

Lookin' at your baby pictures, it just trips me out

To see how much you've grown, it's almost like you're sisters now

Wow, guess you pretty much are, and Daddy's still here

Lainie, I'm talkin' to you too, and Daddy's still here

I like the sound of that, yeah, it's got a ring to it, don't it?

Shh! Mama's only gone for the moment

[Chorus 1]

Now hush, little baby, don't you cry

Everything's gonna be alright

Stiffen that upper lip up, little lady, I told ya

Daddy's here to hold ya through the night

I know Mommy's not here right now and we don't know why

We feel how we feel inside

It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby

But I promise Mama's gon' be alright

[Chorus 2]

And if you ask me to, Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird

I'ma give you the world

I'ma buy a diamond ring for you, I'ma sing for you

I'll do anything for you to see you smile

And if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine

I'ma break that birdie's neck

I'll go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya

And make him eat every carat, don't fuck with Dad! (Haha)