Sami St. Nicholas

[VERSE 1]

Do you know
What it’s like to be a child
Of a parent always in need
To be grown before your time
And not know exactly what you’re doing

[VERSE 2]

Growing up too fast
Because you’re the one who has
The responsibility
To be responsible

[VERSE 3]

Mom’s smoking crack
Or drinking cognac to intoxication
Dad’s chasing the skirts of whores after work
Never around when you need him

[VERSE 4]

Or dad’s the jerk
And mom’s not leaving
Instead she’s crying and weeping
‘Bout what a no-good S.O.B. he is

[VERSE 5]

Parents Always In Pain
Generally come in pairs
Because one or the other is screwing up
And the other is always complaining

[HOOK]

Children of PAIN
Children of Parents Always In Need
Children of PAIN
Who’s listening
When you’re the one that’s needing?

[VERSE 6]

You may not understand the feeling
They don’t all act the same
But children of PAIN
Have a lot in common
From taking care of parents who are weak

[VERSE 7]

It’s all supposed to be so simple
A child, then the parents’ doing the raising
But it all gets reversed
When the childhood is taken
By parents in need of intervention

[VERSE 8]

What happens to the children of PAIN
The impact is not all the same
Too many follow in mom and dad’s footsteps
And some grow into a life
Of incredible service

[VERSE 9]

Never realizing how much childhood they’ve missed
Never asking for help
Taking on more than their share
Because asking in childhood got them nowhere

[VERSE 10]

Children of PAIN can be independent as hell
And that may seem swell
Except life is community
Not meant to be solitary . . . confinement

[HOOK]

Children of PAIN
Children of Parents Always In Need
Children of PAIN
Who’s listening
When you’re the one that’s needing?

Children of PAIN
Children of Parents Always In Need
Children of PAIN
Who’s listening
When you’re the one that’s needing?

[VERSE 1]

It has taken me some time
To consider
Life from your point of view
I was too wrapped in me
To realize there was a you in this too

[VERSE 2]

But you would not give up
Just kept your hopes up
Wore down my resistance
With love and persistence
And now that I am:

[CHORUS]

Hooked on your love
(Where’d you go?)
Hooked on your hugs and kisses
(I miss you so)
Hooked on you
(Like Mr. and Mrs.)
Where are you now?

[VERSE 3]

When we met I was down on my luck
You didn’t seem to notice
Kept lifting me up
I never knew what you saw in me
Saw things I could never see
And now that I am:

[CHORUS]

Hooked on your love
(Where’d you go?)
Hooked on your hugs and kisses
(I miss you so)
Hooked on you
(Like Mr. and Mrs.)
Where are you now?

[BRIDGE]

Time and time again
You reached out to me
I’d pretend not to see
You never knew I was into you
I knew from the start
That you’d break my heart

Time and time again
You reached out to me
I’d pretend not to see
You never knew I was into you
I knew from the start
That you’d break my heart
And now that I am:

[CHORUS]

Hooked on your love
(Where’d you go?)
Hooked on your hugs and kisses
(I miss you so)
Hooked on you
(Like Mr. and Mrs.)
Where are you now?

Baby, where you now, now that I am
Hooked on your love
Where’d you go, baby?
Hooked on your hugs and kisses
I miss you so, missing you, missing you
Hooked on you
Like Mr. and Mrs.
Where are you now, baby
Now that I need you so
Baby, where are you now?

[VERSE 1: Woman]

Now you know I don’t speak that lingo
Why you talking that language to me
Speak to me so I’ll comprehend
If you want me understand

[CHORUS: Man]

Soy Papi Smooth, tú sabes lo que quiero
(I’m Papi Smooth, you know what I want)
Sabes cuánto lo quiero en mi
(You know how much I want it on me)
Sabes cuánto me gusta, Mami
(You know how much I like it, Mami)
Ahora dámelo aquí
(Now give it here to me)

[VERSE 2: Woman]

Don’t know what you’re talking ’bout baby
But it’s sounding so hot to me
Don’t get a thing you’re saying
Maybe you can show me what you mean?

[CHORUS: Man]

Soy Papi Smooth, tú sabes lo que quiero
(I’m Papi Smooth, you know what I want)
Sabes cuánto lo quiero en mi
(You know how much I want it on me)
Sabes cuánto me gusta, Mami
(You know how much I like it, Mami)
Ahora dámelo aquí
(Now give it here to me)

[BRIDGE: Woman]

Papi Smooth, what you doing
I’m liking how you moving on me
I think you’re getting through
My body’s liking it too

Yeah I like it when you stroke my hair
Ooh it’s nice when you touch me there
Ooh baby you’re moving down slow
Papi Smooth, show me some more

Papi Smooth, what you doing
I’m liking how you moving on me
I think you’re getting through
My body’s liking it too

Yeah I like it when you stroke my hair
Ooh it’s nice when you touch me there
Ooh baby you’re moving down slow
Papi Smooth, show me some more

[CHORUS: Man]

Soy Papi Smooth, tú sabes lo que quiero
(I’m Papi Smooth, you know what I want)
Sabes cuánto lo quiero en mi
(You know how much I want it on me)
Sabes cuánto me gusta, Mami
(You know how much I like it, Mami)
Ahora dámelo aquí
(Now give it here to me)

[VERSE 3: Woman]

Ooh Papi Smooth
Don’t stop what you’re doing
Your lingo’s ringing loud and clear
Got my body tingling everywhere
I’m hearing you, you’re getting through
Papi, Papi speak to me

[CHORUS: Man]

Soy Papi Smooth, tú sabes lo que quiero
(I’m Papi Smooth, you know what I want)
Sabes cuánto lo quiero en mi
(You know how much I want it on me)
Sabes cuánto me gusta, Mami
(You know how much I like it, Mami)
Ahora dámelo aquí
(Now give it here to me)

Soy Papi Smooth, tú sabes lo que quiero
(I’m Papi Smooth, you know what I want)
Sabes cuánto lo quiero en mi
(You know how much I want it on me)
Sabes cuánto me gusta, Mami
(You know how much I like it, Mami)
Ahora dámelo aquí
(Now give it here to me)

[VERSE 1]

I’m living my life, doing my thing
Kind of amazed there’s an enemy
Within the camp
A hater, a jealous member
It makes me smile
To be so envied
That you would try to undermine me
That you would go through the trouble
Makes me feel so incredibly adorable
Like I’m special you know

[CHORUS]

But don’t hate on me
I’m not your enemy
The one you’re looking for
Is in the mirror

[VERSE 2]

Why hate on me
Why the jealousy
Does it kill you that I rise
While you hide
And languish in the misery
Of being ordinary
Thinking God blessed me
More than you
You know why Cain killed Abel
You know that feeling
Living in your private hell
A mental space you know so well
Thinking I’m getting all the love
And you’ve been ignored and forgotten

[CHORUS]

But don’t hate on me
I’m not your enemy
The one you’re looking for
Is in the mirror

[VERSE 3]

I’d tell you the secret
To release you from your demons
But you’re backstabbing
And think I don’t see it
So I watch you squirm
Inside your wormhole
Knowing you wouldn’t believe me
If I told you
Where the key to happiness lies
I can tell you where it’s not
It’s not in the skies
Or hidden beneath a rock
It’s not external to your being
Are you getting what I’m meaning;
Have you guessed it yet?

[CHORUS]

But don’t hate on me
I’m not your enemy
The one you’re looking for
Is in the mirror

[VERSE 4]

I said you wouldn’t believe me
Because it’s buried deep
Underneath the layers
Of the one you’re really hating
But let me not be too cocky
Don’t want to step on my own story
Trying to make the point that surely
You’re wasting your time
Hating my glory
You don’t have to look no further
Than in the midst of His favor
You reap what you sow
I’m wishing you well, you know

[CHORUS]

But don’t hate on me
I’m not your enemy
The one you’re looking for
Is in the mirror

But don’t hate on me
(You’re wasting your time, hating my glory)
I’m not your enemy
I’m not the one you’re looking for, boo
You’re looking for you
The face in the mirror
Don’t hate on me

[Verse 1]

I think I know what you’re feeling
You know I’m feeling it too
Things are changing
Changing between me and you
Don’t want to jinx what’s going on
But lately we’ve been getting along

[Chorus]

Could it be, could it be, could it be
We’re falling in love (again)
Could it be, could it be, could it be
We will be as one (again)
Could it be that we’ll turn out fine (again)
Could it be that it’s our time (again)

[Verse 2]

I woke up early this morning
To catch the sunlight on your face
Your eyes were wide open looking at me
I looked at you
We both smiled and looked away
Were you thinking what I was thinking
Is it possible to say

[Chorus]

Could it be, could it be, could it be
We’re falling in love (again)
Could it be, could it be, could it be
We will be as one (again)
Could it be that we’ll turn out fine (again)
Could it be that it’s our time (again)

[Bridge]

Baby, I don’t know where we got off track
But it sure would be great to have you back
The way we were back when
We had eyes for only each other
And all our moments mattered then

Baby, I don’t know where we got off track
But it sure would be great to have you back
The way we were back when
We had eyes for only each other
And all our moments mattered then

[Chorus]

Could it be, could it be, could it be
We’re falling in love (again)
Could it be, could it be, could it be
We will be as one (again)
Could it be that we’ll turn out fine (again)
Could it be that it’s our time (again)

Could it be, could it be, could it be
We’re falling in love (again)
Could it be, could it be, could it be
We will be as one (again)
Could it be that we’ll turn out fine (again)
Could it be that it’s our time (again)

[INTRO]
If we pretend that it doesn’t exist
Would hate dissipate
If we dispense with its history
Could hate still be?

[VERSE 1]

If hate is woven in the fabric
Of our society
How is it eradicated
Without destroying
The fabric in which it was created
Is hate somehow separate and distinct
Standing outside society’s gates
Waiting for an invitation
To let it reign

[VERSE 2]
Is hate even recognizable
To those who engage in it
And if hate is not the real culprit
Could fear be the true bandit
And hate just a scapegoat
An excuse for us not to face
Our inadequate feelings

[VERSE 3]

Because I was just wondering
If we don’t talk about hate
Will it go away
Can we ignore the topic
Like climate change
And let the glaciers of hate thaw
Through galactic black holes

[VERSE 4]

Is a little hate any more excusable
Than tons of it
If we call it political correctness
Does it erase the behaviors that are displayed with it
Will affirmative action
Remove it from our midst
Can we legislate against it

[VERSE 5]

If we are free to engage
Or free to abstain
Then is it okay that hate remains
I’m thinking maybe hate can’t exist
As long as we pretend it doesn’t

[VERSE 6]
If we stick our heads in the sand
And let our butts be exposed
Maybe no one will notice
If we whisper at its mention
And never say it aloud
Maybe it’ll just be a slogan
Not a shroud of shame
For a world’s inability to
Eradicate a hallmark of pain

[VERSE 7]
Can we dissipate hate
Make it melt like butter
And if it’s true that matter cannot be
Created or destroyed but only
Transformed
Can we really evaporate hate by the fires of hell
Can we hide it from the sun
And deny it photosynthesis
Can we feed it to the dogs
Scatter it among hogs

[VERSE 8]
Is hate like racism
Unidentifiable unless you’re the one racisized
And demoralized
Can I save you from hate
Will God forgive you for it
Will you forgive yourself
Is it addictive
Can you rehabilitate
Can we dissipate hate

[VERSE 9]
Without any effort
Is it psychosomatic
Will it respond to immersion therapy
If I hate and still worship in the temple
Am I a hypocrite
Do hypocrites hate themselves
Can you see it on my sleeve
Is hate spilled all over me

[VERSE 10]
Is it buried in the fabric of the clothes I wear
If I strip my body naked
Would you still see it there?
Does hate dissipate in the open air?
Does hate need oxygen to breathe
I’m just asking because I believe
No disease has ever been cured
By being ignored
No disease has ever been cured
By being ignored

[Verse 1]

I was feeling kinda weepy
Explaining how I’m feeling
This mofo calls me fragile
And said he can’t roll with that
I’m looking for support, you know
What the hell? Now hold up
Got my hairs to raise up
Felt like an f’ing daze . . . huh?
I’m holding down my own, hon
Got my kids to being grown, hon
Carrying mama on my back
‘Cuz Alzheimer’s got her whack
Keeping up the finances
Mowing when the grass is growin’

[Hook]

So back up and hold on
What you think I’m sowin’
But woman strength and pow’rfulness
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?

[Verse 2]

I’m giving it to you too, boo
Straight up and back door shooing
Spreading haunches like a Madam
Always keeping up and at ’em
Raising kids and cooking meals
Had no time for chasing dreams
Spinning in my brain like gritty matter
Stirring up some hopeless chatter
Flushed them down the drain
And never looked back again
I’m fragile like a steel trap
‘Cuz I know the real that
Only me to lean on
Can’t drop my shit and run home

[Hook]

So back up and hold on
What you think I’m sowin’
But woman strength and pow’rfulness
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?

[Verse 3]

Just because I’m weepin’
Don’t mean that I’m not keepin’
Up with every responsibility
And just because I’m asking
For some compassion
Don’t mean I’m slacking
On handling the load I’m carrying
Don’t have to prove I’m independent
Or how tough I really am
The proof is in the pudding as they say
But I can’t lay claim to fragile
Like china in a glass front cabinet
Because life has wrung fragile out of me

[Hook]

So back up and hold on
What you think I’m sowin’
But woman strength and pow’rfulness
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?

So back up and hold on
What you think I’m sowin’
But woman strength and pow’rfulness
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?
Are you serious
Or just being ludicrous?

[VERSE 1]

I feel the split
The split between you and me
Where your borders end, yo
Mine are set to begin, you know

[CHORUS]

Boundaries
Loving you is getting harder
We weren’t always at war tho’
I’m not saying you don’t know
But I’m feeling you splitting away, you know

[VERSE 2]

But we ain’t living like neighbors
More like conquering invaders
You protecting your borders
Me just tryin’ to cross over

[CHORUS]

Boundaries
Loving you is getting harder
We weren’t always at war tho’
I’m not saying you don’t know
But I’m feeling you splitting away, you know

[BRIDGE]

Can we back up and start over
Is that even a choice, you know
Breaking down these walls
So hoping we can fall
Back in love once and for all

Separating yourself from me (baby, why)
Tightening up your boundary (nah, baby)
Mapping out your borders
I feel the split between you and me
Mutual exclusivity, yo

Can we back up and start over
Is that even a choice, you know
Breaking down these walls
So hoping we can fall
Back in love once and for all

[CHORUS]

Boundaries
Loving you is getting harder
We weren’t always at war tho’
I’m not saying you don’t know
But I’m feeling you splitting away, you know

[VERSE 3]

You pushing back from being taken over
Losing . . . getting lost in disorder
Fighting for your independence
When all I wanna do is mend fences

[CHORUS]

Yeah, it’s boundaries
Loving you is getting so hard . . . it’s harder
Weren’t always at war tho’
Baby, I’m not saying you don’t know
But I’m feeling you splitting away, you know

Yeah, it’s boundaries
Let’s stop splitting apart
And start joining up, yeah
Baby, it’s getting so hard, so hard
So hoping we can fall
Back in love once and for all