[Chorus: Amel Larrieux]
You live, you die
And spend the years in between, asking the question why
You've been through what you've been
You'll lose, you'll win, you'll even pay for others' sins
But you must always adore the skin you are in

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
I woke up and it was pouring down rain
I put my head on, it really wasn't no thang
One of them days I was feeling immune to the pain
Threw on, Alice Coltrane, smoked and sang
And wrote this flame, composed to the rhythm of the droplets
And wind whispering, similar to gossip
The kick slapping at the window glass
Slow down the globe, so it don't spin too fast
Because, I've been running like a river since
The age of my early innocence
It just made me ambitious
My grams used to tell me "Man, listen –
If you can't burn, don't step into the kitchen"
You muscle your turn, the laws of the land vicious
We gotta stick to the plan, which is
Pursuing true riches, whether we trade stock or wash dishes
Throughout setbacks and few glitches
The Big Picture's the focus, fuck being hopeless
Or helpless, we not selfish, so we wrote this
Give it to ya, make you feel good
Know what I'm talking about? C'mon
[Chorus: Amel Larrieux]
You live, you die
And spend the years in between, asking the question why
You've been through what you've been
You'll lose, you'll win, you'll even pay for others' sins
But you must always adore the skin you are in

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
Yo, from the parquet floors to the fifty foot ceiling
I pull the heavy black curtain back, now revealing
The sun beneath the velvet
And like it was mine, no one else's
Embracing the beams, yo – I felt it
And stood there, feeling it, getting charged
Turn me loose upon the streets, a young poet at large
Out in the world, up against tremendous odds
Some'll let it break 'em and they throw in they cards
But my squad remain focused when we going for ours
And we don't–do it for chains or do it for cars
And we don't–do it for lames or do it for broads
And we don't–do it for fame, we do it because
It's for the young, black, gifted mind
Living the story of the most twisted kind
Turbulent times swirled around they dome like a turban
It gets disturbing, feeling alone in the urban
But maintain ya grip, for just a little bit
I'd tell you it's all good, but that's bullshit
Let's just try to feel good, yeah
Know what I'm talkin bout? C'mon
[Bridge: Amel Larrieux]
The spirit knows we're meant to flow
Up rivers you row, by the seat of your soul
With your past in tow, and the seeds you sow
Are destined to grow, even after you go

[Chorus: Amel Larrieux]
You live, you die
And spend the years in between asking the question why
You've been through what you've been
You'll lose, you'll win, you'll even pay for others' sins
But you must always adore the skin you are in
You live, you die
Spend the years in between asking the question why
You've been through what you've been
You live, you die
And spend the years in between asking the question why
You've been through what you've been
You'll lose, you'll win, you'll even pay for others' sins
But you must always adore the skin you are in – you're in
You live, you die
And spend the years in between asking the question why
You've been through what you've been
You'll lose, you'll win, you'll even pay for others' sins
But you must always adore the skin you are in