[Verse 1]
"You gon' be a star," they said
They said, "You gon' take us far," they said
They said, "Everywhere you go, they gon' know your name
Who cares if you get lonely long as you're famous?"
"Don't you want money and the cars?", they said
"Expensive liquor and cigars?", they said
"I mean, what's better than havin' everything that you dreamed of?
Long as they need you, you don't need love"

[Chorus]
Just be great
Put on for your city, for your state
And whatever you do, just make us proud
Ain't gon' be no cryin' from the clouds
Yeah, they say, "Just be great
Who carеs if there's too much on your plate?
Don't makе no mistakes and hide your pain, no rain
Whatever you do, just make us proud
And ain't gon' be no cryin' from the clouds"

[Post-Chorus]
Ain't gon' be no cryin' from the clouds

[Verse 2]
"You gon', you gon' be a star," they said
They said, "Don't waste your tomorrow," they said
They said, "You're the one that's chosen to make it out
Gotta seize the moment, don't let us down"
"Just gotta play your part," they said
"And history, you'll be a part of it
I mean, what's better than havin' everything that you dreamed of?
Long as they need you, you don't need love"
[Chorus]
Just be great (Just be great)
Put on for your city, for your state (State)
And whatever you do, just make us proud (Proud)
Ain't gon' be no cryin' from the clouds (Clouds)
Yeah, they say, "Just be great" (Just be great)
"Who cares if there's too much on your plate?" (Your plate now)
"Don't make no mistakes and hide your pain, no rain
Whatever you do, just make us proud
And ain't gon' be no cryin' from the clouds"

[Post-Chorus]
(Ooh) Ain't gon' be no cryin' from the clouds
(Ooh) Ain't gon' be no—

[Verse 3]
I was way too far out in the world, but I still put on for my city
I was handin' out too much milk money, too much kitten, and ass, and titties
I lost my voice like a pastor, faster than a Harlem shimmy
But I guess that's what you get for tryin' to make heartbreak pretty
Uh, they say, "Life's a bitch" (They say, "Life's a bitch")
"And then you die" (And then you die)
So please, if you're pennin' my eulogy, just say I tried
And that's word to Phineas, Jess and Si
And if I don't wake up in Heaven, then it was one hell of a ride
Yeah, yeah
If I don't wake up in Heaven, it was one hell of a ride
A hell of a ride
[Outro]
Uh, Momma said money can't buy me happiness
So I copped a G5, tried to fly myself up next to it
I fucked up some commas just to dot-dot-dot, where's the rest of it?
This what clean look like when clean took life and made a mess of it
Had to realize I'm just blessed to it
You can't take it all with you, but you can remember the best of it
I pray for peace within myself and no more regrets with it
'Cause when I looked at my soul in the Mississippi, it reflected it
And if you know me, you're right next to it
I'm everything you thought I was
I'm everything I thought I was
It was everything I thought it was
It was everything I thought it was