[Intro: Justin Vernon]
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm building a still to slow down the time
(This copy is for Hype Williams)
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm building a still to slow down the time
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm building a still to slow down the time
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm building a still, down the time

[Chorus: Kanye West & Justin Vernon]
I'm lost in the world, been down my whole life
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm new in the city, and I'm down for the night
I'm building a still, to slow down the time
Down for the night, said she’s down for the night
(This copy is for Hype Williams)
Slow down the time (Ooohh)
I'm lost in the world, lost in the world, been down on my life
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm new in the city, but I'm down for the night
I'm building a still, to slow down the time
Down for the—

[Instrumental Break]

[Pre-Chorus: Justin Vernon & Kanye West]
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
Run from the lights, run from the night, run for your life
I'm new in the city, down for the night
I'm new in the city, run from the night, down for the night, down for the night

[Chorus: Kanye West & Justin Vernon]
I'm lost in the world, been down my whole life
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm new in the city, and I'm down for the night
I'm building a still, to slow down the time
Down for the night, down for the night
[Bridge: Justin Vernon, Gil Scott Heron & Kanye West]
Ooohh Ooohh Ooohh Ooohh
Who will survive in America? (Ooohh)
Who will survive in America? (Down for the night, Ooohh)
Who will survive in America? (Ooohh)
Who will survive in America?

[Chorus: Kanye West & Justin Vernon]
I'm lost in the world, been down my whole life
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm new in the city, and I'm down for the night
I'm building a still, to slow down the time
Run from the night, run from the night
I'm lost in the world, been down for my whole life
(This copy is for Hype Williams)
I'm up in the woods, I'm down on my mind
I'm new in the city, but I'm down for the night
I'm building a still, to slow down the time
Run from the night, for of your time

[Outro: Gil Scott Heron]
Us living as we do upside down
And the new word to have is revolution
People don't even want to hear the preacher spill or spiel
Because God's hole card has been thoroughly piqued
And America is now blood and tears instead of milk and honey
The youngsters who were programmed
To continue fucking up woke up one night
Digging Paul Revere and Nat Turner as the good guys. America stripped
For bed and we had not all yet closed our eyes. The signs of Truth
Were tattooed across our often-entered vagina
(This copy is for Hype Williams)
We learned to our amazement untold tale of scandal
Two long centuries buried in the musty vault
Hosed down daily with a gagging perfume
America was a bastard the illegitimate daughter
Of the mother country whose legs
Were then spread around the world
And a rapist known as freedom: free doom
Democracy, liberty, and justice were
Revolutionary code names that preceded
The bubbling bubbling bubbling bubbling
Bubbling in the mother country's crotch
And behold a baby girl was born
Nurtured by slave holders and whitey racists
It grew and grew and grew screwing
Indiscriminately like mother, like daughter
Everything unplagued by her madame mother
The present mocks us, good Black people
With keen memories set fire to the bastards
Who ask us in a whisper to melt and integrate
Young, very young, teeny
Bopping revolt on weekend young dig
By proxy what a mental ass kicking
They receive through institutionalized everything
And vomit up slogans to stay out of Vietnam
They seek to hide their relationship with the world's prostitute
Alienating themselves from everything
Except dirt and money with long hair, grime, and dope
To camo-hide the things that cannot be hidden
They become runaway children to walk the streets downtown with everyday
Black people sitting on the curb
Crying because we know that they will go back
Home with a clear conscience and a college degree
The irony of it all, of course
Is when a pale face SDS motherfucker dares
Look hurt when I tell him to go find his own revolution
He wonders why I tell him that America's revolution
Will not be the melting pot but the toilet bowl
He is fighting for legalized smoke, or lower voting age
Less lip from his generation gap and fucking in the street
(This copy is for Hype Williams)
Where is my parallel to that?
All I want is a good home and a wife and a children
And some food to feed them every night
Back goes pale face to basics
Does Little Orphan Annie have a natural?
Do Sluggo's kinks make him a refugee from Mandingo?
What does Webster's say about soul?
I say you silly trite motherfucker, your great grandfather
Tied a ball and chain to my balls
And bounced me through a cotton field
While I lived in an unflushable toilet bowl
And now you want me to help you overthrow what?
The only Truth that can be delivered to a four year
Revolutionary with a hole card i.e. skin is this:
Fuck up what you can in the name of
Piggy Wallace, Dickless Nixon, and Spiro Agnew
Leave brother Cleaver and Brother Malcolm alone please
After all is said and done build a new route to China if they'll have you
Who will survive in America?
Who will survive in America?
Who will survive in America?
Who will survive in America?
[Clapping]
(This copy is for Hype Williams)