Meshell Ndegéocello
Poetry
[Verse 1: Q-Tip]
Can you picture how a melody gets thought into existence?
Rhythm section hits it and upholds it with persistence
Picturing the outline and you start to see the colors
Filling in with intricate splashes by all the brothers
Me'Shell is on the joint — you mean Ms. NdegéOcello?
No wonder why the hump inside the joint is feeling ghetto
A medal or award should be given to these heroes
For their efforts of revealing and bringing forth the feeling
I’m reeling, poetic I say, of great proportion
I hope my little nuances correct for this distortion
But I say why say, and who is to say?
'Cause Roy makes the tune what it is today
Rhythmically, we’re in this lake of genes know what I mean?
It's only right that me and Mr. Wright we hail from Queens
The overtone of funk is being driven by the students
The benevolence of Roy issued me this jurisprudence
This beat, a rhyme put it in a hipper term and
I’m just a humble little germ just a hipper version
Poetic I mean truly indeed her every seed
Just sprinkles with the essence of life to form my breed
Think about it sweetie while we give this to the needy
The musical expression is important for progression
Never stop learning lessons, and neither should y'all
Before we all stand must acknowledge the fall
Before we get the bounce we got to reach for the ball
Before we ghetto stroll we had to get to a crawl
Check it out now, and don’t you dare
Bobby Timmons did a joint called “Dat Dere”
Check it out now, and do your do
Ronnie Foster did a joint called “Mystic Brew”
Check it out now, it’s how it go
Check it out with my man Roy Hargrove
[Interlude: Erykah Badu]
Hey
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the Appletree Café
Got Roy Hargrove on stage
Along with my man Q-Tip
I’m coming in from Dallas, Texas
I don't know how come God doubted you
She's, she will be, remembered, completely
Blast the staff furniture
Rip dip dah zip dip dah
[Chorus]
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
[Verse 2: Erykah Badu]
Brother's lost, my head has run away
Where to go, and where is God?
Sometimes I get real mad, but I understand
I don't beat myself up too much about it
I give us tears, does He mourn for it?
Or joy in return? Those tears bring joy
That is what perplexes, make the sweetness last
'Cause we're mourning for the joy our hearts will find
Be happy when you can, no sadness necessary
No, no, it seems sometimes, you never get in bed
But it's okay, it's fair, yeah
Know where to look, you got mysteries
Use the stars as a guide, trying not to hide
The love inside, you know if you get, you get
I feel, I'm not ready yet, but I meet myself halfway
And I'll start a day, creating what I'm living
Living for today, 'cause I'm okay, it's okay
[Chorus]
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
Who knows the way to go?
Please show me the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go
I know the way to go
I'll show you the way to go