I’m the sum total of my ancestors I carry their DNA We are representatives of a long line of people And we carried them around everywhere This long line of people That goes back to the beginning of time And when we meet, they meet other lines of people And we say bring together the lines of me
When I look back over the years At the things that brought tears to my eyes Papa said we have to be wise to live long lives Now I recognize what my father said before he dies Vocalize things I’ve left unsaid Left my spirit unfed for too long I’m coming home to my family Where I can be strong Be who I planned to be Within me, my ancestry Givin’ me continuity Would it be remiss to continue in this way Would you rather I quit Come with the other shit Making people’s hips sway Lip service I pay, but I’m nervous I pray for all the mothers who get no sleep Like a lifeline, I light lines ’cause my compassion is deep For the people who fashioned me, my soul to keep And this is who I happen to be And if I don’t see that I’m strong, then I won’t be
This is what my Daddy told me I wished he would hold me A little more than he did But he taught me my culture And how to live positive I never wanna shame The blood in my veins and bring pain To my sweet grandfather’s face, in his resting place I make haste to learn and not waste Everything my forefathers earned in tears For my culture
Fall back again Crawl from the warm water
For my culture
Water to air You’re on your feet again Your feet again
Hello Dad, remember me? I’m the man you thought I’d never be I’m the boy who you reduced to tears Dad, I’d been lonely for 27 years Yeah, that’s right, my name’s Rob I’m the one who landed the pop stars job I’m the one who you told, “Look, don’t touch” And the kid who wouldn’t amount to much I believe in the senses out of sound I have always been too loud Won’t you help me drown it out? I’m what I feel And what I’m feeling is surreal I’m a massive spinnin’ wheel, always digging in my heels Now I got the faith Fall back again Crawl from the warm water Water to air You’re on your feet again Your feet again
Ha, lace up your booty Going back to the roots, continue my interlude Feed freakin’ for loot And my spell’s been to check what your future brings is now And your forefathers further know how But now, what happened to the world without the hatred Use your head, if the needle is wise, be the thread And weave ancestral wisdom, yours by best Spreading the Lord’s word over this broad Earth
This is what my Daddy told me I wished he would hold me A little more than he did But he taught me my culture And how to live positive I never wanna shame The blood in my veins and bring pain To my sweet grandfather’s face, in his resting place I make haste to learn and not waste Everything my forefathers earned in tears
For my culture
Fall back again Crawl from the warm water Water to air You’re on your feet again Your feet again
For my culture
Fall back again Crawl from the warm water Water to air You’re on your feet again Your feet again