Solange Knowles - A Seat At The Table Album Lyrics

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Rise

Fall in your ways so you can crumble
Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night
Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise

Fall in your ways so you can crumble
Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night
Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise

Fall in your ways so you can crumble
Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night
Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise

Walk in your ways so you won't crumble (so you won't crumble)
Walk in your ways so you can sleep at night
Walk in your ways so you don't wake up and rise

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Weary

I'm weary of the ways of the world
Be weary of the ways of the world
I'm weary of the ways of the world

I'm gonna look for my body yeah
I'll be back real soon
I'm gonna look for my body yeah
I'll be back real soon
I'm gonna look for my body yeah
I'll be back real soon

But you know that a king is only a man
With flesh and bones, he bleeds just like you do
He said "where does that leave you"
And do you belong? I do, I do

Be leery bout your place in the world
You're feeling like you're chasing the world
You're leaving not a trace in the world
But you're facing the world

I'm gonna look for my glory yeah
I'll be back real soon
I'm gonna look for my glory yeah
I'll be back real soon
I'm gonna look for my glory yeah
I'll be back real soon

But you know that a king is only a man
With flesh and bones, he bleeds just like you do
He said "where does that leave you"
And do you belong? I do, I do

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The Glory Is In You (Interlude)

"You know, but... sometimes you ask yourself "where's the peace?" Everybody is always talking about peace, but, as long you find peace in what you doing then you successful, and that's what people don't realize. See, you got do stuff till you gotta go sleep at night. Cause the glory is in you"

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Cranes In The Sky

I tried to drink it away
I tried to put one in the air
I tried to dance it away
I tried to change it with my hair

I ran my credit card bill up
Thought a new dress would make it better
I tried to work it away
But that just made me even sadder

I tried to keep myself busy
I ran around in circles
Think I made myself dizzy
I slept it away, I sexed it away
I read it away

Away, away, away, away, away, away
Away, away, away, away, away

Well it's like cranes in the sky
Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds
Yeah it's like cranes in the sky
Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds

I tried to run it away
Thought then my head be feeling clearer
I traveled 70 states
Thought moving around make me feel better

I tried to let go my lover
Thought if I was alone then maybe I could recover
To write it away or cry it away (don't you cry it baby)

Away, away, away, away, away, away
Away, away, away, away, away

But it's like cranes in the sky
Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds
Yeah it's like cranes in the sky
Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds

Away, away, away, away, away, away
Away, away, away, away, away

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Dad Was Mad (Interlude)

I was the first, one of the first. My first day, a state trooper caught me, put me in the backseat of the car, and meeting the other black kids, was six of us. And seeing all of those parents, and also KKK members having signs and throwing cans at us, spitting at us. We lived in the threat of death every day. Every day. So I was just lost in this vacuum between integration and segregation and, and racism. That was my childhood. I was angry for years... angry, very angry

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Mad

[Solange:]
You got the light count it all joy
You got the right to be mad
But when you carry it along
you'll find it only get up in the way
They say you gotta let it go

[Lil Wayne:]
Now tell 'em why you mad son
Cause doing it all ain't enough
Cause everyone all in my cup
Cause such and such still owe me bucks
So I got the right to get buck
But I try not to let it build up
I'm too high, too better too much
So I let it go, let it go, let it go

[Solange:]
I ran into this girl, she said why you always blaming?
Why you can't just face it?
Why you always gotta be so mad? (be mad, be mad, be mad)
Why you always talking shit, always be complaining
Why you always gotta be, why you always gotta be so mad (mad, mad, mad)
I got a lot to be mad about (be mad, be mad, be mad)

Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go baby

[Lil Wayne:]
Yeah, but I, got a lot to be mad about
Got a lot to be a man about
Got a lot to pop a xan about
I used to rock hand-me-downs, and now I rock standing crowds
But it's hard when you only
Got fans around and no fam around
And if they are, then their hands are out
And they pointing fingers
When I wear this f*cking burden on my back like a mother f*cking cap and gown
Then I walk up in the bank, pants sagging down
And I laugh at frowns what they mad about?
Cause here come this motherf*cker with this mass account
That didn't wear cap and gown
Are you mad cause the judge ain't give me more time
And when I attempted suicide, I didn't die
I remember how mad I was on that day
Man, you gotta let it go before it get up in the way
Let it go, let it go

[Solange:]
I ran into this girl, she said why you always blaming?
Why you can't just face it?
Why you always gotta be mad? (be mad, be mad, be mad)
I got a lot to be mad about (be mad, be mad, be mad)

[Solange & Lil Wayne:]
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go
Where'd your love go baby

[Solange:]
I ran into this girl I said I'm tired of explaining
Why you can't just face?
Man this shit is draining
But I'm not really allowed to be mad

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Don't You Wait

I gave it all away that night
It was taking a little time, oh
I gave it all I got but now you better know that I know for sure
Yeah I made my bed, dealt with it when the lights went out
Now looking back for temporary nothings
But I bet on it you'll all be here when the lights come out
Still looking for nothing oh

I gave it all I got to know now
I don't want no part of it no longer, no longer
Looked around this place enough to know now
I don't want to waste the time to know you, to know you
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me

Now I don't want to bite the hand that'll show me the other side, no
But I didn't want to build the land that has fed you your whole life, no
Don't you find it funny

Yeah I made my bed, dealt with it when the lights went out
Now looking back for temporary nothings
But I bet on it, you'll all be here when the lights come out
Still looking for nothing

I gave it all I got to know now
I don't want no part of it no longer, no longer
Looked around this place enough to know now
I don't want to waste the time to know you, to know you
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me

I don't wanna wanna wanna wait
I don't wanna wanna wanna wait

Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me
Don't you wait for me

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Tina Taught Me (Interlude)

[Tina Lawson:]

"I think part of it is accepting that it's so much beauty in being Black. And that's the thing that I guess I get emotional about, because, I've always known that. I've always been proud to be Black. Never wanted to be nothing else. Loved everything about it, just...

It's such beauty in Black people, and it really saddens me when we're not allow to express that pride in being Black; and that if you do then it's considered anti-white. No! You just pro-Black. And that's okay. The two don't go together. Because you celebrate Black culture does not mean that you don't like white culture; or that you putting it down. It's just taking pride

What's irritating is when somebody says, you know, 'They're racist!' 'That's reverse racism!' or 'They have a Black History Month, but we don't have a White History Month!'
Well, all we've ever been taught is white history: so why are you mad at that? Why does that makes you angry? That is to suppress me and to make me not be proud."

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Don't Touch My Hair

Don't touch my hair
When it's the feelings I wear
Don't touch my soul
When it's the rhythm I know
Don't touch my crown
They say the vision I've found
Don't touch what's there
When it's the feelings I wear

They don't understand
What it means to me
Where we chose to go
Where we've been to know
They don't understand
What it means to me
Where we chose to go
Where we've been to know

You know this hair is my shit,
rode the ride, I gave it time
But this here is mine
You know this hair is my shit,
rode the ride, I gave it time
But this here is mine

[Solange & Sampha:]
What you say, oh
What you say to me [x8]

Don't touch my pride
They say the glory's all mine
Don't test my mouth
They say the truth is my sound

They don't understand
What it means to me
Where we chose to go
Where we've been to know
They don't understand
What it means to me
Where we chose to go
Where we've been to know

You know this hair is my shit,
rode the ride, I gave it time
But this here is mine
You know this hair is my shit,
rode the ride, I gave it time
But this here is mine

[Solange & Sampha:]
What you say, oh
What you say to me [x8]

[Solange & Sampha:]
What you say to me [x16]

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This Moment (Interlude)

"If you don't understand us and understand what we've been through, then you probably wouldn't understand what this moment is about. This is home. This is where we're from. This is where we belong. And if it ain't for the better of the people, nah, 'cause you're robbing and stealing from the people that been there for so many years, not just come and destroy, knocking our neighborhoods down. You know, when it come there, you invisible. You know, you don't even have a number in the system. Nobody cares about you. Everything is about dollars and cents, you know, even when you're talking the Government, you know, even when you're talking about the preachers and the people that's running the community. And we have to show them the evolution of where we come from. I'm about to send a message to the world, like..."

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Where Do We Go

Speakers off tonight
Turn off your headlights tonight
Don't drive the road too slow
Don't look too close tonight
This used to be ours, this used to be you and I's
What used to be mine
Say your goodbyes

And I don't know where to go
No I don't know where to stay
Where do we go from here?
Do you know?
Where do we go from here?
Hey yo hey yo hey yo hey yo

We bowed our heads
We broke our bread that night
Shook our hands
Then conquer and divide
This used to be home
This used to be what we know
What used to belong
Now good and gone

And I don't know where to go
No I don't know where to stay
Don't know where to go
And I don't know where to stay
Where do we go from here?
Do you know?
Where do we go from here?

[x4]
Hey yo hey yo hey yo hey yo

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For Us By Us (Interlude)

[Master P:]
"And they offered me a million dollar deal, and had the check ready. Said I wouldn't be able to use my name. I was fighting my brother, because 'Man, you shoulda took the million dollars!' I said 'No, what you think I'm worth? If this white man offer me a million dollars I gotta be worth forty, or fifty... Or ten or something.'

To being able to make "Forbes" and come from the Projects. You know, "Top 40 Under 40." Which they said couldn't be done. Had twenty records on the top "Billboard" at one time. For an independent company. Black owned company. You know, going to the white lady's house where my Grandmother lived at, and say, 'Look, you don't have to work here no more Big Mama! We got more money than the people on St. Charles Street.'

And I, I took that anger and said 'I'mma put it into my music.' I tell people all the time, if you don't understand my record, you don't understand me, so this is not for you."

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F.U.B.U.

One for us

All my niggas in the whole wide world
All my niggas in the whole wide world
Made this song to make it all y'all's turn
For us, this shit is for us

All my niggas let the whole world know
Play this song and sing it on your terms
For us, this shit is for us
Don't try to come for us

All my niggas got the whole wide world
Tell them niggas that it's all our turn
This us, some shit is a must
Some shit is for us

When you know you gotta pay the cost
Play the game just to play the boss
So you thinking what you gained, you lost
But you know your shit is taking off, oh
When you driving in your tinted car
And you're criminal, just who you are
But you know you're gonna make it far, oh

When you feeling all alone
And you can't even be you up in your home
When you even feeling it from your own
When you got it figured out
When a nigga tryna board the plane
And they ask you, "What's your name again?"
Cause they thinking, "Yeah, you're all the same."
Oh, it's for us

All my niggas in the whole wide world
Made this song to make it all y'all's turn
For us, this shit is for us
Some shit is a must
This shit is for us

When it's going on a thousand years
And you pulling up to your crib
And they ask you where you live again
But you running out of damns to give, oh
I hope my son will bang this song so loud
That he almost makes his walls fall down
Cause his momma wants to make him proud
Oh, to be us

And all my niggas in the whole wide world
Made this song to make it all y'alls turn
For us
This shit is for us
Sometimes we don't trust
This shit is for us

[BJ the Chicago Kid & The-Dream:]
And we bomb on sight, on sight we must charge
Host of my emotion, it's your call
Liquor in my system, we must crawl
Addiction, disobey the law
Don't clip my wings before I learn to fly
I didn't come back down to Earth to die

All my niggas in the whole wide world
Made this song to make it all y'all's turn
For us, this shit is from us
Get so much from us
Then forget us

Don't feel bad if you can't sing along
Just be glad you got the whole wide world
This us
This shit is from us
Some shit you can't touch

Ooh, oh baby
For us baby
Yeah
It's all for us baby
Nobody else, baby
All for us baby

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Borderline (An Ode To Self Care)

We been lovers on a mission
We been lovers on a mission (all the way)
But what's love without a mission
We been lovers on a mission (all the way)
So let's take an intermission

You know I have the world to think
And I know I gotta go ahead and take some time
Because the last thing that I want
Is think that it's time that I leave the boderline

So let's take it off tonight
Break it off tonight
Baby let's know when to let go
Know when to let go
Take it off tonight
Break it off tonight
Baby I know you're tired
Know I'm tired
Let's take it off tonight
Break it off tonight
Baby it's war outside these walls
Baby it's war outside these doors, yeah
It's a safe place tonight
Let's play it safe tonight
Baby I know what you're fighting for
Baby you know what I'm fighting for

You know I have the world to think
And you know I gotta go ahead and take some time
Because the last thing I want
Is think that it's time that I leave the boderline

So let's take it off tonight
Break it off tonight
Baby let's know when to let go
Know when to let go, oh
Take it off tonight
Break it off tonight
Baby I know you're tired
You know I'm tired
Let's take it off tonight
Break it off tonight
Baby I've been more than a woman
We've been lovers on a mission
It's a safe place tonight
Let's play it safe tonight
Baby we've been lovers on a mission (all the way)
So let's take an intermission

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I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It (Interlude)

[Nia Andrews and Kelly Rowland:]
You did it from the get go, get go
Let's go look for magic yeah
They not gon' get it from the get go get go get go get go
Don't let anybody steal your magic yeah
But I got so much yall...
You can have it yeah

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Junie

[Nia Andrews and Kelly Rowland:]
...have it, yeah

[Solange:]
First one's a fool, who'll be the fool now?
Who's gonna get in line?
First one to go, first one to fight the way
Let's go to moonlight, then they will never find
Let's go to home, free from the mother mind
Come on along, along, along, along, along, along, along

[André 3000:]
Jump on it
Jump on it, on it
Jump on it
Jump on it

[Solange:]
Hit 'em with a left
Hit 'em with they knock, knock
Hit 'em with a play
Then away, and away, and away, and away

Hit 'em with a knock, knock
Hit 'em on the top
Hit 'em when they flock, flock
Hit 'em with a shock, shock
Then away, and away, and away, and away

Hit 'em when they watch
Hit 'em with a dot, dot, dot, dot, dot
Then I'm up, up, up and away, and away, and away, and away

Hit 'em when they watch
Hit 'em when they cop, cop, cop what you got
Then away, and away, and away, and away, and away, and away

[André 3000:]
Jump on it
Jump on it, on it
Jump on it
Jump on it
Jump

[Solange:]
You want to be the teacher
Don't want to go to school
Don't want to do the dishes
Just want to eat the food

But what you gonna do
When they saw all your moves and practiced em daily?
Protect your neck, or give invitations?

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No Limits (Interlude)

[Master P:]
"People wanna know what "No Limit" comes from. My Grandfather, Big Daddy, was in the military. And, uh, you know, he always said, 'Man them people ain't gon' do nothing for us.' So he was like, 'Grandson, you need to start your own army.' And that's where the tanks and the military thing come from

See, I watched the Avon lady in my hood. She popped her trunk and sell her products. So I put all my CDs and cassettes in the back of my trunk and I hit every city, every hood. My Grandfather said, 'Why you gon' call it "No Limit"?' I said, 'Because I don't have no limit to what I can do.'

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Don't Wish Me Well

I went away this concrete don't have love for me
I took a day, too much talk and not much to see
I know you always speak on something
So I'll leave on the mic for you

And I'm going all the way
But I'll leave on the lights for you
In going all the way
And now you're almost out of view

Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know
You got to know, I don't let it go
Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know
You got to know, I won't let it go
Away away away

Look what remains
Pour ashes where they claimed my name
They say I changed
What a pity if I stayed the same
Thinking that everything is funny
But don't say that the jokes on you

And I'm going all the way
But I'll leave on the lights for you
I'm going all the way
And now you're almost out of view

Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know
You got to know, I don't let it go
Cause when I say what I mean you ought to know
You got to know, I won't let it go
Away away away

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Pedestals (Interlude)

[Master P:]
"But man, I done been through it all, so I said, 'I wanna tell my story.' Cause I never cried or nothing, and that's where the 'Make 'em Say Uhh,' that's like my pain. That's basically what it is. That's my battle cry. Think about it. None of us are perfect. We live in an imperfect world

You know, only God can judge me, that's how I look at it. The people that's sitting around pointing their fingers, imagine all the stuff they're probably doing. Whether you're police officers, doctors, lawyers, presidents, whatever, you got good and bad in everything. You know, we're putting people on a pedestal that's just a human like us. You know, I mean, they got more drugs in the rich neighborhoods than they got in the hood. A lot of their kids dying from overdosing, things like that, think about it. Black kids have to figure it out! We don't have rehabs to go to. You gotta rehab yourself. But for us, you can't pull the plug on us and tell us it's over. Not me."

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Scales

[Solange & Kelela:]
Candy red things gonna shine
With that big body boy you down to ride
And that armor in your mouth
You're gonna shine
Your wrist talking, boy it's only time
Put the incense on
Cover up the smell
And if you boys go still I know you'll never tell
You're a superstar
You're a super star
Always shining in the night
And your skin glowing in the moonlight

[Solange:]
The streets say you're a king
The world says you're a failure
And you mother is a queen
But damn she always tells ya
'You gonna end up like you're daddy'
But damn that nigga fresh
So if it all comes out to pan
You gon' end up like the best
You say 'look on the tv... they all want to be me'
For nothing, whatever it's worth, it's something
Ain't no apologizing, for all of the things you want
So if dreams only go so far
They'll come to where you are

[Solange & Kelela:]
Candy red things gonna shine
With that big body boy you down to ride
And that armor in your mouth
You're gonna shine
Your wrist talking boy it's only time
Put the incense on
Cover up the smell
And if you boys go down I know you'll never tell
You're a superstar
You're a superstar
Always shining in the night
And you're skin glowing in the moonlight

Your love is kind
Your love is kind
But your love ain't blind
Your world is kind
Your world is kind
But your world ain't blind

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Closing: The Chosen Ones

[Master P:]
"That's what makes my life complete, knowing that it's a higher being, a higher power, knowing that these people done paved their way. You know, our great-great-grandfathers and grandmothers that came here, they found some kind of way to make the rhythm. You know, and they kept rhythm, no matter what. Now, we come here as slaves, but we going out as royalty, and able to show that we are truly the chosen ones."