Jon Batiste - We Are Album Lyrics

Uh, I started feelin' somethin'
Haha, my bad

The ghetto is full of stars
Watch them shine from afar
On days when it's hard
And always
Nana knows how to sing
And soothes us all
From summer to fall
And always

Joy
She won't let it go
Oh no
Joy
That she doesn't know
That she doesn't know

We are, we are, we are, we are the golden ones (oh, oh)
We are, we are, we are, we are the chosen ones
We are, we are, we are, we are the chosen ones
We are, we are, we are, we are the golden ones

We're never alone, no, no
We're never alone

The country is full of stars
But they're in a war
Blind in the dark
He's hoping to medicate
The painful ache
To change his fate

Joy
He won't let it go
Oh no
Joy
That he doesn't know
What he doesn't know

We are, we are, we are, we are the golden ones
We are, we are, we are, we are the chosen ones (we are)
We are, we are, we are, we are the chosen ones (we are, oh, oh)
We are, we are, we are, we are the golden ones

We're never alone, no, no
We're never alone

And then I said, uh
(Neither angel or a king could break this thing)
(We gotta get our soul)
(We get that inner peace, you hear me? Haha)
(Ain't nothing, man cannot give you that)
One, two, ready and

We are never alone, yeah
We are never, we're never alone
We are never alone

We are, we are, we are, we are the golden ones (we're never alone, no, no)
We are, we are, we are, we are the chosen ones (we're never alone, no, no)
We are, we are, we are, we are the chosen ones (we're never alone, no, no)
We are, we are, we are, we are the golden ones (we're never alone, no, no)

(Yeah, they save songs about these wars)

Tell the truth, ooh
Tell the truth, ooh
Tell the truth, ooh
Tell the truth, ooh
Tell the truth, ooh
Tell the truth, ooh
Tell the truth

My daddy had a small house
Up on the east side (alright)
Willy down the block
Threw me the peace sign (oh yeah)
Moved to the big city
Now we sit, killing (alright)
My daddy growed up
When times was hard and gritty (oh yeah)

Whether looking for love?
Are you looking for fame?
Before you go off
Better know the game, oh

He said, tell it like it is (tell the truth)
Live how you live (I'm talkin' to you)
When you're doing what you do
Just tell the truth, uh (tell the truth)

Tell it like it is (tell the truth)
Love how you live (I'm talkin' to you)
When you're doing what you do
J-ju-ju-ju-, just tell the truth, ah

I'm thinking 'bout my papa
Now that I'm a star (alright)
Lost in translation
People all across the nation, oh (oh yeah)
Just say it, plain and simple
Amongst the complications (alright)

I'm packing all my sneakers
I never had a car
Before you drive off, yeah
Better know who you are

He said, tell it like it is (tell the truth)
And live how you live (I'm talkin' to you)
When you're doing what you do
Tell the truth (tell the truth)

He said, just tell it like it is (tell the truth)
Love how you live (I'm talkin' to you)
When you're doing what you do, ow
Ha, yeah, just tell the truth (tell the truth)
Uh, uh, just tell the truth (tell the truth)
Ah, ah, just tell the truth (tell the truth)
Ooh, ooh, ow

Tell it like it is (tell the truth)
Live how you live (I'm talkin' to you)
When you're doing what you do, ooh
I said, just tell it like it is (tell the truth)
Love how you live (I'm talkin' to you)
When you do it
Be you, be you, be you

I said, tell it like it is, no, no, no, no
Do it like, you feel
Do ya feel? Do ya feel, feel, feel, feel?

Ow, ayy, ow
When you're doing what you do, do it

Who do you love?
Who you gonna love?
Who do you love when push comes to shove?
How does it feel?
How's it gonna feel?
How does it feel when it's getting too real?

Why sometimes does it seem like all I wanna do
All I wanna do is cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry

What can you say?
What you gonna say
To make it okay?
And who's gonna pay?
Who will you fight?
How you gonna fight?
Who will you fight to make it alright?

Why sometimes does it feel like all I wanna do
All I wanna do is cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry

Floods keep on rising
Tears keep on falling down
Oh, why?
Cry

Cry, cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry

For the loss of the innocence
For the struggle of the immigrants
For the struggle of the immigrants
For the wrongful imprisonment (cry, cry, waoh)

Cry, cry
Cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry

We done a lot of livin'
We workin' overtime
Don't need another million
You got that gold mine
I love the way you're livin'
'Cause you're so genuine
You got that something special
Didn't you know?
I just need you, you, you

Imagine when I was a lil' nappy head boy
And I never put down my alto saxophone, yeah
Buck trippin' down on the boulevard
I couldn't wait to blow my own horn
It ain't wrong for you to play along
Playin' this song 'til you die, come on, come on

In this world with a lot of problems
All we need is a little loving
Thank you, thank you
Oh, you make me thank you
Thank you for your love

We done a lot of livin'
We workin' overtime
Don't need another million
You got that gold mine
I love the way you're livin'
'Cause you're so genuine
You got that something special
Didn't you know?
I just need you (yeah), you (yeah), you (come on now)

Met you when I was a lil' country boy
And I never put down that pork chop and salt (mm)
Then we fell in love on the boulevard
If you was Jenny, I guess I was Forrest (run)
Nah, it ain't wrong for you to sing along
Singin' this song 'til you die (ah-ooh)

In this world with a lot of problems
All we need is a little loving
Thank you, thank you
Oh, you make me thank you
Thank you for your love

That's alright

We done a lot of livin'
We workin' overtime
Don't need another million
You got that gold mine
I love the way you're livin'
'Cause you're so genuine
You got that something special
Didn't you know?
I just need you, you, you (yeah)

I need you (yeah), you (yeah)
You (oh), you (come on)
You, you
You (yeah, baby)

I'm flying a plane to Mars
With bars that rocket me to a new level
I never will lose the space that I choose
It's mine, I find it's inevitable
Benevolent dude, I never refuse
The truth when it hurts, but it's good for you
Don't always look fly, just a regular guy
Dude with a hoodie and jeans and a beanie and a size thirteen
Sneak peek out the window
I'm a shy, young guy with a little bit of fame to my name
And the folks really like to come hear me sing
Got you down in the dirt with your messed up shirt
Like a leopard with the fangs, jumpin' up off the floor
Hoping and hoping and hoping for more
In the passenger seat, this journey I beast
And I never concede when I'm bringing the funk
I don't even know what you talkin' about
Every time I pick up the mic
And fam be reppin' and reppin', I'm like
I never been jailed, I never been popped
I never will have the message of Pac
May never have the voice that you rock
But I dare you to call me and tell me to stop
Didn't you hear the President sang?
Obama was singing "Amazing Grace"
There's so many things I'm delighted to say
Remember when the country was bae?
Flying a plane to Mars
With bars that rocket me to a new level
I'm chillin', I'm feelin', I bust through the ceiling
And y'all ain't ready, 'cause

I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout (woo)
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout (woo)
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout (what?)

I never denied a brother in need
The more that you talk, the more that we bleed
You cut, you cut, you cut, you cut
And the deeper and deeper and deeper the stream
This ultra light, not a regular beam
People is bursting up out of the seams
This is reality, not a dream
This is reality, and

I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout (woo)
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout (woo)
I don't even know whatchutalkinbout (what?)

As I proceed to deliver you the whole freedom of
Freedom fly funk soul food
Overload your mind
Break the spacetime continuum
I'm flying a plane to Mars with bars
They breakin' me to a new level
But on my new level I still, still, still
Still don't even know whatchutalkinbout

Like, you, he seen come along way
Like, he seen you come along
Like, boy, I see you
You shinning like new money
Shine like new money
You doing good for yourself, huh?
I'm proud of you, boy
But, that's the energy you know?

Candy cane
Jump rope
Cornbread and pig lip
Hot fries
Holy water
Superdome cheese dip (that's right)
Perched on da fence (uh huh)
Po'boys in da yard
Don't mess with my rug
Or my season salt, boy

I know where he be, know where he come from
Hot boy, taking over for the twenty-two thousands
Uh, na na, na na, No Limit soldier
Home is where the heart stay
Where the Pelicans and the Saints play
The eagle land on Frenchmen
And the sparrow land on Sunday (I know he watching over me)

When Pop Pop wouldn't give me ends (wouldn't give me ends)
Grandma was a ATM (was a ATM)
Buying bubble gum and M&M's (M&M's)
I just had to rot my teeth out
Basketball under the treehouse
Too short to catch a rebound
Maybe that wasn't my callin'
But you could still see me ballin'

(See me ba-ball)
You could still see me ballin'
(See me ba-ball)
From New York down to New Orleans
(See me ba-ball)
Could still see me ballin'
(See me ba-ball)
You could still see (yeah, yeah, yeah)

Popeyes when they had that red white and blue bag
Puttin' on that Sportin' Waves underneath my durag
If yo' line pushed back, or your shoes dirty
Don't come around here, best stay home, heard me?
It's the time of dem naturals, Priestly, Satchel
Bayou Maharajahs, Nat King and Satchmo
If you see him then and even if you see him now
It's the same Jon Jon
With that same gold crown, you heard me?

When Pop Pop wouldn't give me ends (wouldn't give me ends)
Grandma was a ATM (was a ATM)
Buying bubble gum and M&M's (M&M's)
I just had to rot my teeth out
Basketball under the treehouse
Too short to catch a rebound
Maybe that wasn't my callin'
But you could still see me ballin'

(See me ba-ball)
You could still see me ballin'
(See me ba-ball)
New York down to New Orleans
(See me ba-ball)
Could still see me ballin' (yeah)
(See me ba-ball)
You could still see (go ahead P.J.)

I can still remember the mornings (yeah, yeah)
Breakfast cooking, half asleep and still yawnin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's time for Zulu so we better get goin'
No place like New Orleans, yeah
Ayy, I said I'm far from home but I always represent, yeah, huh
I thought I had so much time, I don't know where it went
But now that I'm grown I know what it all meant, ayy
No place like New Orleans, yeah, yeah

(Trombone Shorty and them boys)
(Haha)

You could still see me ballin'
You could still see me ballin'
You could still see me ballin'

[Instrumental]

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Yeah, yeah

It's phenomenal
This boy's gonna find his soul
Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's emotional, room for us to grow, yeah
Superliminal, yeah

Our's is all that you wanna be
Lost my pride, I'm a wannabe
But still I need you, I see (yeah, yeah)
Only you can give me freedom
Only you can make me sing
You make me sing (yeah, yeah)

(Even though, sometimes, real talk)
It's phenomenal, this boy's gonna find his soul
Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's emotional
Room for us to grow, yeah

Lord knows I never thought I'd find a super woman
I know love ain't perfect
But if you feelin' what I'm talkin' 'bout, say yeah, yeah
I never thought that it would be a time
That we wouldn't see eye to eye
But, baby (baby), here we are right now
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wish we can make it right
I pray we can make it right, baby (oh baby)
Said I pray we can make it right, yeah
I'ma need my background to help me sing, woo

Ooh
Oh, oh, oh (mmm)
Dear, Lord
I pray that you bless our relationship (mmm)
I pray that you help us not to fight
And to get along
And to go to church on Sundays
Mama said, do what you can
Gotta be a Holy man
You could tell that I'm a Nolia man
By the way that I talk
And the way that I walk
And I wanna see your pretty face
Light up like the city in springtime
Light up like the crowd when I rhyme
Light up like, shine (get it)
I know you don't like to dance in public
But I love it when you get loose
And show your toes, show your toes (ooh-ooh)
Get loose and show your foes
Let's show them, oh

It's phenomenal, ha, uh, so phenomenal (ooh-ooh)
It's phenomenal, yeah, yeah, we gon' find a way (we gon' find a way)
It's emotional, room for us to grow (emotional, yeah)
It's phenomenal, we gon' find
We gon' find a way
It's emotional, room for us to grow (yeah, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I'm a praying child, period
That's where I get my freedom
I'll tell you
Freedom to me
Is the ability for men and women
All created equal
To speak, think and do
Or not do what you want

When I move my body just like this
I don't know why but I feel like freedom (yeah)
I hear a song that takes me back (I know)
And I let go with so much freedom (hey)
Free to live (how I wanna live)
I'ma get (where I'm gonna get)
'Cause it's my freedom

I love how you talk
You're speaking my language
The way that you walk
You can't contain it
Is it the shoes?
Jumped up, kangaroo
We're overdue for a little more prancing

Now it's your time (it's your right)
You can shine (it's alright)
If you do, then I'ma do too

When I move my body just like this
I don't know why but I feel like freedom (yeah)
I hear a song that takes me back
And I let go with so much freedom (oowee)
Free to live (how I wanna live)
I'ma get (where I'm gonna get)
'Cause it's my freedom

The reason we get down, is to get back up
If someone's around, go on let them look
You can't stand still
This ain't no drill
More than cheap thrills
(Feels like money, money, money, money, money, money)

Now it's your time (it's your right)
You can shine (it's alright)
If you do, then I'ma do too

'Cause when I look up to the stars (stars)
I know exactly who we are (oh)
'Cause then I see you shine
You're shinin', you're shinin', oh

Free to be (everybody come on) (freedom)
(Everybody come 'round)
(Everybody come on) come on now
(Everybody hit the floor)

I'm stuck to the dancefloor
With the, with the whole tape
With the, with the, with the whole tape (let me see you wobble)
I'm stuck to the dancefloor
With the, with the whole tape
With the, with the, with the whole tape (let me see you shake)
You get what you ask for, givin' you the whole shake
I'ma give you the whole shake (let me see you wobble)
I'm stuck to the dancefloor
With the, with the whole tape
With the, with the, with the whole tape (can you make it break?)

I say yeah (yeah)
Oh yeah (oh yeah)
(Let me see you wobble)
'Cause, you do, I'ma do too

When I move my body just like this
I don't know why but I feel like freedom (freedom)
I hear a song that takes me back
And I let go with so much freedom
Free to live (how I wanna live)
I'ma get (where I'm gonna get)
'Cause it's my freedom

Da da da da day
Alright, Jon, what do you wanna listen to?

If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way (uh, oh)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey

If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way (uh, oh)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey

I've been digging into Ella Fitzgerald
Billie Holiday, Jonathan McReynolds
When you talk about gettin' it in
I wanna say, come on
I really do
Listening to Wu-Tang Clan
Wanna drive down to the new Dazz band
Stevie Wonder on the way home
I wanna say, come on

I need you (do you wanna come around?)
You (I really wanna get down)
You (do you wanna come around?)
(I really wanna get down)

If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way (uh, oh)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey

If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way (uh, yeah)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey

I wanna feel a little Hubert Laws
And Thelonious
On the phone with us
Vibin' on Nina Simone
I gotta say, come on
I really do
Now I wanna hold your hand
Lil' Darlin, Lover Man
Beatles or Rolling Stones
I gotta say, come on

I need you (do you wanna come around?)
You (I really wanna get down)
You (do you wanna come around?)
Oh (I really wanna get down)

If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way (show me the way)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey

If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know (I don't know)
You gotta show me the way (uh, oh)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey (ooh)

I really ain't tryna play no games
You and me in exotic lands
Traveling through a space and time for (space and time, space and time)
Just to relax, get cool, unwind (yeah)
Turn that record player on
Blast me your favorite song (yeah)

If I don't know
If I don't know (oh yeah)
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way
(You gotta show me the way)
(You gotta show me the way) show me the way, hey, hey, hey
If I don't know
If I don't know
If I don't know
You gotta show me the way (gotta show me the way)
(I really wanna know the way)
Show me the way, hey, hey, hey

On the verge of cryin'
I don't feel like tryin'
But instead, I'll sing, yeah
But instead, I'll sing

When I'm done with worries
And no one's around me
Don't you know I'll sing, yeah
Oh, I love to sing

When I can't find the words
And everything starts to hurt
I'm done with this heavy heart
I let all my burdens off
And I sing

Yeah, ooh
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing (sing out)
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

When I'm cold and tired (mm)
And so uninspired
Don't you know I'll sing, yeah (yeah)
Let it out and sing

When I'm down and I feel like giving up (woo)
And even the easy things feel rough
Don't you know, I'll sing, yeah
Don't you know, I'll sing

When I feel down and out
Up under a heavy cloud
When I don't wanna talk
I let my burdens off
And I sing, oh

Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh (let it out and sing)
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh (ooh, yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh (let it out, let it out)
Oh, oh, oh, oh (come on now)
Sing (that's what I'm talkin' 'bout)
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh (that's it, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout)
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Hey
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing (I got to let it out)
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh (I got to let it out)
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh (come on now)
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sing
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh (yeah)
Oh, oh, oh, oh

You got that one?
(Haha)

Jon, let's go home now (ha)
Let's go home now
Jon