Tie My Hands

(album: Tha Carter III - 2008)

We are at war with the universe, the sky is falling
And the only thing that can save us now
Is sensitivity and compassion
But I know one thing's for sure
I'm gonna get my kicks before it all burns down

Some say tragedy's hard to get over
But sometimes that tragedy means it's over
Soldier, from the academy league of rollers
I deny being down though they seem to hold us
My shoulders are strong I prove 'em wrong
I ain't doing nothing but moving on
Let the truth be known
But they talked that freedom at us
And didn't even leave a ladder, damn

I work at the corner store
We all got problems, problems
No one's gonna fly down low
No one's gonna save us now
How you feel you're not alone
We're all just jealous, jealous
We don't reach the sky no more
We just can't overcome, no

You tie my hands what am I gonna be?
What have I done so bad?
What is my destiny?
You tie my hands what am I suppose to see?
What have I done so bad?
What am I gonna be?

I knock on the door, hope isn't home
Fate's not around the luck's all gone
Don't ask me what's wrong ask me what's right
And I'mma tell you what's life, and did you know?
I lost everything, but I ain't the only one
First came the hurricane, then the morning sun
Excuse me if I'm on one
And don't trip if I light one, I walk a tight one
They tryna tell me keep my eyes open
My whole city underwater, some people still floating
And they wonder why black people still voting
'Cause your president still choking
Take away the football team, the basketball team
And all we got is me to represent New Orleans, shit
No governor, no help from the mayor
Just a steady beating heart and a wish and a prayer
Let's pray

These friends they come and go
But I got family, family
These kids so fast they grow
They learn so quickly now
That there's nowhere to go
That there's no future, future
Don't make this here so low
And we can't overcome, no

You tie my hands what am I gonna be?
What have I done so bad?
What is my destiny?
You tie my hands what am I suppose to see?
What have I done so bad?
What am I gonna be?

And if you come from under that water then there's fresh air
Just breathe, baby, God's got a blessing to spare
Yes I know the process is so much stress
But it's the progress that feels the best
'Cause I came from the projects straight to success and you're next
So try they can't steal your pride it's inside
Then find it and keep on grinding
'Cause in every dark cloud there's a silver lining
I know

See right now we're just riding on love
A shot in the dark
We ain't trying to do nothing but hit the heart
We need love
That's all y'all, that's all

You tie my hands, what am I gonna be?
What have I done so bad? What is my destiny?
You tie my hands, what am I suppose to see?
What have I done so bad? What am I gonna be?
You tie my hands, what am I gonna be?
What have I done so bad? What is my destiny?
You tie my hands, what am I suppose to see?
What have I done so bad? What am I gonna be?

Born right here in the USA
But, due to tragedy looked on by the whole world as a refugee
So accept my emotion
Do not take it as an offensive gesture
It's just the epitome of my soul
And I must be me
We got spirit y'all, we got spirit
We got soul y'all, we got soul
They don't want us to see, but we already know