In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
How many blacks gotta die by the hands of another
Don't you understand that man's the same color so that man is your brother
That's what happens when that man is from the gutter
And that man is a hustler trying to survive, moving grams of that butter
See, his momma was a dope fiend, poppa was a rolling stone
He never knew what family was he grew up in a broken home
Ever since twelve years old he was known as grown
'cause ever since twelve years old he was on his own
And even though it seemed like school was the best plan
His only choice was distributing the rock like Def-jam
While everybody else was getting diplomas
He graduated from the middle of the strip to the corner
But I don't knock him cause he tryin' to bubble
There's no food on the table, the rents past due and that's why he hustles
And I ain't sayin' that its right to be dealin'
All I'm sayin' is I feel him I guess
I just see eye 2 eye wit his struggle you know
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Now baby girl's got a promising future
But her moms passed away while she was younger and her father's a loser
He'd always abused her but what else you expect from a coward
He wasn't even proud when she got accepted to Howard
And even though she loves college everyday it would stress her
But it wasn't cause of exams or she hate her professor
It was her financial situation here she couldn't pay a semester
And the only means of making it better was totally reversing the role
Lap dancing working that pole even though deep down its hurting her soul
And even if it meant taking off her clothes
She was down for what ever to help her accomplish her personal goals
And I ain't trippin' off a-how shortie livin'
She gotta pay her tuition put food in the kitchen and that's why she strippin'
And I ain't sayin' I agree with her job but shit times is hard
I guess I just see eye to eye with her vision you know
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Now see the moral of the story is this
If you ain't tryin' to help stop our troubles then don't knock our hustle
Cause really at the end of the day its not ya'll struggle
But you always got something to say
Well hear this fuck you
Yeah that's right I'm talking to you come try to sleep in our beds
Eat off our plates, take a walk in our shoes
Look at the world from our view try to live by our rules
Drink the same water we do, put your kids in our schools
I guarantee you won't maintain your health you'll probably try to end it all
And hang yourself or bang yourself
You couldn't possibly understand all pain we felt
And without folding your hands play the games we dealt
I'm being real I ain't tryin' to be evil
Look how we live, look how y'all live
C'mon be serious how is we equal
Matter fact I feel I'm wasting my time
I'm finished writing this rhyme
Y'all never gonna see eye to eye with my people you know
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
How many blacks gotta die by the hands of another
Don't you understand that man's the same color so that man is your brother
That's what happens when that man is from the gutter
And that man is a hustler trying to survive, moving grams of that butter
See, his momma was a dope fiend, poppa was a rolling stone
He never knew what family was he grew up in a broken home
Ever since twelve years old he was known as grown
'cause ever since twelve years old he was on his own
And even though it seemed like school was the best plan
His only choice was distributing the rock like Def-jam
While everybody else was getting diplomas
He graduated from the middle of the strip to the corner
But I don't knock him cause he tryin' to bubble
There's no food on the table, the rents past due and that's why he hustles
And I ain't sayin' that its right to be dealin'
All I'm sayin' is I feel him I guess
I just see eye 2 eye wit his struggle you know
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Now baby girl's got a promising future
But her moms passed away while she was younger and her father's a loser
He'd always abused her but what else you expect from a coward
He wasn't even proud when she got accepted to Howard
And even though she loves college everyday it would stress her
But it wasn't cause of exams or she hate her professor
It was her financial situation here she couldn't pay a semester
And the only means of making it better was totally reversing the role
Lap dancing working that pole even though deep down its hurting her soul
And even if it meant taking off her clothes
She was down for what ever to help her accomplish her personal goals
And I ain't trippin' off a-how shortie livin'
She gotta pay her tuition put food in the kitchen and that's why she strippin'
And I ain't sayin' I agree with her job but shit times is hard
I guess I just see eye to eye with her vision you know
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Now see the moral of the story is this
If you ain't tryin' to help stop our troubles then don't knock our hustle
Cause really at the end of the day its not ya'll struggle
But you always got something to say
Well hear this fuck you
Yeah that's right I'm talking to you come try to sleep in our beds
Eat off our plates, take a walk in our shoes
Look at the world from our view try to live by our rules
Drink the same water we do, put your kids in our schools
I guarantee you won't maintain your health you'll probably try to end it all
And hang yourself or bang yourself
You couldn't possibly understand all pain we felt
And without folding your hands play the games we dealt
I'm being real I ain't tryin' to be evil
Look how we live, look how y'all live
C'mon be serious how is we equal
Matter fact I feel I'm wasting my time
I'm finished writing this rhyme
Y'all never gonna see eye to eye with my people you know
How many days we gonna live our life struggling on the streets
How many days we gotta live our life searching for a way to eat
You gotta stay down stay down just to see a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a brighter day
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Stay down stay down just to live a better way
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Stay Down Lyrics as written by Unknown Writer Fred Neal
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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