This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
How many special people change?
How many lives are livin' strange?
Where were you while we were getting high?
Slowly walkin' down the hall
Faster than a cannonball
Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova in the sky
Wake up the dawn and ask her why
A dreamer dreams she never dies
Wipe that tear away now from your eye
Slowly walkin' down the hall
Faster than a cannonball
Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova
'Cause people believe
That they're gonna get away for the summer
But you and I, we live and die
The world's still spinnin' 'round, we don't know why
Why, why, why, why
How many special people change?
How many lives are livin' strange?
Where were you while we were getting high?
Slowly walkin' down the hall
Faster than a cannonball
Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova
'Cause people believe
That they're gonna get away for the summer
But you and I, we live and die
The world's still spinnin' 'round, we don't know why
Why, why, why, why
Na, na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na, na
How many special people change?
How many lives are livin' strange?
Where were you while we were getting high?
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
How many lives are livin' strange?
Where were you while we were getting high?
Slowly walkin' down the hall
Faster than a cannonball
Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova in the sky
Wake up the dawn and ask her why
A dreamer dreams she never dies
Wipe that tear away now from your eye
Slowly walkin' down the hall
Faster than a cannonball
Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova
'Cause people believe
That they're gonna get away for the summer
But you and I, we live and die
The world's still spinnin' 'round, we don't know why
Why, why, why, why
How many special people change?
How many lives are livin' strange?
Where were you while we were getting high?
Slowly walkin' down the hall
Faster than a cannonball
Where were you while we were getting high?
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova
'Cause people believe
That they're gonna get away for the summer
But you and I, we live and die
The world's still spinnin' 'round, we don't know why
Why, why, why, why
Na, na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na
Na, na, na
How many special people change?
How many lives are livin' strange?
Where were you while we were getting high?
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
We were getting high
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okay well appearently no one knows what a supernova is, which is probably the most important part to understanding the song. |A supernova is a dying star, but they're really beautiful, so everyone watches them as they go. This song is about the people who just sort of blend in with the crowd, but inside they're dying for someone to notice them, see that they're special and different. |The whole someday you will find me part is really sad because it's saying that no one will see them until its too let to give them a chance. And the getting high is just sort of a metaphore for escaping real life.