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.
I sing above my vision.
I sing above my face.
A fat old amphibian speaker for the dead.
Gather round ye animals.
Gather round this lake.
Take upon your vigil. Wallow in the wake.
It was glorious of glories-a maple April day
With a pocket full of horseflies and eyes as bright as rays
They said walk away walk away if you can
but one leap out the village and our caravan began
Traveled to a forest, nestled in the sky.
He ran beside the buffalo-wrestled with the lions
Every day a saturday, a summer waking morn,
His skin burned golden ember due the shine that toad had born.
While riding back an eagle, laughing with the sun
He spied an old hairy fairy man upon the river Young.
And Sol said, fly away fly away if you can
But he settled next the oarsman, said I'm my own man and this is my life...
Heed above my meter, Heed above my fate.
Can't go back again...
I got a reason to be fevered-summer waking morn.
Back back when the poor poor boy was born.
Now cross into his fortune.
While enchanted by the queen.
A lone shady shelter stood beckoning his lean.
And in the time it takes a pillow to figure out a face.
Out from in the white tree she rose to take its place.
And the battle for his spirit then caused him to remain.
And he fought as a thousand Visigoths and he cursed the night in vain.
She said run away run away if you can
But last he heard a voice of...I'm my own man and this is my life...
Off to in her castle, laid upon the stairs
She showered him with daffodils and tied ribbons in his hair.
He woke for bare a moment but she wouldn't let him weep.
With lips of only roses kissed him down to sleep.
So royal loyal subjects now let your ears unbend.
For here ye this traveled tail must sadly meet it's end.
What's fate done to our hero I cannot reply...
The last that I saw him, a flection in her eye.
I sing above my face.
A fat old amphibian speaker for the dead.
Gather round ye animals.
Gather round this lake.
Take upon your vigil. Wallow in the wake.
It was glorious of glories-a maple April day
With a pocket full of horseflies and eyes as bright as rays
They said walk away walk away if you can
but one leap out the village and our caravan began
Traveled to a forest, nestled in the sky.
He ran beside the buffalo-wrestled with the lions
Every day a saturday, a summer waking morn,
His skin burned golden ember due the shine that toad had born.
While riding back an eagle, laughing with the sun
He spied an old hairy fairy man upon the river Young.
And Sol said, fly away fly away if you can
But he settled next the oarsman, said I'm my own man and this is my life...
Heed above my meter, Heed above my fate.
Can't go back again...
I got a reason to be fevered-summer waking morn.
Back back when the poor poor boy was born.
Now cross into his fortune.
While enchanted by the queen.
A lone shady shelter stood beckoning his lean.
And in the time it takes a pillow to figure out a face.
Out from in the white tree she rose to take its place.
And the battle for his spirit then caused him to remain.
And he fought as a thousand Visigoths and he cursed the night in vain.
She said run away run away if you can
But last he heard a voice of...I'm my own man and this is my life...
Off to in her castle, laid upon the stairs
She showered him with daffodils and tied ribbons in his hair.
He woke for bare a moment but she wouldn't let him weep.
With lips of only roses kissed him down to sleep.
So royal loyal subjects now let your ears unbend.
For here ye this traveled tail must sadly meet it's end.
What's fate done to our hero I cannot reply...
The last that I saw him, a flection in her eye.
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i actually thought that too, that this is like the prestory of the frog prince. kind of like how wicked is the prestory of the wicked witch of the west. you're totally right, though. too many people have only scratched the surface of five for fighting. ok, honestly, i just went on limewire after listening to a few of their songs and selected everything, but i haven't been disappointed yet.