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.
Flight 709 pulled up to the gate
An hour and forty five minutes late
And of course our connection was already in the air
Spent a day of our vacation in Chicago O'Hare
And like musical chairs at the baggage belt
We were the last ones standin' there when nothin' came out
Looking back now on our string of bad luck
That just wasn't our day but you know what?
That one night in Las Vegas
Lyin' there with you
Was well worth everything that you and I went through
And so it goes, our life's been that way
Puttin' out fires, takin' it day by day
And look at this year, it's been our hardest one yet
Just when we thought it had gotten bad as it could get
You got transferred to Denver, I stayed behind
Put the house on the market 'bout went outta my mind
And your dad got sick, I've never seen you so scared
We almost didn't make it through the year
But that weekend in the mountains
In a cabin all by ourselves
Makin' that one memory made up for everything else
Oooh me and my insecurities
You and your stubborn pride
If we've learned anything it's there's no winner when we fight
So this mornin' in our kitchen
After talkin' all night long
We finally stopped tryin' to figure out
Who's right and who is wrong
And when you hold me like you're holdin' me
And I kiss your tired face
We know we took the long way here
But wound up in a better place
Baby one night in Las Vegas
Or one weekend in the mountains
Any moment we're together makes up for everything else
An hour and forty five minutes late
And of course our connection was already in the air
Spent a day of our vacation in Chicago O'Hare
And like musical chairs at the baggage belt
We were the last ones standin' there when nothin' came out
Looking back now on our string of bad luck
That just wasn't our day but you know what?
That one night in Las Vegas
Lyin' there with you
Was well worth everything that you and I went through
And so it goes, our life's been that way
Puttin' out fires, takin' it day by day
And look at this year, it's been our hardest one yet
Just when we thought it had gotten bad as it could get
You got transferred to Denver, I stayed behind
Put the house on the market 'bout went outta my mind
And your dad got sick, I've never seen you so scared
We almost didn't make it through the year
But that weekend in the mountains
In a cabin all by ourselves
Makin' that one memory made up for everything else
Oooh me and my insecurities
You and your stubborn pride
If we've learned anything it's there's no winner when we fight
So this mornin' in our kitchen
After talkin' all night long
We finally stopped tryin' to figure out
Who's right and who is wrong
And when you hold me like you're holdin' me
And I kiss your tired face
We know we took the long way here
But wound up in a better place
Baby one night in Las Vegas
Or one weekend in the mountains
Any moment we're together makes up for everything else
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