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.
Long live our dying friend!
In the birth of his hand was the dirge of his end
Cold now in a warming world
Still cold as the moment we're hanging frozen in
Writer of words, channel of fear
lover of life, hater of living here
Come over the hills now, to your darling
Dead voices are near now, hear them calling
Vibrations reverberate
In waves from a point in time and a place
Tune in and you feel them sent
And all time is right now - what do we learn from him, then?
Go look to his words, dont look to his past
The story goes on, the players are recast
Come over the hills now, to your darling
Dead voices are near now, hear them calling
What part of a million could call him a friend?
But maybe one in a thousand finds something to comiserate in
And if that one is you, then what do you see?
What would you say to have saved him,
And ooh, won't you say it to save me?
The streets are deserted, the bars are the same
One voice of the living: the town crier is calling your name.
In the birth of his hand was the dirge of his end
Cold now in a warming world
Still cold as the moment we're hanging frozen in
Writer of words, channel of fear
lover of life, hater of living here
Come over the hills now, to your darling
Dead voices are near now, hear them calling
Vibrations reverberate
In waves from a point in time and a place
Tune in and you feel them sent
And all time is right now - what do we learn from him, then?
Go look to his words, dont look to his past
The story goes on, the players are recast
Come over the hills now, to your darling
Dead voices are near now, hear them calling
What part of a million could call him a friend?
But maybe one in a thousand finds something to comiserate in
And if that one is you, then what do you see?
What would you say to have saved him,
And ooh, won't you say it to save me?
The streets are deserted, the bars are the same
One voice of the living: the town crier is calling your name.
Lyrics submitted by knifefight
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